Smart Money – Investec’s Mpho Modise on the bank being awarded an energy trading licence

In this Smart Money with Alishia Seckam interview, Mpho Modise, Head of Renewable Energy Trading at Investec, discusses the bank’s entry into the electricity market.

Modise is a specialist in renewable energy trading and finance with extensive experience in project finance across the energy, ICT, and infrastructure sectors.

Modise began her career as a trainee accountant at KPMG in 2007 before joining the Industrial Development Corporation (IDC), where she stayed for over 13 years.

She held several positions at the IDC, starting out as a senior business analyst and later becoming a senior project development manager.

Modise left the IDC in 2023, joining PowerX as an executive for business development. She joined Investec in 2024 and now serves as its Head of Renewable Energy Trading.

With Modise at the wheel of its renewable energy strategy, Investec was recently awarded an energy trading licence by NERSA (National Energy Regulator of South Africa).

Modise joins Alishia Seckam in this Smart Money interview to unpack this move by the bank.

The interview

In this interview, Modise explains what the new energy trading licence allows Investec to do.

She talks about how Investec attained the licence, and how it benefits their clients.

As the licence enables Investec to partner with independent power producers to fund, purchase, and transport renewable energy across the grid, Modise explains whether the bank has any such plans.

Modise then unpacks this move within Investec’s broader sustainability strategy, and concludes the interview by talking about the road ahead.

Watch the full Smart Money interview with Mpho Modise below.