Brendan du Preez, Director of Trade Finance at Equity Bank, has outlined the bank’s digital transformation strategy, highlighting how technology is reshaping trade finance from a paper-driven process into a more efficient, data-led ecosystem designed to improve access and accelerate business growth.
Speaking on the future of trade finance, du Preez said Equity is leveraging digital tools not simply for automation, but as a key driver of broader transformation across the trade finance landscape.
According to him, one of the bank’s priorities is shifting traditional documentation processes into structured digital data, enabling faster verification and decision-making.
“When information becomes data, verification and review can be automated through business rules, allowing teams to focus only on exceptions that require human intervention,” he said.
He explained that the approach significantly reduces manual processes, shortens transaction turnaround times, and improves service delivery for businesses, particularly small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), which often rely on frequent trade finance support.
Du Preez noted that Equity’s digitisation strategy extends beyond cost reduction, with efforts focused on streamlining documentary processes, automating sanctions screening, strengthening risk controls, and improving compliance systems.
He said these initiatives allow the bank to process larger transaction volumes while maintaining operational efficiency.
ALSO READ: THECFO MAGAZINE’S CFO OF THE WEEK: YUSUF OMARI OF ABSA BANK KENYA
“Digital efficiency is what allows trade finance to scale sustainably, particularly within the SME segment,” he said.
He further explained that Equity’s strategy has evolved from financing individual businesses to supporting entire value chains by integrating trade finance with structured trade, supply chain finance, treasury services, foreign exchange, cash management, and working capital solutions.
“At Equity, we do not simply look at an individual client’s needs. We focus on both the upstream and downstream value chains to create sustainable financing solutions,” du Preez stated.
He also identified Application Programming Interfaces (APIs) as a critical part of the bank’s digital transformation agenda, saying the technology allows trade finance services to integrate directly into clients’ systems for real-time financing, compliance monitoring, and sanctions screening.
“APIs have the potential to transform financial institutions from financiers into ecosystem orchestrators,” he added.
Du Preez noted that as Africa advances regional integration and intra-African trade through the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA), demand for efficient and accessible trade finance solutions will continue to increase, positioning digital-first banking models as key enablers of growth across the continent.
