Personal perspectives

Our team is recognised as one of the top bond houses in Africa. Over the past five years, we’ve arranged more than $22 billion in funding for governments, corporates, and state-owned entities across the continent. Joburg has been my home for 20 years, and what makes it special is its energy and diversity. You hear every language, see every culture, and feel the pulse of Africa’s financial hub. It’s a city that’s both vibrant and human, and I’m proud to play a role in connecting its opportunities to the rest of the continent.

Sabelo Mbuthu
Head of Debt Capital Markets and Distribution, SA and SCA

I originally moved to Joburg to do my articles and joined Standard Bank as a lawyer a few years later. Now, almost 20 years later, as a structurer in the GM Structuring team, I still get to use my legal skills, but with a different focus. As part of a team with different backgrounds and areas of expertise, we work closely with both the sales and trading teams to structure transactions around the needs of our clients, focusing on understanding, managing and distributing risk. Over the past two and a half years, we have created bespoke financing solutions for our clients across Africa, providing more than R22 billion of funding to our South African clients, while our future focus will be on financing of infrastructure development. It can be a very pressurised environment, but we always try to find opportunities to have fun. I love how diverse Joburg is. We’re a community of people gathered from across the continent, so we lean on each other more, with colleagues becoming friends, and friends becoming family. It’s social. It’s vibrant. And I wouldn’t want to live anywhere else.

Janine Lawlor
Structurer, Global Markets Structuring

Hi, I’m Thili. I work in Standard Bank’s fixed income sales, which basically means I help connect investors to opportunities that fund the backbone of South Africa – things like bridges, schools and hospitals. Our team helps the government and state institutions raise capital through bonds, while also helping investors find secure and rewarding ways to grow their money. Our clients voted us Best Interest Rate Derivatives and Best Corporate Bond Sales Team at the 2025 JSE Spire Awards, which reflects our commitment to delivering the best service possible. What I love about my job is the tangible impact it has; every transaction contributes to building the country, creating jobs and improving communities, all while delivering returns for investors. Johannesburg has always been a big part of my story. My parents came here in search of opportunity, and I did too. What keeps me here is the buzz – the energy, the hustle, and the people driven by purpose. For me, Joburg is where opportunity meets capital. It’s the true heartbeat of Africa.

Thiliphatu Marole
Manager Non-banking Financial Institutions Flow Sales

I grew up in Durban, but Joburg has been home for more than 20 years. What makes it special to me are the people – their energy, their resilience, their constant drive to do better. Joburg is at a pivotal turning point, with intense focus on structural reforms, and that’s where the opportunity lies. With the right solutions and partnerships, Joburg can unlock growth for South Africa and beyond. For me, that drive for change and improvement is what makes Joburg so powerful. I am proud to be part of the Standard Bank team as we work collaboratively to facilitate these structural reforms. Having already mobilised in excess of R55 billion for new renewable energy projects, our deep experience in delivering tailored financing and risk management solutions, combined with our leading market position in South Africa, uniquely positions us to contribute effectively to the success of these initiatives.

Subashnee Moodley
Head of Client Solutions for Corporate Structured Sales

I was born in Zimbabwe, grew up in Durban and Cape Town, but Joburg has been home for 20 years. To me, this city is more than just a financial hub – it’s a magnetic force. People come for career opportunities, then they get hooked by its vibrance and energy. Our team leads the largest broker on the continent, consistently ranked number one in liquidity provision on the JSE and research, servicing corporates, institutional and retail investors. Right now, private capital markets are evolving rapidly across Africa, with big investment in alternative assets and a growing privatisation pipeline in mining, energy, agriculture and telecoms. I think that’s really going to tee up great interest in the continent and assist with critical capital markets formation.

Nicholas Higham
Head of Equities