Daniel Mminele

Daniel Mminele (born 1965) is a South African banker who served as the chief executive officer (CEO) of Absa Group Limited from January 2020 to April 2021. Absa Group Limited is a financial services conglomerate headquartered in Johannesburg, South Africa, with subsidiaries in Botswana, Ghana, Kenya, Mauritius, Mozambique, Seychelles, South Africa, Tanzania, Uganda and Zambia.^[1]

Aaron Daniel Mminele
Speaking at the 2021 World Economic Forum
Born	1965 (age 59–60) Phalaborwa, South Africa
Nationality	South African, British
Occupation	Banker
Years active	1987-
Title	CEO, Absa Group Limited
Term	2020-2021
Predecessor	Maria Ramos

Prior to his role at Absa Group, Mminele spent over 20 years at the South African Reserve Bank (SARB). He rose through the ranks to become a Deputy Governor and was a member of key committees, including the Monetary Policy Committee and Financial Stability Committee. He retired from the SARB in June 2019, after completing his second consecutive five-year term as Deputy Governor.^[1][2]

Background and education

Mminele was born in Phalaborwa, Mopani District Municipality, Limpopo Province, South Africa, in 1965.^[1] He received his early education in Germany and was trained as a banker at Sparkasse Paderborn, in association with the Chamber of Commerce and Industry of East-Westphalia (Bielefeld), earning his banking qualification in 1987. He subsequently obtained various associate certificates from the Chartered Institute of Bankers of the United Kingdom, attending classes at City of London Polytechnic (later Guildhall University).^[1][2]

Career

Mminele's career began at Westdeutsche Landesbank Girozentrale, where he spent eight years (1987 to 1995) in various roles at its offices in Düsseldorf and London.^[2] He returned to South Africa in 1995 and spent approximately two years each at Commerzbank as a customer relations manager in corporate banking, and at African Merchant Bank as a project and structured finance specialist, both based in Johannesburg.^[2] In 1999, he joined the South African Reserve Bank. In 2009, he was appointed Deputy Governor, responsible for financial markets and international economic relations.^[1]

He served as chief executive officer of Absa Group from 15 January 2020 until 20 April 2021, becoming the first person of African descent to hold that role.^[3][4]

Honors and awards

While at the SARB, he was a member of the Reserve Bank's Monetary Policy Committee and Financial Stability Committee. He is noted as being the first Black African to serve as CEO of Absa.^[1] In 2018, German President Frank-Walter Steinmeier bestowed the Great Order of Merit upon Mminele for his contributions to promoting German-South African relations. This order is the highest honor Germany can confer on an individual for services to the country.^[1] In 2019, he was awarded the Lifetime Achiever Award by the Association of Black Securities and Investment Professionals (ABSIP).

Personal life

He is married and has two wonderful daughters.

See also

• Wendy Lucas-Bull
• Maria Ramos

Preceded by Maria Ramos

Chief Executive Officer of Absa Group Limited 2020-

Succeeded by Incumbent