Curriculum vitae

David Bekker

Head of Data & Analytics | Banking, Credit Risk, Fraud/FinCrime, Growth Analytics

London, UK dave@bekker.uk

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Executive profile

ExCo-level data leader in challenger and incumbent banking with 15+ years of experience spanning analytics, decision science, and data engineering. Currently leads a 23-person multidisciplinary function delivering governed data foundations and models/insights across lending, fraud/financial crime, marketing, and operations.

Earlier built and led a 40-person quantitative analytics organisation across the full credit card lifecycle. Strong track record translating complex problems into explainable decisions for senior executives while improving risk outcomes, customer performance, and operating effectiveness.

Core capabilities

Experience

Group Exec: Data & Analytics GoTyme Bank | July 2026 - Present
  • Lead the data function for a challenger bank, with responsibility for enterprise analytics strategy, governed data foundations, and delivery across lending, fraud/financial crime, marketing, and operations.
Head of Data & Analytics GoTyme Bank, formerly TymeBank | Dec 2021 - June 2026
  • Led the data function for a challenger bank, with responsibility for enterprise analytics strategy, governed data foundations, and delivery across lending, fraud/financial crime, marketing, and operations.
  • Managed a 23-person multidisciplinary team spanning Decision Science, Analytics, and Data Engineering, aligning technical capability with business priorities and executive decision-making needs.
  • Operated at ExCo and board level, translating complex business problems into explainable, commercially useful solutions.
  • Partnered with Group AI to identify high-value GenAI opportunities and ensure governance requirements are met.
Exec: Business Integration, Consumer Banking Nedbank | Apr 2021 - Nov 2021
  • Following a business restructure, took on a short-term Consumer Banking integration role focused on portfolio prioritisation, cross-functional execution, and value delivery across key initiatives.
  • Contributed to the Everyday Banking onboarding redesign, helping simplify application flows across transactional, credit card, and overdraft products while improving alignment between business, delivery, and analytics stakeholders.
Head: Value Analytics, Card, Payments & Transactional Nedbank | Jul 2019 - Apr 2021
  • Led a 40-person team of quantitative analysts across the credit card lifecycle and aspects of transactional banking, covering acquisition, credit policy, scorecards, NPV models, collections and recoveries, fraud prevention, lifecycle management, and operational support.
  • Implemented a new organisational structure that merged Risk Analytics and Consumer Analytics, reducing duplication and improving staff engagement.
  • Led Covid-19 debt relief initiatives during 2020 for 80k clients covering ZAR2.2bn balances, balancing customer support with heightened portfolio risk and intensive collections treatment.
  • Led delivery of machine-learning scorecards that improved Gini relative to legacy linear regression models.
Senior Business Manager: Credit & Charge Cards Nedbank | Mar 2016 - Jun 2019
  • Managed product managers responsible for multiple credit card portfolios, including co-brand partnerships, private-label accounts, and Nedbank-owned products with rewards programmes.
  • Delivered a wholesale change of travel insurance provider in three months, including systems changes, client communication, and marketing collateral.
  • Led client value proposition, acquisition, and lifecycle initiatives to improve customer value delivery.

Earlier career

Senior Risk Analyst, Card Division, Nedbank Jul 2012 - Feb 2016
Led data, insight, and infrastructure support; built Python automation for reporting and operations; developed fraud detection and workflow tooling; supported migration to Netezza Performance Server.

Risk Analyst, Card Division, Nedbank Jun 2008 - Jun 2012
Operational analytics, automation, and fraud investigations; experience across DB2, MySQL, and SQLite.

Earlier roles
Neural Capital Trading; Sagewood Consulting; Exclusive Books.

Education

  • GIBS Business School, Johannesburg
    Nedbank Senior Management Program, NQF 8, 2014
  • University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg
    BSc Physics & Computer Science, 2003-2005
    BSc Honours Physics, Distinction, 2006
    MSc Physics, Distinction, 2007

Additional

  • Technical
    Python, SQL, Databricks, Snowflake; experience across IBM DB2, MySQL, SQLite, and Netezza Performance Server; prior coding in Visual Basic, JavaScript, and Java.
  • Languages
    English, native; Afrikaans, working proficiency; French, DELF A2.