Africa's largest lender plans to launch new office in Egypt

Daba Finance/Standard Bank looks to deepen Mideast ties with new Egypt office

AFRICAN STOCKS AND FINANCEApril 15, 2024 at 11:04 PM UTC

TLDR

Standard Bank Group, Africa's largest lender, is opening a new office in Egypt to leverage growing trade connections between Africa and the Middle East.
The bank, headquartered in Johannesburg and led by Rassem Zok in the Middle East and North Africa region, plans to establish the office by year-end.
With operations in 20 African markets and representative offices in Ethiopia and Ivory Coast, this expansion solidifies Standard Bank's regional presence.

Standard Bank Group, Africa's largest lender by assets, is set to expand its footprint with a new office in Egypt, aiming to capitalize on the increasing trade ties between Africa and the Middle East.

The Johannesburg-headquartered bank, with operations overseen by Rassem Zok across the Middle East and North Africa region, intends to establish a new representative office before the year concludes.

This strategic move adds to Standard Bank's extensive presence across the continent, which currently encompasses 20 African markets. The bank also maintains representative offices in Ethiopia and Ivory Coast.

Key Takeaways

Standard Bank's decision to expand its presence in Egypt coincides with a significant milestone: its business outside of South Africa has surpassed its domestic market as the primary profit driver in 2023. While headline earnings for its South African operations saw a modest 3% increase, profits from its international ventures soared by an impressive 49%. The shift in focus towards international markets aligns with broader trends in investment dynamics. Gulf Cooperation Council countries have increasingly directed their investments towards Africa, seeking to diversify their economies and prioritize sectors such as food security and renewable energy. This trend follows a pullback by China, historically a major investor in the continent. Standard Bank's existing presence in the Gulf, notably through its office in the Dubai International Finance Centre for the past two decades, sets the stage for its expansion into Egypt.

Standard Bank

South Africa

Banking

Ethiopia

Expansion

Egypt

Ivory Coast