South African banker David Munro earns $1.6 million from Standard Bank in 2022

South African business executive and multimillionaire banker David Munro, who is at the helm of Standard Bank Group, Africa’s biggest lender by assets and one of the continent’s most valuable financial services groups, received a total compensation of R29.15 million ($1.59 million) from the Johannesburg-based lender in 2022.

Munro’s 2022 compensation package includes a base salary of R9.15 million ($0.5 million) and a performance-based short-term incentive of R9 million ($0.49 million) — which is tied to the group’s exceptional performance during the fiscal year.

He also received a long-term incentive award of R11 million ($0.6 million) in recognition of his consistent commitment to the organization and his extensive knowledge as an experienced executive in the financial services industry.

From reshaping Standard Bank’s operations to becoming more efficient and sustainable, to support its expansion across the African continent, Munro, who joined Standard Bank in April 1996, continues to play a key role in the growth and success of the financial services group.

From rising star to Deputy CEO: Munro’s ascent in Africa’s financial services industry

During Munro’s formative years at Standard Bank, he swiftly emerged as a top figure in the African financial services sector. His profound expertise, exemplary leadership, and comprehensive understanding of the industry propelled him to the position of deputy CEO of the group’s consumer investment banking (CIB) division in 2003. Today, he stands among the preeminent figures in the field.

He later became the CEO of Standard Bank’s CIB unit in 2006 and continued to deliver impressive financial results for the group in this position until May 2017, when he became the CEO of Liberty Holdings.

At Liberty, Munro supervised a landmark transaction that cemented his status as South Africa’s top corporate leader. Munro led Standard Bank’s acquisition of Liberty shares, which led to the company’s delisting from the Johannesburg Stock Exchange and its 2022 transformation into a fully owned subsidiary of the Standard Bank Group.

Under David Munro’s leadership, Standard Bank surges to new heights

Munro has made substantial contributions to the growth of Standard Bank Group since taking the position of group executive. Under his leadership, the premier lender has achieved impressive financial milestones in recent years.

The group’s headline earnings surged by 37 percent from R25.02 billion ($1.7 billion) in 2021 to R34.2 billion ($1.83 billion) in the fiscal year 2022. Its total assets grew from R2.7 trillion ($144.5 billion) in 2021 to R3.0 trillion ($160.6 billion) at the end of its 2022 fiscal year.

Munro’s outstanding management skills and the results achieved under his leadership have contributed to his career growth in the South African financial services industry. As the group continues to expand, the future seems hopeful under his direction.