CEO Today Global Awards

CEO Today Global Awards 2020 SOUTH AFRICA 93 www.ceotodaymagazine.com has resulted in a long track record of consistent growth in high quality earnings, and superior and sustainable returns for shareholders. As demonstrated in the schematic below, the group’s strategic framework accommodates a broad set of growth opportunities across the financial services universe from a product, market, segment and geographic perspective. FirstRand is known for delivering on its promises – a reputation that stems from its unique philosophy of owner-management. The foundations of the philosophy were created by the group’s founders, entrepreneurs who understood the value of treating their employees like owners so that every employee, regardless of their position, is fully empowered to make a real contribution to the group’s success. With empowerment comes commitment and accountability and this has been the cornerstone to FirstRand’s sustained outperformance. This philosophy guides how the group’s people need to behave to deliver the best results for customers, society, shareholders and each other. It is currently captured in a set of promises. FNB represents FirstRand’s activities in the retail and commercial segments in South Africa and the broader African continent. It is growing its franchise on the back of a compelling customer offering that provides a broad range of innovative financial services products. In South Africa, FirstRand offers a full suite of financial services products through a portfolio of market-leading brands. The group’s strategy outside of its domestic market includes growing its presence and offerings in several markets in the rest of Africa where it believes it can organically build competitive advantage and scale over time. In the UK, FirstRand owns Aldermore, a UK specialist lender, which includes MotoNovo, a leading vehicle finance business. FirstRand is proud to have achieved a Level 1 B-BBEE rating under the Financial Sector Charter (FSC) scorecard for the 2019 financial year. This was achieved as a result of concerted efforts by the group’s operating businesses, as well as a strong empowerment strategy, which is hard-wired into the group. B-BBEE, as defined in legislation, means the economic empowerment of all black (African, Coloured and Indian) South Africans. In October 2017, the revised FSC was gazetted as a sector code, however, revised targets were used for empowerment and access to financial services during the 2019 reporting period. About Alan Pullinger Alan Patrick Pullinger is Chief Executive Officer & Executive Director at FirstRand Ltd. and on the board of 10 other companies. Mr. Pullinger previously held the position of Chief Executive Officer & Director at Rand Merchant Bank. Mr. Pullinger received an undergraduate degree from the University of the Witwatersrand. Alan graduated from the University of the Witwatersrand in 1991 and qualified as a chartered accountant after serving articles at Deloitte & Touche. He spent five years with Deloitte & Touche and was appointed to the partnership in 1996. He joined Rand Merchant Bank in 1998 (prior to the creation of FirstRand Limited) and was appointed as CEO in 2008 until his promotion to deputy CEO of FirstRand on 1 October 2015. Alan has since been appointed as CEO with effect from 1 April 2018.