By Phesheya Ian Kunene
MBABANE – Outgoing First National Bank (FNB) Eswatini Chief Executive Officer Dennis Mbingo has been appointed as the new FNB Mozambique CEO.
The appointment was announced by the FNB Mozambique Board of Directors on Tuesday, Mbingo will join the Mozambican financial institution from the January 1, 2025. Mbingo succeeds Peter Blenkinsop, who will retire at the end of December 2024, after four and half years of successful leadership of FNB Mozambique.
In making the announcement, FNB Mozambique Board Chairman Sérgio Chitará stated, “Following regulatory approval, we are pleased to appoint Dennis Mbingo as our new CEO. His strategic acumen and technical expertise, honed through various executive roles within FirstRand Africa’s portfolio, position him well to guide FNB Mozambique in its next phase of growth.”
Mbingo is a Chartered Accountant and an experienced corporate professional with a career spanning over 24 years, 17 of which have been in the financial services industry.
Prior to this appointment, Mbingo served as CEO of FNB Eswatini for nearly nine years. Throughout his career, he also spent several years supporting the FirstRand Group’s efforts to expand to West Africa, first as FNB Africa’s Expansion Projects Executive, then later as the Head of Operations for FNB International, before returning to Eswatini.
In accepting his new role, Mbingo expressed gratitude to the Board: “I am honoured to be appointed to this vital position to the organization. I look forward to collaborating closely with the Board, Executive team, and staff to enhance the value we deliver to our customers and shareholders. At the heart of everything we do are the values of integrity, trust and service to our customers. These will remain our guiding principles as we continue our journey,” Mbingo said.
In his various roles, he is also a keen supporter of economic growth and development initiatives that consistently and deliberately prioritise broader society as a non-negotiable for sustained stability. In addition, he sees his main vocation in people and lead development, with a particular focus on youth. He is passionate about leaders being intentional when it comes to developing future leaders.
Chairman Chitará also extended his appreciation to outgoing CEO Peter Blenkinsop.
“We thank Peter for his exceptional leadership, which has been crucial in navigating the challenges of the banking sector and advancing our strategic vision.” Chitara stated.
Reflecting on his tenure, Blenkinsop commented, “I have been fortunate to work alongside a strong Board and dedicated management team. Together, we put a client centred vision and set of strategic goals to realise the vision together. Many of our objectives have been met (particularly on the digital and technology front), some are still in progress. The brand (and the bank) today has moved well past what it was 4 years ago. I strongly believe that, in time, our current management team, under the leadership of Mr. Mbingo and our Board, will take FNB to a whole new level of good service. I wish the Board and management the very best of good judgment, good fortune and productive execution to make the bank what it is destined to be a great bank.”
The Board said it was optimistic about the future under Mbingo’s leadership, confident that he will further strengthen FNB Mozambique’s position in the financial landscape. As the banking industry evolves, FNB Mozambique remains committed to serving its customers and stakeholders, ensuring sustainable growth and success.
Mbingo will leave his position to Thokozani Dlamini, who was announced as a person to replace him as FNB Eswatini CEO. This publication wrote about this development back on July 24, 2024.
About FNB Mozambique
FNB Moçambique S.A, subsidiary of FirstRand Group, established in Mozambique since 2007 when it acquired Banco de Desenvolvimento e Comércio (BDC).
FNB Moçambique (FNBM) is a Corporate and Investment Bank involved in financial services activities, including Commercial and Retail Banking solutions. These include Leasing and Asset Finance, Transactional and Trading solutions, Short-Term Insurance, and Employee Group Schemes.
We operate through a network of 15 branches across 8 provinces in the country, more than 45 FNB ATMs, about 1170 SIMO ATMs, including several ADTs and Point of Sale terminals. Our superior services are complemented by various electronic payments services: Online Banking platform, Cash collection solutions, Host to Host integration to our Corporate client’s financial systems, Reference validation reconciled payments, Cell phone and ATM payments.
We are guided by a strong customer-centric culture and an independent banking system that helps us adapt products and solutions to Client´s needs and make them accessible to everyone.
