The Institute of Chartered Secretaries and Administrators (ICSA) Uganda, working together with KPMG Uganda, will hold the 15th Annual Directors and Company Secretaries Conference on March 4 at Mestil Hotel in Kampala.
The conference will bring together company directors, chief executives, managers and business leaders from different sectors to discuss how organisations can be better run in today’s fast-changing business world.
This year’s meeting will focus on how artificial intelligence (AI) and environmental, social and governance (ESG) issues are affecting businesses, under the theme “Corporate Governance: The Bridge to Artificial Intelligence.”
Launching the conference, ICSA Uganda Chairperson Jane Okot P’Bitek Langoya said the event is designed to address what worries today’s business leaders.
“This conference brings together boards and senior management to discuss issues that keep CEOs and board members awake at night and to learn from each other’s experiences,” Langoya said.
She added that corporate governance plays a key role in helping organisations use new technologies responsibly.
“Corporate governance requires organisations to create an ethical culture and to do the right thing so that they can grow sustainably. That is why our theme is corporate governance, the bridge to artificial intelligence,” she said.
KPMG Africa Associate Director Benson Mwesigwa said strong corporate governance is essential for business success.
“Corporate governance is at the heart of everything we do. If you don’t have a strategic direction and proper oversight, that business will not be successful,” Mwesigwa said.
He said a recent KPMG CEO Outlook Survey showed that AI, talent, ESG and cyber security are the biggest issues facing company leaders.
“We are now living in a digital world. Businesses are generating huge amounts of data and using it to make decisions. Boards and executive teams must think about how to remain relevant in this disruptive environment,” he said.
On ESG, Mwesigwa noted that many African CEOs are still investing in sustainable business practices.
“Seventy-nine percent of CEOs across Africa are confident in navigating regulatory differences and are still investing in ESG because sustainability is now central to business success,” he said.
From the Bank of Uganda, Yedidah Nyakato said corporate governance is vital for financial stability.
“We cannot attain our mandate if the heart or the soul of an organisation, which is corporate governance, is sick. Corporate governance is at the centre of everything we do at the Bank of Uganda,” she said.
The guest of honour will be Capital Markets Authority CEO Josephine Okui Ossiya, while NSSF Managing Director Patrick Ayota will deliver the keynote address. ICSA global CEO Linda Ford will speak on “Responsible AI Governance in Practice.”
The event is sponsored by Bank of Uganda, New Vision, Centenary Bank and SM&Co Advocates, with registration fees set at Shs250,000 for physical attendance, Shs150,000 for online participation, Shs2.5 million for a corporate table and Shs400,000 for exhibitors.
