Gauteng Business 2016 edition

INTERVIEW
Standard Bank Group,
Gauteng Province
We speak to Josh Zwane, Executive Provincial Head,
of the Standard Bank Group for the Gauteng Province,
about how the banking group is playing a role in the
province’s development.
Josh Zwane
What is Standard Bank’s purpose in South Africa?
As a personal and business bank in South Africa, our purpose is to improve
lives and fulfil aspirations across the African continent. We believe
that we can achieve this through our vision, which is to radically redefine
client experience by understanding and delivering what matters to
our customers. Broadly, it’s about making sure that we contribute to
the growth of South Africa Inc. and making sure that we partner with
all the necessary stakeholders to achieve our shared goal which is the
growth of our country.
What are your strategies to maximise on economic
opportunities and the infrastructure development in
Gauteng?
As we partner with all the stakeholders necessary to contribute to the
growth of Gauteng Province, we continue to grow our branch footprint,
as well as our business banking and private banking infrastructure.
There has been significant growth in our representation and footprint
in the past few years. For example, we’ve established a fully-fledged
branch in the Mall of the South, as well as our investment in the Mall
of Africa which includes a new private banking suite in Waterfall City
area (construction is due to be completed in 2016). In addition, we’ve
invested in a new region and private banking suite in the Fourways area.
BIOGRAPHY
Josh Zwane is Executive Provincial
Head, of the Standard
Bank Group for the Gauteng
Province.
In what way is Standard Bank getting involved in all the
major infrastructure development that is changing the
Gauteng landscape?
We intend to form strong ongoing partnerships with provincial government
in its quest to improve the provincial infrastructure. There
are a few points to be made; the first is that Gauteng is the number
one economic hub of the country. The second is that Gauteng is
the gateway for investment, including foreign direct investment and
general investment into South Africa. The third is that, country’s capital
being located within the Province provides further opportunity for us
to interact more frequently with stakeholders, clients, and representatives
of Embassies and other foreign government entities not based in
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