Palesa Ryan

Head: Social, Health & Education at Development Bank of Southern Africa (DBSA)

Chair

Palesa Ryan is a seasoned Financial Services Executive with more than 23 years’ experience across South Africa’s big four banks and key DFIs. Palesa’s area of expertise is in the areas of business turnaround management, risk and governance management and business development.

Palesa Ryan is the Head of Origination and Coverage for the Social, Health and Education sectors at the Development Bank of Southern Africa (DBSA) and is responsible for a team which funds projects in affordable housing, education and healthcare infrastructure. Prior DFI exposure has included stints at the Industrial Development Corporation and the Land Bank of South Africa. Her work experience includes Credit, Workout and Restructuring, Turnaround, Coverage (Relationship Management and deal origination) and Private Equity. Her industry experience is vast and includes funding clients in infrastructure, property, primary and secondary agriculture, financial services (banking, hedge funds, insurance companies, asset managers, microlenders), healthcare, retail, education, student accommodation and affordable housing. In her numerous roles, Palesa has covered clients across SADC, East and West Africa.

Prior to joining DBSA, Palesa headed the Workout and Restructuring Business Unit at Land Bank, which was responsible for the turnaround of the bank’s non-performing loan book in the agricultural sector. She also served as the Vice President and Head of Non-Bank Financial Institutions (“NBFI”) for ABSA Group Limited. In this role, she managed a Coverage Team servicing clients across Ghana, Kenya, Tanzania, Zambia, Uganda, Botswana, Mauritius, Mozambique and Seychelles.

Palesa holds a Bachelor of Commerce Degree in Management Accounting and Finance from the University of Witwatersrand, as well as a Diploma (cum laude) in Insolvency Law & Practice from the University of Johannesburg. In October 2020, she qualified as a PPP Professional under the APMG International CP3P Certification Programme – attaining first position for both the Foundation and Execution Levels.

Outside of work and academia, Palesa has contributed insightful business and development news from around the continent to both the Continent and South Africa’s business media including CNBC Africa, Power FM and Radio 702. Palesa served as the Co-Chair of the Human Settlements Technical Working Group under the Presidency as part of the Inaugural Sustainable Infrastructure Development Symposium from 2019 – 2022 and currently serves as an active member of the Social Infrastructure Technical Working Group. Palesa is recognized as an astute public speaker and Master of Ceremonies, having hosted key international events such as the African Presidential Leadership Conference.