| Date | Title | Description |
| 10.04.2026 | South Africa’s biggest banks are lining up behind Optasia | Optasia CEO Salvador Anglada
Optasia has secured US$330-million (R5.4-billion) in refinanced and upsized debt facilities, with Standard Bank acting as joint mandated lead arranger and underwriter in a deal that deepens the banking group’s r... |
| 09.04.2026 | UK Banks Brace for £9 Billion Motor Finance Reckoning | The UK motor finance industry grapples with a £9bn redress scheme. The Financial Conduct Authority finalized its framework. Millions of customer agreements are affected. Close Brothers expects a £320m impact; its shares surged, indicating m... |
| 08.04.2026 | Close Brothers and First Rand look to park motor finance row | After countless speed bumps, sharp handbreak turns and a fair few false starts, the two banks that took the motor finance scandal to the top finally look to put it in the rearview mirror.
Close Brothers and Aldermore owner First Rand have s... |
| 07.04.2026 | R230-million in the bag for Endeavor’s third Harvest Fund | Endeavor South Africa CEO Alison Collier
Endeavor South Africa has announced the final close of its Harvest Fund III at R230-million, bringing together institutional investors and founder capital to back later-stage technology companies acr... |
| 30.03.2026 | FNB CEO Harry Kellan steps down after just two years | Harry Kellan
Harry Kellan is stepping down as CEO of FNB after just two years in the role, with Lytania Johnson appointed as his successor as part of a broader restructuring of FirstRand’s banking operations.
Kellan, who took over as FNB CE... |
| 27.03.2026 | Fintech Giant Optasia Drives Banking Disruption with AI, FirstRand Boosts Strategic Investment | AI-powered fintech Optasia redefines finance in emerging markets. It posted robust growth, exceeding IPO guidance post-JSE listing. FirstRand notably increased its stake, solidifying a strategic alliance. Optasia aggressively targets formal... |
| 26.03.2026 | FirstRand ups stake in Optasia in R1.5-billion deal | Banking group FirstRand has increased its shareholding in JSE-listed fintech Optasia to 26.1% after acquiring an additional 6% stake in a deal worth about R1.48-billion.
The banking group purchased 74.1 million ordinary shares at R20 each o... |
| 24.03.2026 | Optasia wants to do for banks what it did for telcos | Salvador Anglada
Optasia CEO Salvador Anglada says the very same algorithms that made credit-vetting decisions via mobile wallets can be used in formal banking.
Newly listed, technology-driven fintech Optasia sees the formal banking sector ... |
| 17.03.2026 | SA banks race to scale AI and cloud as challenger threat intensifies | South Africa’s six largest banks are spending above inflation on technology — with cloud migration, artificial intelligence and cybersecurity the primary cost drivers — as they race to modernise core systems and fend off competition from di... |
| 16.03.2026 | Optasia beats IPO guidance in maiden results as lending scales | Salvador Anglada
Optasia, the fintech that listed on the JSE in November, has delivered a set of maiden annual results that comfortably exceed the guidance it gave investors at the time of its R23.5-billion listing.
Revenue jumped 76% to US... |
| 16.03.2026 | Close Brothers shares sink as infamous short-seller warns of motor finance ‘wipeout’ | Shares in Close Brothers plummeted on Monday after a group notorious for short-selling warned the bank had “systematically misrepresented” its exposure to the motor finance scandal.
The FTSE 250 bank nosedived as much as 12 per cent during ... |
| 10.03.2026 | KKR-backed fintech takes £13m hit from motor finance scandal | A UK fintech backed by investment giant KKR has posted a hefty loss after being forced to set aside cash for the brewing motor finance scandal.
Oodle Finanical Services recorded a pre-tax loss of £38m for the financial year ending 30 June 2... |
| 10.03.2026 | Absa impairs R2.4-billion in software after strategy rethink | Absa Group has written off R2.4-billion in software assets after a revision of its overall strategy led to changes in investment priorities and faster-than-expected technology obsolescence, its annual financial statements show.
