By Lehlohonolo Lehana.
South African digital bank TymeBank has appointed Cheslyn Jacobs as its new Chief Executive Officer (CEO), who will assume the role effective 1 January 2026.
Jacobs will succeed Karl Westvig, who will continue in an advisory role after taking the reins in 2023.
They will work closely together for three months to ensure a “seamless transition while maintaining momentum in our growth trajectory”.
“Jacobs, a TymeBank founding team member, brings a wealth of institutional knowledge and leadership experience, having played an integral role in building the business,” TymeBank said in a statement on Monday.
“His appointment marks the beginning of the bank’s next exciting chapter, which will be defined by an accelerated focus on innovation, customer experience and sustainable growth,” it added.
“Cheslyn’s deep understanding of our customers, strategy and people uniquely positions him to lead TymeBank into its next era,” said Thabani Jali, chairman of TymeBank Holdings, in the statement. It’s time to compete even harder for market share as we mature as a business.”
Jacobs has a BCom in industrial psychology from the University of the Western Cape and a postgraduate diploma in business management from the Gordon Institute of Business Science. He previously worked at Standard Bank and Deloitte.
TymeBank, which was launched six years ago, has established itself as one of South Africa’s top digital banks, growing its customer base to more than 11 million.