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Where trust
becomes strategy

– and design leads the way

Are you ready for XDC ‘26? Save the date. You’re not going to want to miss this!

conference date 30 september, the forum
Learn more

Designing for trust

In a world shaped by AI, automation, and rapid digital acceleration, trust needs to become a top priority for organisations across Africa.

Absa Experience Design Collab ‘26 explores how organisations can design systems that earn consumer trust — through transparency, integrity, and empathy. This year, we bring business and design together to unpack how trust fuels adoption, reduces risk, and drives long-term value.

Designing digital futures: Rethinking global tech for the African context

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More than just design

This year, XDC expands beyond the design community to engage the people who shape strategy and organisational change.

As design matures across South Africa, the opportunity is no longer to up-skill designers — it’s to align business and design around a shared goal: building trusted, human‑centred systems that drive real commercial value.

XDC 2026 is where leaders across business, technology, and design come together to understand how trust unlocks adoption, strengthens loyalty, and fuels organisational growth.

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Join the circle of innovators

Whether you're here to learn, connect, or inspire new ideas, this is where bold thinking meets real impact. Come meet other curious minds, soak up insights, be part of the conversations shaping the future of design and end the day with conversation and good food.

Student tickets

Price

R 990

Sales close 6 October 2025

Normal tickets

Price

R 1 800

Sales close 6 October 2025

2025 Speakers

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Keynote speaker
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Experience Design Director, Absa

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Speaker reveal

Coming soon...

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Speaker reveal

Coming soon...

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Speaker reveal

Coming soon...

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Keynote speaker
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Inez Patel

Experience Design Director,

Absa Personal and Private Banking

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speaker

Donald Mokgale

Managing Director,

MoyaApp

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Alfi Oloo

Founder,

The Ordinary Group

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Zeenat Hassim

Interim CIO: Digital Technology,

Absa Personal and Private Banking

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Subash Sharma

Managing Executive: Digital,

Absa Personal and Private Banking

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Sivan Lapidus

Head of Design,


Absa Personal and Private Banking

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Kulani Emelda Hlungwane

Group Senior Manager:

Digital Experience, MTN

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Rob Cowie

Senior Design Specialist,


Absa Personal and Private Banking

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Muano Karidza

Senior Product Development Specialist: Credit Card,

Absa Personal and Private Banking

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Ayanda Mbonambi

Experience Design Lead, 

Absa CIB 

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Jennifer Stuart

Principal Design Consultant,

Spot On Consulting 

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Jonelle Kuyler

Senior Manager: Customer Insights, Absa Personal and Private Banking

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Yashoda Ram

Founder & CEO,

The Manifesto

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Candice Bond

Product Manager: Customer Innovation, ShopriteX 

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Jade Willemse

Design Director,

Absa Africa Regional Operations

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Hannah Gould

Experience Design Director,
Absa Personal and Private Banking

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Waiting for you...

Learn more about speaking at XDC 2026 and secure your spot on the stage today!

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2026 Speakers

Watch this space for our 2026 speaker line-up

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Speaker

Chanetsa Mukahanana

Senior Design Specialist

Absa Personal and Private Banking

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Speaker

Celestine Ngulube

Senior Product Development Manager

Absa Corporate and Investment Banking

See more
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Speaker reveal

Coming soon...

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Speaker

Inez Patel

Experience Design Director

Absa Personal and Private Banking

See more
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Speaker

Nelri Venzke

Senior Design Director

Absa Personal and Private Banking

See more
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Speaker

Winnie Mulli

Senior Design Director

Absa Personal and Private Banking

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Speaker

Inez Patel

Experience Design Director

Absa Personal and Private Banking

See more
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speaker

Speaker

Celestine Ngulube

Senior Product Development Manager

Absa Corporate and Investment Banking

See more
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Speaker

Chanetsa Mukahanana

Senior Design Specialist

Absa Personal and Private Banking

See more
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Speaker

Winnie Mulli

Senior Design Director

Absa Personal and Private Banking

See more
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Speaker

Nelri Venzke

Senior Design Director

Absa Personal and Private Banking

See more
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Speaker

Inez Patel

Experience Design Director

Absa Personal and Private Banking

See more
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Speaker

Coming soon...

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Speaker reveal

Coming soon...

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Speaker reveal

Coming soon...

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Speaker reveal

Coming soon...

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