The software... |
| 09.03.2026 | South Africa-based RMB Corvest and Agile Capital exit B2B bet | (Representative image) | Credit: Pexels
RMB Corvest, the private equity arm of the South African financial services group FirstRand Group, and Agile Capital, a Johannesburg-headquartered mid-market PE firm, have sold their stake in a portfo... |
| 13.02.2026 | One Africa Capital, RMB Corvest invest in South African packaging firm | Credit: Pixabay
One Africa Capital, a Johannesburg, South Africa-based investment firm that invests in small-and-medium enterprises in the country , and RMB Corvest, a private equity company that is part of financial services group FirstRan... |
| 03.02.2026 | Global Digital Shift: Cloud, AI Reshape Finance, Infrastructure, and Workforce | Global industries are undergoing rapid digital transformation. Financial powerhouses, like the JSE, integrate advanced cloud infrastructure from AWS for unparalleled scalability and resilience. Smart building innovators, such as KONE, lever... |
| 02.02.2026 | Meet the CIO | Inside the JSE’s tech engine with CIO Tebalo Tsoaeli | Technology sits at the heart of modern capital markets, and nowhere is that more evident than at the JSE. In the latest episode of Meet the CIO, TechCentral editor Duncan McLeod sits down with Tebalo Tsoaeli, the bourse’s group CIO, to unpa... |
| 18.01.2026 | Close Brothers: How the motor finance scandal reshaped one of ‘Europe’s least cost-efficient lenders’ | Nearly two years ago Close Brothers chief executive said the bank would take “decisive actions” to strengthen its financial standing.
The bold overhaul of the lender’s capital structure came amid the Financial Conduct Authority’s (FCA) revi... |
| 29.12.2025 | Could this be 2026’s hottest stock market? | Global equity markets were dominated by US tech stocks this year, with indices whipsawing as investors either piled money into markets or abruptly pulled out depending on the strength of AI sentiment.
The Nasdaq rocketed up 19.5 per cent, h... |
| 31.10.2025 | Optasia secures strong investor demand ahead of JSE debut | Emerging markets fintech Optasia has confirmed it will list on the JSE at a valuation of R23.5-billion following the closing of its bookbuilding period on Thursday.
The company – backed by former First National Bank CEO Michael Jordaan – co... |
| 27.10.2025 | FirstRand ploughs R4.7-billion into Optasia ahead of JSE listing | FirstRand CEO Mary Vilakazi
FirstRand Group has committed R4.7-billion to buy 20.1% of soon-to-be-listed multinational fintech Optasia.
The deal, announced in a statement on Monday, comes as Optasia eyes a listing on the JSE at a potential ... |
| 15.10.2025 | CNBC’s UK Exchange newsletter: A showdown is brewing over Britain’s ‘investability’ problem | An estimated 16 million Payment Protection Insurance (PPI) were sold in the U.K. between 2005 and 2011.
It subsequently emerged many were mis-sold, with some borrowers being wrongly told they had to take out PPI as a condition of being gran... |
| 07.10.2025 | FCA orders lenders to pay £11bn in motor finance compensation | The Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) has announced that it expects lenders to make 14.2 million payouts to individuals affected by unfair motor finance agreements, totalling around £11bn in compensation.
The FCA estimates people would rece... |
| 01.09.2025 | The South African bank racing ahead of its peers in IT spending growth | Most of South Africa’s five largest banks are increasing their spend on IT – excluding staff costs – in single-digit percentages, their most recent full-year financial results show.
However, Capitec – although not the biggest spender in abs... |
| 29.08.2025 | PayInc emerges as South Africa’s national payments utility | Bankserv Africa – now PayInc – CEO Stephen Linnell
Automated clearing house and settlements hub BankservAfrica on Thursday announced a major refresh of the company’s brand, changing its name to PayInc to align itself with shifts in the loca... |
| 28.08.2025 | South Africa a step closer to getting a national payments utility | The Competition Commission has recommended that the Competition Tribunal approve the South African Reserve Bank’s proposed acquisition control of BankservAfrica – and has done so without attaching any conditions.
The transaction will see th... |
| 13.08.2025 | Demand for City lawyers surges amid motor finance scandal | Lawyers’ phones are ringing off the hook following the landmark motor finance ruling, leading to questions in the financial sector around its exposure to fiduciary duty issues.
