By Lehlohonolo Lehana.
Standard Bank Group has announced the appointment of David Hodnett as CEO of its South African operations, subject to regulatory approval.
Hodnett currently serves as the group’s chief risk officer (CRO) and leads its corporate affairs portfolio.
He brings more than 30 years of leadership experience in the financial services sector. His prior roles include senior leadership positions at Absa and Barclays before he joined Standard Bank in 2019.
Hodnett holds an advanced diploma in banking from the University of Johannesburg and a Master of Business Administration from Manchester Business School.
His appointment comes after Kenny Fihla resigned as Standard Bank CEO and deputy group CEO earlier this year to take the reins at Absa Group.
Thabani Ndwandwe will succeed Hodnett as group chief risk officer and join the group leadership council, while retaining his role as SBSA chief risk officer.
Ndwandwe, who joined the bank in 2004, has overseen risk portfolios across multiple jurisdictions.
In addition, Lungisa Fuzile’s role as interim CEO for Africa Regions and Offshore has become a permanent appointment.
Standard Bank Group CEO Sim Tshabalala said these key appointments demonstrated the significant depth of the bank’s leadership succession pipeline.
“David has extensive experience in South Africa’s financial services sector and has demonstrated exceptional leadership capabilities in our group, “said Tshabalala.
Standard Bank confirms that these appointments remain in line with the group’s ongoing commitment to continue to deliver against its strategy, while developing strong internal leadership capabilities.