By Nigel Pfunde
HARARE —*Bard Santner Microfinance Bank has unveiled a high-powered, 13-member multinational board boasting deep global banking and corporate governance experience,Express Mail Zim can report.
The unveiling follows a high-octane launch held last week, as the financial institution moves to capture Zimbabwe’s multi-billion-dollar diaspora remittance market.
The newly constituted board brings together seasoned executive, non-executive and independent directors spanning Zimbabwe, South Africa, Mauritius, India and the United Kingdom, positioning the bank to enforce stringent fiduciary oversight and rebuild public confidence in a sector historically marred by institutional failures and governance challenges.
Leading the board as Chairman is Vinod Bussawah, a Fellow of the Association of Chartered Certified Accountants (ACCA) with over 30 years of finance and governance expertise, who also chairs audit committees at two listed companies.
The board’s independent directors feature a heavy-hitting lineup of international experts, including former Chief Executive of the Financial Services Commission of Mauritius and former SBM Group Deputy CEO Dr Roshan Boodhoo; former HSBC and HBOS executive Scott Trimble, who was named UK Anti-Money Laundering Advisor of the Year in 2022 and 2023; and 40-year banking veteran Roger Bennett, former founder of Fortress Management Services with experience at Lloyds Bank and CIBC.
Completing the independent slate are financial restructuring expert Niazi Hoolash (ex-KPMG and PwC), strategy consultant Brad Shorkend, corporate governance practitioner Monika Bhatt, and veteran Zimbabwean banker Peter Wood, former chairman of BancABC Zimbabwe.
Bard Santner Inc. co-founders Senziwani Sikhosana, who serves as Group CEO and was recently named the 2026 Director of the Year by the Institute of Directors Zimbabwe , Tatenda Hungwe and Lucia Chingwaru join as non-executive directors. The executive leadership is represented by Managing Director Ngonidzashe Chikowore and Finance Director Givemore Gomo.
Commending the strategic lineup, local economic analyst Farai Mutambara said the board’s international composition provides the critical risk management framework required to navigate cross-border regulatory compliance and earn long-term investor trust.
Speaking on the board’s key mandate, Bussawah emphasized an uncompromising stance on governance and asset protection.
“Our job as a board is simple: to protect depositors’ money and to make sure the bank is run to international standards,” Bussawah said.
The strategic imperative to restore market trust was further underscored by Chikowore, who highlighted the deliberate combination of local market depth and global best practice.
“Zimbabweans deserve a new fintech institution they can trust. That is why we brought together experts with great track records, locally, regionally and internationally, alongside people who know this market well, to build a new diaspora-focused institution from scratch,” Chikowore said. “We want to lay a strong foundation, ensure corporate governance and protect depositors’ funds from the word go.”
Echoing these sentiments, Sikhosana said institutional integrity remains the bedrock of sustainable banking operations.
“Banks are founded on trust,” Sikhosana said. “Trust in banking is gradually earned through customer-centred, efficient and consistent service, security and transparency. Trust, together with confidence and accountability, becomes the nerve centre of banking. This entails a deep responsibility to protect depositors’ funds, confidentiality and data. When customers choose a bank, they are not just choosing a name or brand; they are entering a confidential relationship built on the legitimate expectation of the safety of their funds, the confidentiality of their information and ethical behaviour.”
Bard Santner’s digital-first business model aims to capitalize on cross-border remittance corridors — particularly across South Africa, the United Kingdom, and the United States — by linking non-resident Zimbabweans directly to local small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) and structured investment vehicles.
As the bank expands its footprint, the board’s collective expertise in anti-money laundering, regulatory compliance and risk oversight will prove crucial in securing correspondent banking relationships and scaling operations transparently.
