Iain Banner is a visionary entrepreneur and social impact leader with a career defined by the creation of globally recognized platforms. As the co-founder of the Laureus World Sports Awards and the Laureus Sport for Good Foundation, he launched a movement that has raised over R5bn to support children worldwide. Under his leadership, the foundation has utilized sport as a transformative tool, directly benefiting more than 1.7 million children since its inaugural event in Monaco in 2000.
A specialist in high-profile international ventures, Iain also co-founded the Alfred Dunhill Links Championship at St Andrews and, upon returning to Cape Town in 2005, successfully secured the rights to stage Formula E in the city. His current focus lies at the forefront of sustainability; in 2023, he founded Go Green Africa, where he serves as the driving force behind Africa’s Green Economy Summit and the Carbon Market Africa Summit. Dedicated to building ventures that balance commercial success with global responsibility, Iain continues to champion the intersection of sport, technology, and the green economy.
Sessions
April 9, Thursday
Venue: Innovation City Cape Town
OTAs: The Next Frontier
As we enter The Next 20, online travel agencies face a new frontier shaped by AI interfaces, shifting traveller trust, regional platform strength, and new paths to discovery and booking. Will OTAs become invisible infrastructure, intelligent trip partners, or powerful super-platforms? And as travellers gain more tools and control, how must intermediaries evolve to stay essential? This session brings together global and regional OTA leaders to examine where value will be created next – from product and payments to partnerships and localisation – and how competitive dynamics between global giants and homegrown champions will play out across emerging markets. Expect candid perspectives on what OTAs must reinvent, defend, and double down on in the next era of travel distribution.
Speakers:
Andy Hedley, CEO, Travelstart
Albert Fernando, CEO, Travelwings
Bayo Adedeji, Group Chief Executive Officer, Wakanow
Moderator:
