Pieter Swanepoel serves as the Group Chairperson of RealPay, a multinational and authorised payments service company differentiated by its innovative solutions – spanning South Africa, Namibia, Botswana, eSwatini, Lesotho, Zambia, and Uganda.
With an unwavering belief in innovation as the cornerstone of value creation, Pieter has consistently championed this ethos throughout his career. As a seasoned payments professional, his journey commenced within the heart of South Africa’s banking sector in the mid-nineties where he held senior and general management positions at two of the country’s foremost banking institutions, Absa and FNB. In addition to his pivotal role as Group Chairperson at RealPay, Pieter actively engages in diverse leadership capacities within the payments industry. He is a key contributor to various industry structures established by prominent industry bodies, central banks, and payment associations where his insights and expertise are highly valued. His leadership extends beyond his executive responsibilities, as he dedicates himself to fostering collaboration and driving progress within the payments ecosystem. Noteworthy was his participation in the Payments Study Tour to Southeast Asia, carried out in service of South Africa. He obtained key insights from countries experiencing similar modernisation goals and challenges, and that already achieved remarkable economic and consumer benefits from this transformation. These insights further enriched his contributions to the payments ecosystem. His proactive engagement in industry dialogues and leadership initiatives underscores his commitment to advancing the payments landscape with innovation and excellence.
Pieter’s contribution to the payments industry has been recognised, and awards include the PASA Excellence Award for Non-bank Contribution during 2014 (CIBA), the PASA Outstanding Contribution to the SA NPS in 2016 (individual), and the PSSF Recognition of Input and Contribution to Various Industry Leadership Structures during 2023. Pieter obtained his BCom (Hons) Economics degree from the University of Pretoria in 1993. Throughout his career, he has pursued professional development, and participated in various strategic management and business leadership initiatives. His dedicated involvement in payments systems programs emphasises his commitment to excellence and continual growth in his field.