Earlier this month, the Supreme Court gave lenders some relief ... |
| 05.08.2025 | UK Banks Soar Post-Court Win, Face Billions in New FCA Redress Scheme | UK banks won a key Supreme Court motor finance case. Shares surged. Billions boosted market values. Yet, a large shadow remains. The FCA plans a £9-18 billion redress scheme. This ongoing regulatory threat tempers bank euphoria. Industry co... |
| 05.08.2025 | Motor finance: Beneath the banks’ bonnet uncertainty lingers | Banking stocks may be revving up on the back of a legal win but lenders might find there is still trouble lurking under the bonnet on motor finance.
City banks dodged a £44bn liability after the Supreme Court upheld the appeal of two banks ... |
| 04.08.2025 | Motor finance: Lloyds shares jump after ruling | Shares in Lloyds Banking Group and Close Brothers jumped in early deals this morning after the Supreme Court’s landmark motor finance ruling last week.
Lloyds shares jumped 5.5 per cent in early deals to 80p – a five-year high.
Shares in Cl... |
| 04.08.2025 | While bank shares surge, the motor finance debacle is far from over | Shares in Close Brothers and Lloyds Banking Group surged this morning as the market opened for the first time since Friday evening’s Supreme Court ruling. While lenders may be breathing a sigh of relief, the motor finance debacle is far fro... |
| 04.08.2025 | ‘Disgraceful’ claims firms slapped down over ads ahead of motor finance ruling | Just as Lord Justice Reed was about to read out loud the Supreme Court’s decision on the motor finance case, he hit out at claim management companies (CMC) for jumping ahead of the gun.
From radio to social media posts, numerous ads have be... |
| 04.08.2025 | Motor finance ruling hands City banks £7bn stock boost | The FTSE 100’s banking giants added billions to their market value on Monday after a hefty boost from the Supreme Court’s motor finance ruling.
Lloyds Banking Group bolstered its market capitalisation by over £3.5bn after a seven per cent s... |
| 03.08.2025 | Motor finance redress scheme to cost up to £18bn, FCA says | The Financial Conduct Authority has confirmed it will consult on an industry-wide redress scheme following the Supreme Court’s motor finance ruling last Friday.
The City watchdog is aiming to publish a consultation by early October, with to... |
| 02.08.2025 | Motor finance lenders still on the hook after Supreme Court ruling | A lukewarm win in the landmark motor finance case has allowed City banks to skirt a nightmare scenario, whilst still remaining open to a regulatory redress scheme.
The Supreme Court found that the customers’ claims against the lenders could... |
| 01.08.2025 | Relief for banks after lukewarm motor finance win | Lenders across the City are breathing a sigh of relief after today’s landmark Supreme Court ruling, which upheld the appeals of two banks in the high-profile motor finance commission case.
This highly anticipated legal decision marks a sign... |
| 30.07.2025 | Motor finance: ‘Nothing is certain’ as banks await historic ruling | The Supreme Court will hand down what could be the “most consequential ruling for lenders” in recent history on Friday in the dramatic culmination of the motor finance saga.
In a twist, the highest court in the land surprised the market las... |
| 25.07.2025 | Chancellor exploring route to overturn impending ruling on motor finance | The Chancellor is considering overruling the impending Supreme Court verdict on the motor finance scandal if it rules in favour of the lenders, after the Treasury failed to intervene in the landmark case.
According to The Guardian, Treasury... |
| 25.07.2025 | The test facing new Capitec CEO Graham Lee | Newly appointed Capitec CEO Graham Lee. Image: Capitec
The newly appointed CEO of South Africa’s biggest bank by customers has a unique problem on his hands.
Since Capitec Bank — South Africa’s first-ever challenger bank — made its public d... |
| 26.06.2025 | The Future of Investment: A Call for Bold Moves | The investment landscape is shifting. The winds of change are blowing, and the call for growth is echoing louder than ever. As the UK government prepares for a pivotal speech from the Chancellor, the investment industry stands at a crossroa... |
| 25.06.2025 | Crypto exchange to tokenise motor finance claims | Tokenisation platform Bitfinex Securities has announced a £100m direct listing of tokenised equity to provide litigation finance for motor finance claims.
