The World Economic Forum has selected the Zimbabwean chief executive officer of African Risk Capacity Limited (ARC Ltd), Lesley Ndlovu as one of the Young Global Leaders of 2022.
The Forum of Young Global Leaders was founded in 2005 by Klaus Schwab, Founder and Executive Chairman of the World Economic Forum, to help shape future leaders who are equipped to both take responsibility for creating a more sustainable and inclusive world, and to address its increasingly complex and interrelated challenges.
“The World Economic Forum is delighted to welcome this year’s class of Young Global Leaders. Their commitment to improving the state of the world is crucial at a time where collaboration is needed more than ever,” said Nicole Schwab, Board Member of the Forum of Young Global Leaders in a statement.
In a statement, the organisation said the selected leaders have demonstrated exceptional ingenuity and vision across their fields.
“While they represent diverse sectors, regions and issue areas, they are united in their commitment to lead towards a more inclusive and sustainable world,” said Mariah Levin, Head of the Forum of Young Global Leaders.
ARC Ltd is a hybrid mutual insurer and financial affiliate of the African Risk Capacity Group. The organisation provides parametric insurance services to African Union member states and farmer organisations, employing innovative financing mechanisms to pool disaster-related risk across Africa and transferring it to international risk markets.
On his part Ndlovu said the recognition would motivate ARC Ltd to do more in helping the most vulnerable in Africa.
“Insurance plays a critical role in transferring this risk away from the most vulnerable people to the global reinsurance markets such that when a drought happens, insurance claims can be quickly paid to the affected people to allow them to resume their economic activities with minimum disruption.
“This represents an extension of my work at the African Risk Capacity, where we are already the leading provider of weather related insurance on the African continent, working with both governments and the private sector,” he said.
“At ARC we are working to make insurance available, accessible and affordable for Africans, we are currently providing insurance to about 30 million Africans each year and our five year ambition is to be covering 200 million people per year”.
Ndlovu becomes the fourth Zimbabwean to be put on the list after Mayur Patel (Chief Commercial Officer, M-KOPA), Vimbayi Kajese (Founder, #Adtags) and Arts and Sports minister, Kirsty Coventry.
Born in Filabusi, Matabeleland South Ndlovu is an international financial services executive with experience in corporate finance, investment management and insurance and has worked in Bermuda, Singapore, France, United Kingdom and South Africa.
