Kumaran Selvarajalu | Independent Consultant
AI, negotiation and advocacy expert

Kumaran Selvarajalu is an independent consultant and researcher with almost three decades’ experience across banking, payments, industry advocacy, and strategic engagement. From 2019 to 2025, he established and led the payments function at the Banking Association South Africa (BASA), serving as an ambassador and advocate for the South African industry on banking, payments, cash, and technology-related matters. He also served for four years as Chair of the Payments Working Group of the BRICS Business Council South Africa, contributing to dialogue on trade, payments, and financial cooperation across BRICS markets. Prior to this, Kumaran was at FirstRand Ltd for 20 years, including as its primary representative on payments matters. Kumaran’s current focus is on national development that enables value creation, linking policy, markets, people, and importantly national identity. He believes Africa’s diverse nations and youthful population will be central not just to South Africa, Africa, or BRICS+ but the future global system. linkedin.com/in/kselvarajalu