Investors in the £100m token will receive a share of the claims recovery, which will ... |
| 21.05.2025 | Close Brothers shares drop as costs rise from motor finance threat | Close Brothers said fees and expenses were still at an “elevated level” in a third-quarter update on Wednesday as motor finance troubles continued.
The group’s net expenses hit £13.9m for the period, compared to £11.6m for the third-quarter... |
| 08.05.2025 | Banking Complaints Surge Amid Motor Finance Scandal | The banking sector is in turmoil. Complaints have surged by a staggering 76% in the latter half of 2024. The Financial Ombudsman Service (FOS) reported that 141,846 grievances flooded in, with a hefty 77% tied to banking and credit issues. ... |
| 07.05.2025 | Vanquis and Barclays lead surge in bank complaints amid motor finance | Banking complaints rocketed by 76 per cent in the second half of 2024 as the motor finance scandal continued to haunt the sector, according to the Financial Ombudsman Service (FOS).
The regulator revealed of the 141,846 complaints made to t... |
| 22.04.2025 | The Shifting Gears of the Automotive Industry: Innovations and Scandals | The automotive industry is a complex machine, constantly evolving and adapting to new challenges. Recently, two significant stories have emerged that highlight this dynamic landscape: Nexteer Automotive's innovative driveline technologies a... |
| 22.04.2025 | Ford on the hook for £61m in motor finance scandal | Ford has set aside as much as £61m as it becomes the latest company to be stung by the motor finance scandal.
The American car manufacturer’s subsidiary FCE Bank made the provision for its British motor finance division in its latest accoun... |
| 01.04.2025 | The Motor Finance Showdown: A Legal Storm Brewing | The motor finance industry stands on the brink of a seismic shift. A legal battle is brewing that could reshape the landscape of lending and insurance. At the heart of this storm are two major players: Close Brothers and Firstrand Bank. The... |
| 01.04.2025 | Banks face anxious wait as UK Supreme Court considers secret motor finance commissions | By Sam Tobin
LONDON, - Major banks will be anxiously watching an appeal over motor finance commissions, which begins at the UK's Supreme Court on Tuesday as Britain's financial watchdog considers a scheme to pay out billions of pounds in co... |
| 01.04.2025 | Motor finance: Close Brothers stock falls as banks face judgment day in Supreme Court case | Car dealers do not owe a fiduciary duty to customers when arranging finance, the Supreme Court heard Tuesday morning in opening remarks of the landmark motor finance case.
Mark Howard KC argued that exercising judgement in pre-selecting fin... |
| 31.03.2025 | Motor finance: Lloyds, Close Brothers and Santander brace for ‘shockwaves’ | Judgement day nears for some of the UK’s biggest lenders as the motor finance scandal heads to the country’s highest court this week.
The Supreme Court will decide whether to uphold the Court of Appeal’s October ruling that it was unlawful ... |
| 31.03.2025 | Motor finance: Insurance industry nervously watches legal battle | As lenders brace for the start of a high-profile legal battle on Tuesday, the insurance industry lurks on the sidelines.
Merchant banking group Close Brothers and South African Firstrand Bank are headlining a case that may have enormous imp... |
| 28.03.2025 | Billions on the line: Legal showdown over motor finance set to decide lenders’ fate | Lenders swim in shark-filled waters, with their fate in the hands of five Lord Justices as parties prepare for a showdown over motor finance on Tuesday.
Like any typical day, the Court of Appeal hands down its judgments, but on one particul... |
| 18.03.2025 | Absa's Bold Move: Kenny Fihla Takes the Helm | In a significant shake-up in the South African banking landscape, Absa Group Ltd. has secured Kenny Fihla as its new chief executive officer. This move comes after Fihla's impressive tenure at Standard Bank, where he served as deputy CEO. H... |
| 17.03.2025 | Rand Merchant Bank (RMB) Strengthens Its Trade Finance Operations with Kachasi, Nigeria’s Leading Indigenous Trade Finance Software. | Union Systems Limited (USL) is proud to announce that Rand Merchant Bank (RMB) has officially signed the license for Kachasi trade finance software, further cementing USL’s position at the forefront of digital innovation in international tr... |
| 17.03.2025 | Absa Poaches Standard Bank Deputy CEO to Be Its Next Chief | (Bloomberg) -- Absa Group Ltd. hired Kenny Fihla as its chief executive officer after he served as deputy CEO at Standard Bank Group Ltd., the continent’s biggest lender by assets.
