Subject to regulatory approval, Barclays Life Botswana Limited intends will officially change its name to Absa Life Botswana Limited on February 10.

In an interview the managing director of Barclays Life, Ms Motshabi Mokone assured customers that all policies and contact details would remain active and functional as it was before the name change.

Ms Mokone said Barclays Life would not ask customers to furnish any additional information during this period, and all records would remain the same after the transition.

She urged Barclays Life customers to be particularly vigilant during this time, as fraudsters were always looking for opportunities to obtain important personal information.

She said the name change would be a massive milestone for both Barclays Life and Absa Group Limited and was scheduled to be complete by mid-2020.

“We have served Botswana for almost nine years, and can trace our company’s roots as far back as 2011, demonstrating the strength of our commitment to Botswana. In 2011 we began as Absa Life and later Barclays Life in Botswana, and now we are about to embark on a new and exciting chapter in the company’s history, as we embrace our new Absa identity,” she said.

She said Absa Life Botswana commenced operations in March 2011, as a wholly-owned subsidiary of Absa Financial Services Limited, which in turn was wholly-owned by Absa Group Limited.

Ms Mokone stated that at the time, Absa Group Limited was 56 per cent owned by Barclays Bank PLC and in 2012, the Group adopted the ‘One Africa’ strategy, which led to, amongst other things, the decision of using the Barclays brand in all business units outside South Africa.

Therefore, in line with the ‘One Africa’ strategy, Absa Life Botswana was rebranded to Barclays Life Botswana in 2013.

Ms Mokone said Barclays’ change was part of one of the largest, most ambitious corporate rebranding projects in the continent’s history and part of a broader, multi-country re-brand programme by the parent company, Absa Group Limited.

She said after over 3 years of preparation, they had announced with pride that they would officially be known as Absa Life Botswana Pty Limited from February onwards.

She said even though some of their branches and other assets had already adopted the Absa look, with a warm, vibrant red colour palette, they would continue to operate and trade as Barclays Life until the name officially changes.

She said parent company Absa Group Limited was one of the largest banking groups in Africa, with a balance sheet of about P980 billion as of 30 June 2019.

It has operations across 12 African countries, and a representative office in London, with another one opening soon in New York.

The Group has approximately 40 000 employees, more than 1 000 branches, and nearly 10 000 Automated Teller Machine (ATM). ENDS