Smart Money – Standard Bank Group CEO Sim Tshabalala

In this Smart Money with Alishia Seckam interview, Standard Bank Group CEO Sim Tshabalala discusses his journey to becoming the chief executive of Africa’s largest bank.

Born in rural KwaZulu-Natal, Tshabalala grew up in Soweto and attended Sacred Heart College in Johannesburg.

He studied at Rhodes University, obtaining a Bachelor of Arts and a Bachelor of Laws (LLB) degree.

After completing his articles at Bowman Gilfillan (now Bowmans), Tshabalala graduated summa cum laude with a Master of Laws from Notre Dame University in the United States.

Tshabalala returned to South Africa and was admitted as an attorney of the High Court of South Africa in 1994.

That same year, he joined Real Africa Durolink Investment Bank as a structure finance specialist while continuing his studies part-time.

In 1996, he obtained a Higher Diploma in Taxation Law from Wits University, and in 2006, he completed Harvard University’s Advanced Management Programme.

Six years after he started working, Tshabalala joined Standard Bank, where he served in many positions while making his way to the top.

He started out as the head of structured finance for the Project Finance Division of Standard Bank’s Standard Corporate and Merchant Bank (SCMB) in 2000, before becoming a director that same year.

Tshabalala became the MD of Stanbic Africa in 2001 and was appointed the chief executive of Personal and Business Banking in 2006.

Two years later, he was appointed the CEO of Standard Bank South Africa, shortly before becoming a deputy CEO for the Standard Bank Group.

In 2013, Tshabalala became a joint chief executive of the Standard Bank Group, and finally took the reins as the group’s sole CEO in 2017.

Smart Money interview

In this interview, Tshabalala tells viewers about his childhood and education and explains how they prepared him for a career in finance.

He discusses his rise to the top at Standard Bank and highlights what set him apart from his peers during this period.

Tshabalala then explains how PayShap has benefitted South Africans and revolutionised the local banking industry, and highlights Standard Bank’s green energy efforts.

He also highlights the big trends that he expects to dominate the finance sector over the next few years and provides his view on the new government of national unity.

Finally, Tshabalala tells us what he does in his spare time.

Watch the full Smart Money interview with Standard Bank Group CEO Sim Tshabalala below.