He will start at the Johannesburg-based lender on June 17 a... |
| 11.03.2025 | UK Now Considering a Redress Scheme for Motor Finance Saga | (Bloomberg) -- The UK’s Financial Conduct Authority said it’s now considering implementing a redress scheme that banks would have to follow if they discover consumers were harmed by historic practices in their motor finance businesses.
The ... |
| 24.10.2024 | RMB Ventures, Capitalworks to monetise 11-year-old consortium deal | Premium
Credit: VCCircle
RMB Ventures, the private equity arm of Africa’s largest financial services group FirstRand Bank, is likely to exit its over-a-decade-old consortium investment in a Johannesburg-based infrastructure and mining produ... |
| 16.09.2024 | EIB, FirstRand Bank invest €400 million in South African solar PV and wind | - |
| 13.09.2024 | FirstRand IT spend nears R20-billion/year | The need to lead in digital, along with stringent regulations and the need for heightened security investments, has made the banking sector one of the biggest spenders on IT – and FirstRand Group, the parent of First National Bank, is no ex... |
| 19.08.2024 | La-Cell Mouton is new FNB CIO | La-Cell Mouton
First National Bank has appointed La-Cell Mouton as its CIO.
FNB CEO Harry Kellan said in a statement on Monday that Mouton’s experience across FNB’s businesses and his “deep expertise in systems architecture, software develo... |
| 30.07.2024 | Shareholder changes on the cards at Primedia | Private equity shareholders of Primedia are considering strategic options for their stakes in the South African broadcasting group, according to people with knowledge of the matter.
The company, owned by EPE Capital Partners, FirstRand, Old... |
| 24.07.2024 | Krutham announces winners of the 2024 Africa impact investment awards | Krutham, the research-led consulting firm specialising in capital markets and financial services in developing countries, proudly announces the winners of the 2024 Africa Impact Investment Awards sponsored by FirstRand. Hosted in Nairobi, K... |
| 23.07.2024 | Why it may be time to buy South African shares | RMB Morgan Stanley sees South African equities delivering returns that will outperform those for cash and bonds as expected interest rate cuts and reduced load shedding support earnings growth.
South Africa’s prospects “are promising” as st... |
| 18.07.2024 | South Africa must fix ‘hostile’ skilled worker visa regime | South Africa must fix a dysfunctional work permit system or sacrifice economic growth, the new home affairs minister said, pledging to resolve a crisis that employers say limits investment.
A byzantine application process that can extend be... |
| 23.05.2024 | July Unrest 2.0? Warning issued over possible MK Party protests | MK Party leader Jacob Zuma and his daughter Duduzile. Image: @themankosi
FirstRand has confirmed that it issued a memo warning of possible nationwide protests by the Jacob Zuma-led uMkhonto weSizwe (MK) Party.
“KwaZulu-Natal (and to a lesse... |
| 05.03.2024 | South Africa Consumer Credit Market Report 2023: Focus on Auto Lending, Card Lending, Durables Lending, Education Lending, Home Lending | - |
| 22.08.2023 | Revealed: how much South Africa’s big banks spend on IT | IT spending by South Africa’s major banks – Absa, Capitec, FirstRand, Nedbank and Standard Bank – is in the billions of rand each annually, and growing fast.
Competition in the sector has driven increased investment in IT as the banks seek ... |
| 26.01.2022 | FirstRand : 2021 FirstRand report to society | 2021
report to society
Introduction: report Deploying the group's balance
purpose, group profile sheet to drive economic
and operating context growth and inclusion
How the group's products and Treating Addressing Providing an A CSI strategy... |
| 26.11.2021 | FirstRand : Basel Pillar 3 standardised disclosures – September 2021 | BASEL PILLAR 3 STANDARDISED DISCLOSURES 2021
as at 30 September
introduction
In accordance with the Basel Pillar 3 framework and Regulation 43 of the amended Regulations relating to Banks, the group is required to publish standardised discl... |
| 09.11.2021 | FirstRand main features template – October 2021 | CCA - Main features of regulatory capital instruments
The table below provides a description of the terms and conditions or main features of the group's qualifying regulatory capital instruments.
