South African executive Luvuyo Masinda sees earnings jump 251% to nearly $3 million in 2025

Luvuyo Masinda, chief executive of Corporate and Investment Banking at Standard Bank Group, earned R44.37 million ($2.66 million) in 2025, as Africa’s largest lender by assets delivered sustained earnings growth across its retail and private banking operations.

His compensation surged 251% from R12.64 million (less than $1 million) in 2024, driven by benefits tied to his promotion following a leadership reshuffle. Luvuyo Masinda was appointed Chief Executive of Corporate and Investment Banking (CIB) at Standard Bank Group effective September 2, 2024, succeeding Kenny Fihla.

Under Fihla’s tenure from 2017 to 2024, CIB doubled headline earnings to R20.5 billion and delivered an 8.6% compound annual growth rate, before he eventually proceeded to Absa Group.

Compensation breakdown highlights promotion-linked rewards

Masinda’s earnings included a base salary of R8.75 million ($524,845) and a short-term incentive of R12.06 million ($723,796), tied to performance targets. He also received a long-term incentive award of R14.81 million ($888,858), reinforcing alignment with the bank’s long-term growth strategy.

Career rise within Standard Bank

Luvuyo Masinda joined Standard Bank in 2007 in the group financial accounting function, where he built a strong technical foundation in financial reporting and control. He rose steadily through senior leadership roles across Corporate and Investment Banking (CIB), reflecting a cross-functional progression spanning finance, client coverage, risk, and executive management.

In 2014, he was appointed Chief Financial Officer of CIB, overseeing financial strategy, performance management, and capital allocation for the division. He later transitioned in 2017 to Head of Client Coverage, where he led corporate and institutional client relationships and drove revenue expansion across key sectors and geographies.

In April 2021, he became Chief Risk Officer for CIB, strengthening governance, credit oversight, and enterprise risk frameworks across investment banking operations. By September 2023, he was appointed Deputy Chief Executive Officer of CIB, positioning him at the core of divisional strategy and execution. In September 2024, he was elevated to Chief Executive Officer of CIB, placing him in charge of one of Africa’s largest investment banking franchises within Standard Bank Group.

CIB drives earnings, client growth, and shareholder value

Under Masinda’s leadership in 2025, Corporate and Investment Banking delivered strong financial outperformance, with headline earnings rising 18% to R24.1 billion ($1.45 billion) and return on equity improving to 22.4%.

At the group level, Standard Bank’s headline earnings growth of 11% is supported in part by CIB’s performance. The division also contributed to broader market delivery, reflected in share price growth of 31% and total shareholder return of 41%. Client momentum remained solid, with the client satisfaction index improving to 8.5.

Standard Bank strengthens financial position

Standard Bank’s total headline earnings nearly doubled from R25.02 billion ($1.7 billion) in 2021 to R49.2 billion ($3 billion) in 2025.

Total assets rose from R2.7 trillion ($144.5 billion) to R3.6 trillion ($175 billion), maintaining its position as Africa’s largest bank by assets. Tier 1 capital stood at approximately $13 billion, underscoring strong balance sheet resilience.

Strategic importance of Montjane’s leadership

Masinda’s leadership continues to shape Standard Bank’s retail and private banking strategy, particularly in scaling high-net-worth and mass-market offerings across Africa.

His rising compensation mirrors the growing importance of CIB within the group’s long-term growth and profitability strategy, reinforcing its role as a key driver of both earnings and strategic impact across Standard Bank Group.

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