Standard Bank Namibia will host its first-ever Governance, Risk and Compliance (GRC) Breakfast Connect on 31 October 2025, bringing together industry leaders, risk professionals and community stakeholders under the theme “Building Resilience: One Brick at a Time.”
The event aims to promote dialogue on institutional resilience while raising funds for the bank’s flagship Buy-a-Brick initiative, which supports low-income families in securing safe, permanent housing.
According to Paulina Iiyambo, Head of Internal Audit at Standard Bank Namibia, the initiative is grounded in the bank’s belief that governance, risk and compliance are not just technical functions but strategic enablers of sustainable growth.
“To be truly effective, these disciplines must operate in concert, not in isolation,” said Iiyambo.
“This platform allows us to reflect on what building resilience in our institutions looks like, unpack our collective responsibilities, and strengthen the networks that enable collaboration.”
The theme “Building Resilience: One Brick at a Time” aligns with Standard Bank Namibia’s broader risk culture and community investment strategy and reflects its purpose-driven ethos: Namibia is our home, we drive her growth.
“Resilience is embedded in our risk culture.We invest in strong governance systems, ethical leadership, and forward-looking risk management practices. But resilience must also be reflected in how we show up for our communities,” Iiyambo said.
She noted that in today’s volatile economic and social climate, resilience has become a strategic imperative and that risk management must evolve from reactive control to proactive enablement.
“Our 110-year legacy, dating back to our first branch in Lüderitz in 1915, is a living example of that,” she said.
“We’ve remained steadfast through cycles of transformation because of our clarity of purpose and deliberate investment in building a resilient institution.”
The breakfast will feature a distinguished line-up of speakers, including Bryan Kandjiriomuini, Head of GRC at NAMFISA, and Laina Likius, ESG and Sustainability Specialist at the Capricorn Group.
Discussions will explore how institutions and communities can co-create a secure, inclusive and sustainable future, with insights into emerging areas such as ESG, AI and cybersecurity.
Iiyambo also drew parallels between institutional frameworks and community resilience.
“Resilience is never accidental, it’s designed. Just as we build frameworks to protect and enable businesses, we must build social frameworks that empower and uplift people,” she said.
“Through Buy-a-Brick, we extend these principles into the heart of Namibian communities.”
Proceeds from the breakfast will go directly towards building homes for low-income families, reinforcing Standard Bank Namibia’s commitment to nation-building.
“We invite our partners and the public to join us, not just in funding bricks, but in laying the foundation for a more resilient Namibia,” Iiyambo concluded.