FirstRand Limited: 31 October 2021 Ordinary ... |
| 13.10.2021 | FirstRand : material risk factor disclosure 2021 | 2021
material risk factor disclosure
as required in terms of paragraph 7.F.7 of the JSE Listings Requirements
for the year ended 30 June
01 FIRSTRAND LIMITED
Risk relating to FirstRand Limited (the issuer)
1. The investments, business, prof... |
| 13.10.2021 | FirstRand : annual integrated report 2021 | 2021
annual integrated report
Owner-manager philosophy Innovation Entrepreneurship Franchise value
about this report
This integrated report describes the operational and financial performance and activities of FirstRand Limited (FirstRand o... |
| 16.09.2021 | FirstRand : results SENS announcement – June 2021 | FIRSTRAND LIMITED
(Incorporated in the Republic of South Africa) Registration number: 1966/010753/06
JSE ordinary share code: FSR; ISIN code: ZAE000066304
JSE B preference share code: FSRP; ISIN code: ZAE000060141
NSX ordinary share code: F... |
| 16.09.2021 | FirstRand : remuneration report 2021 | 2021
remuneration report
for the year ended 30 June
FIRSTRAND GROUP 1
contents
Remuneration report
Letter from the chairman of the remuneration 2
committee to stakeholders Remuneration governance 8
Overview of the remuneration policy 8
Impl... |
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| 04.10.2018 | FirstRand Urges South Africa's Ramaphosa to Shun Populism
FirstRand Urges South Africa's Ramaphosa to Shun Populism | (Bloomberg) -- The South African government has adopted certain populist policies that the country cannot afford, according to FirstRand Ltd. Chairman Roger Jardine.
These policies include “higher public-sector wages, a questionable approac... |
| 20.05.2013 | Africa’s Hidden Billionaires: New Billionaire Emerges As RMB Stock Rises | Editor’s Note: Read a detailed story on Laurie Dippenaar, GT Ferreira and Paul Harris in the current issue of Ventures Africa Magazine
There’s a new billionaire on the block.
Laurie Dippenaar, a South African banker and co-founder of FirstR... |
| 08.02.2013 | South Africa’s FirstRand Launches RMB Nigeria | href=”http://www.rmb.co.za/”>Rand Merchant Bank (RMB), an investment banking division of FirstRand, South Africa’s second biggest bank by market value, has launched RMB Nigeria in Lagos, it was announced late on Thursday.
This comes afte... |
| 23.08.2012 | Meet The CEOs Of Africa’s Top 5 Banks | Standard Bank Group, Absa Group, FirstRand, Investec and Nedbank are the five biggest banks in Africa, with a combined asset base of $535 billion. Yet how much is really known about the CEOs that run these African powerhouses? Ventures Afri... |
| 15.08.2012 | Africa’s Top 10 Companies | filling the top nine positions. Last year was tough for the continent’s biggest companies, with even those that top the list seeing sizeable falls in value. This has been attributed to fears of a double-dip recession in the industrialised w... |
| 07.08.2012 | The 10 Greatest Female Business Leaders In Africa Today | More and more, African women are moving away from their traditional homemaking role and making a real mark on the continent’s business scene. As an increasing number of women shake of traditional shackles and mix it with their male counterp... |
| 27.07.2012 | The 10 Richest South Africans | South Africa has been criticised for being one of the most unequal countries in terms of income distribution, but a growing number of “new-rich” black South Africans are intruding on the established rich elite. Of South Africa’s richest 10 ... |
| 04.05.2012 | FirstRand Plans To Buy Kenyan Bank As Part Of Expansion Strategy | FirstRand, one of the largest financial institutions in South Africa, has revealed plans to buy a mid-sized Kenyan bank in order to boost its presence in the largest economy in the East Africa – one of the fastest-growing regions on the con... |
