ABTA Partner Event | ABSA COMMERCIAL TRAVEL PAYMENTS SUMMIT | Johannesburg, South Africa | 3 September 2026
R0.00 excl VAT
ABOUT THIS EVENT
ABSA COMMERCIAL TRAVEL PAYMENTS SUMMIT
From Friction to Flow: Building a smarter travel payments ecosystem
*BY INVITATION ONLY*
Join leading Corporate Travel stakeholders, Travel Buyers, TMC’s, financial institutions and supplier partners for a focused half-day session,
exploring the future of travel payments.
As payment technology evolves, organisations are under increasing pressure to improve efficiency, strengthen controls, reduce traveller and supplier friction,
and unlock greater visibility across the travel ecosystem.
This session brings together industry experts to examine the challenges that remain — and the practical solutions already making a difference.
| PLEASE NOTE THIS EVENT IS BY INVITATION ONLY |
Thursday 3 September 2026
08.30 – 14.00
The Leonardo Hotel
Sandton, Johannesburg
EVENT OVERVIEW
The corporate travel payments landscape is evolving rapidly. From virtual cards and lodge accounts to automation, reconciliation and supplier acceptance, organisations have more payment options available than ever before. Yet many Travel Buyers, TMC’s and Suppliers continue to face operational challenges that create friction, increase costs and impact the traveller experience.
Over the past year, Absa and ABTA have worked closely with Travel Buyers, TMC’s, Hotels and Industry associations to better understand these challenges – and, more importantly, how they can be improved.
This year’s summit will move beyond identifying problems to exploring practical solutions. Join us as we examine emerging payment trends, share research findings, showcase industry best practices and discuss how greater collaboration between buyers, suppliers, banks and travel partners can help create a more efficient, secure and seamless payment ecosystem.
Whether your focus is traveller experience, supplier relationships, reconciliation, policy compliance, fraud prevention or payment automation, this event will provide valuable insights into the future of managed travel payments.
Topics & Sessions include:
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Africa payment acceptance: How close are we to “Anytime, Anywhere”?
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Hotel Payments: Why are we still struggling?
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Cross-border Payments: Taking the pain out of paying across Africa
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Car Rental Payments: Lodge, Virtual and the Card Not Present shift
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Behind the Payment: How Banks and Card schemes work together
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Virtual payment evolution: Growth, challenges, acceptance and newest developments
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Travel Payment Leakage: Identifying top areas of concern and possible solutions
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Better Reconciliation = Better data-driven decisions
- Rethinking TMC Payments: Lodge Cards, TIP & What Comes Next
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CFO Discussion: Top Payment challenges keeping finance professionals awake at night
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Public Sector Payments: Different rules, different challenges?
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Beyond Currency Conversion: Getting smarter about FX in travel
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Mastercard Macro 360: Macro spending trends and how they impact consumers and corporates
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Global and Regional Payment trends to watch
Speakers, Panelists and Table Leaders Include:
Alex Stancu, PhD – Head, South & East Africa – IATA
Andrew Wilmot, Executive: Payments Acceptance – Absa
Dave Milne, Group Hospitality Executive – Peermont Hotels, Casinos and Resorts
David Breetzke, Executive: Commercial Payments Strategy – Absa
Dayle White, Financial Controller – FCM Travel
Karen Jansen, Senior Product Leader / Commercial Payment Solutions & Cards – Absa
Kevin Lomax, Senior Vice President & Managing Director | South Africa – Wings Global Travel
Kgotso Ndaba, National Sales Lead (Mastercard/Absa) T&E, B2B, B2G
Khatija Haque, Chief Economist, EEMEA – Mastercard Economics Institute
Min Smith, Director: Business Development Commercial Payments – Mastercard
Nick Pedlar, Senior Account Manager – Europcar
Nomvula Ngxesha, BB | Travel and Entertainment Senior Manager – Absa
Pascalle Albrecht, Executive: Commercial Issuing | Business Banking Product – Absa
Pierre Brittion, IM Snr Solution Architect Travel SH | Sasol Business Services – Sasol South Africa
Sekete Malebana-Metsing, Senior Product Manager: Forex & International Banking – Absa
Simon Tsiri, National Sales Head: Commercial Issuing | Relationship Banking Product – Absa
Zane Zeeman, Travel Operations Manager | Finance Shared Service Africa – Absa
HOSTED IN PARTNERSHIP WITH
WHAT DOES IT COST?
Attendance to this event is by invitation only, and is complimentary.
SUMMIT AGENDA
| 08.15 – 09.00 | Welcome Desk Opens Delegate arrival and networking Tea, Coffee & Pastries served |
| 09.00 – 09.15 | Opening and Welcome |
| 09.15 – 10.00 | Panel Discussion |
| 10.00 – 10.45 | Interactive Discussion and Q&A |
| 10.45 – 11.15 | Tea Break |
| 11.15 – 12.15 | Round Table Session |
| 12.15 – 13.15 | Interactive Discussion and Q&A |
| 13.15 – 13.30 | Close and Thanks |
| 13.30 – 14.15 | Networking Lunch |
HOW TO BOOK YOUR SEAT
Enter the number of seats you would like to book in the white box at the top of the page and click ‘Next step’ to begin the booking process.
Complete your contact details, delegate details and payment information if required.
Once you have completed the booking process an automated email will be sent to confirm your booking.
Closer to the event, a personalised email with venue details and event reminders will be sent to the email address you provided. Please ensure you keep a look out for this mail, including in your spam folders.
Any trouble? Email carol-ann@abta.co.za
BECOME AN ABTA MEMBER
ABTA runs a Hosted Buyer membership program. This means that ALL Travel Buyers (those responsible for booking, managing or buying staff travel for their organisations) get to sign up at no charge.
In addition, they get to attend webinars and in-person events at no charge too. (Excluding ABTA’s Annual Conference).
Sound good? CLICK HERE for more information and to sign up easily on-line, clicking ‘Apply Now’ on the ‘Buyers Only’ membership category.
Event Details
Date: 3 September 2026
Start time: 08:30 SAST
End time: 14:00 SAST
Directions: The Leonardo Hotel, Sandton