Absa Bank Seychelles has officially presented its new chairperson, Marc Hoareau, new managing director, Nazim Mahmood and chief executive of Absa Africa Regional Operations, Saviour Chibiya, to its clients and partners in a customer event at the Eden Bleu hotel on Thursday evening.
When welcoming the guests, the newly appointed chairperson of Absa Seychelles board, Mr Houareau, highlighted the bank’s achievements since its presence in Seychelles from the former Barclays Bank to Absa over the past two years.
“Today in Seychelles we are the leading retail bank and I’m very proud of that, and I think we are making a lot of headway in the commercial space thanks to Johan (Van Schalkwyk) and his team. I think that’s a very important step in the right direction for the company,” said Mr Hoareau.
He thanked the outgoing managing director, Johan Van Schalkwyk, who recently left the bank after seven years of service, for his dedication and hard work to ensure that Absa Group remains at its pinnacle.
He summarised Mr Van Schalkwyk’s tenure in Seychelles in three steps. Firstly, he joined at a time when the bank was so focused on offshore banking sector, which had to be relooked at when there was the switch from Barclays to Absa group, to try and retain the customers. Secondly the ‘separation journey’, itself which involved rebranding of the company. Thirdly, the Covid-19 pandemic, which affected the whole world and destroyed Seychelles’ economy.
The chairperson said the former MD was instrumental in taking Absa Seychelles to where it was today as he pushed everyone to their limit and forced them out of their comfort zone.
“Johan has contributed tremendously to the growth and development of the bank,” said Mr Houareau, and he welcomed the new managing director and said he“will now take us to the next level, the new direction and the new strategies that has been put in place in Johannesburg”.
Nazim Mahmood, who is taking over, is a seasoned executive with more than 25 years of financial services experience in both banking and insurance.
His career with Absa Group started in 2013 in Uganda where he was appointed as director of retail and business banking. He later returned in 2019 as interim managing director of Absa Bank Uganda, after working at the Absa Group’s head offices in South Africa.
Mr Mahmood was most recently the managing executive for Absa’s Regional Operations, (ARO) short-term insurance and life assurance businesses. He also served as non-executive director on the boards of the company’s five ARO life and short-term insurance entities.
Prior to his joining the group, he worked in financial services in Asia and the Middle East.
When addressing the guests, Mr Mahmood said last year the banking sector was prudent due to various factors but he was glad that the financials and behaviour were showing signs which were “significantly positive and significantly quick”.
“The way I stand I see a business which has positive steps,” he said.
Thursday’s event was also to welcome Saviour Chibiya, who has taken up his new responsibility as CEO of Absa Africa Regional Operations, which includes Absa Seychelles.
Mr Chibiya’s career with the group started in 2010, when he joined as managing director and CEO of Barclays Bank Zambia Plc, after nearly two decades at Citibank.
In 2017, he joined the ARO leadership team as regional managing director, assuming increasingly pan-African regional responsibilities.
According to Absa, he is responsiblefor the group’s ARO businesses and for the group’s strategy, collaboration and relationships with its key stakeholders across those businesses.
Source: Seychelles Nation