Standard Bank Group has announced the appointment of David Hodnett as the new Chief Executive Officer of Standard Bank South Africa Limited (SBSA), pending regulatory approval. Hodnett currently serves as the Group’s Chief Risk Officer (CRO) and also oversees its Corporate Affairs portfolio.
Bringing over 30 years of leadership experience and deep institutional knowledge, David Hodnett is well-positioned to lead SBSA through its next phase of strategic growth and operational excellence. His appointment reflects the Group’s commitment to leveraging internal talent to drive long-term value and continuity.
In conjunction with this leadership transition, Thabani Ndwandwe has been named Group Chief Risk Officer, succeeding Hodnett. Ndwandwe will also join the Group Leadership Council, while continuing to serve as SBSA’s CRO, ensuring consistency and stability across the bank’s risk management functions.
Ndwandwe, who joined Standard Bank in 2004, brings nearly two decades of experience in managing complex risk portfolios across multiple jurisdictions. His promotion underscores the Group’s confidence in his ability to uphold and evolve its risk governance standards.
Additionally, Lungisa Fuzile, who has been serving as interim CEO for Africa Regions and Offshore, will now assume the role on a permanent basis. Fuzile’s appointment further strengthens the Group’s leadership bench, reinforcing its strategic focus on regional integration and cross-border growth.
Sim Tshabalala, Chief Executive Officer of Standard Bank Group, commented:
These key appointments demonstrate the Group’s significant depth of leadership succession pipeline. David has extensive experience in South Africa’s financial services sector and has demonstrated exceptional leadership capabilities within our organization.
Thabani has shown exemplary leadership across the risk portfolio since joining the Group, and Lungisa has a proven track record of driving performance and innovation across our Africa Regions.
Standard Bank emphasized that these appointments are aligned with its broader strategy to develop strong internal leadership, deliver sustainable growth, and maintain operational resilience across its markets.
