MG100 Spotlight: Mwape Mondoloka, Company Secretary, Absa Bank Zambia PLC

12/05/2020
Lena Eisenstein
Mwape Mondoloka, Company Secretary at Absa Bank Zambia PLC, is'''being recognized by'''Diligent's'''Modern Governance 100 program.'''The'''Modern Governance 100 is'''a community of governance professionals'''who'''have been nominated for their'''innovation,'''resilience,'''dedication and empathy in the face of a complex and ever-changing world. For Mondoloka modern governance means many things, but first and foremost it is simply about providing a far superior user experience when assembling and disseminating board materials. Modern governance, underpinned by digital solutions, gives Mondoloka the ability to do her job better. ''It has empowered me to be able to be in charge of my own destiny in the way I want the [board] pack to look, to have no mistakes, to be made available to the board members on time - and I'm really thankful for that.'' With the capacity for error significantly reduced, the ability to review and update documents in an instant, and easy navigation and secure sharing capabilities at the forefront, Diligent, Mondoloka notes, offers a solution that works for everyone at Absa. Before the bank started using Diligent, Mondoloka had to prepare for board meetings the old-fashioned way: ''Churning out papers,'' replacing toner continuously, coordinating 300km round trips for couriers, spending entire days sending out packages and so on. Mondoloka now oversees an operation where flexibility and effective decision making are par for the course, with errors and security risks now a thing of the past. ''It's made my life so much easier,'' she says. ''It's reduced two days' work to three hours at most.'' How Mondoloka Uses Diligent
  • A secure and time-saving solution for sending documents, allowing for confidential information to be distributed and viewed by selected users within the confines of a high-grade security system
  • Virtual meeting management, with secure sharing of meeting materials and convenient access to all necessary information
  • Move ingrained paper-centric legacy processes online, driving efficiency, decreasing the potential for mistakes and providing a better experience for all directors involved
Long a convert to modern governance, Mwape's forthright embrace of a digital solution has resonated across her organization. Her colleagues have been impressed not only by Diligent's scope but its simplicity too. As Chimango Chikwanda, People Function Director at Absa, notes: ''My introduction to Diligent was seamless.'' In a competitive corporate environment, a modern governance solution goes a long way to assuaging security concerns, especially when it comes to competitors. Whereas legacy solutions make it relatively easy for proprietary information to fall into the hands of rival banks, by using Diligent solutions, Mondoloka has been able to ensure that sensitive documents are shielded from prying eyes. Mondoloka spearheaded the bank's use of Diligent as a modern governance tool and today the difference in governance practices is stark. She is able to disseminate information with no more than a tap on a screen, meaning that all documents, charts and graphs can reach directors wherever they are - a particular boom in today's remote working world. Ultimately, Diligent just makes things easier. ''It's made life so much simpler for me,'' Mondoloka concludes. And who wouldn't want that?
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