Colin Coleman
Colin Coleman | |
|---|---|
| Born | October 31, 1962 South Africa |
| Occupation(s) | Banking executive, public figure, lecturer |
| Years active | 1980s–present |
| Known for | CEO of Goldman Sachs Sub-Saharan Africa, senior fellow at Yale University |
Colin Coleman (born 1962) is a notable South African banking executive and public figure. He held the position of CEO for Goldman Sachs in the Sub Saharan Africa region. In January 2020, Coleman transitioned from Goldman Sachs to take on a role as senior fellow and lecturer at the Jackson Institute for Global Affairs within Yale University.
Recognized as an authority on South African economics, politics, and financial sectors, Coleman has appeared on prominent media outlets such as the BBC, CNN, France24, and CNBC Africa.
Biography
Born on October 31, 1962, Colin Coleman earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in architecture from the University of Witwatersrand in Johannesburg, South Africa in 1988. During the 1980s, he contributed significantly to South Africa’s constitutional transformation; Business Insider highlighted his extensive involvement in efforts to end Apartheid. In 1987, he was appointed national media officer for the National Union of South African Students. Starting in 1989, he held leadership positions at the Consultative Business Movement, Standard Bank Investment Corporation (SBIC), and Standard Corporate & Merchant Banking based in Johannesburg. During the pivotal 1994 elections, Coleman played a key role in the International Mediation Forum by facilitating agreements that ensured inclusive participation from all political parties. His achievements earned him Harvard Business School's Business Statesman Award in 1994 and recognition as one of the World Economic Forum’s Global Leaders for Tomorrow in 1996.
In 1997, Coleman relocated to London, where he worked as vice president focusing on energy, power, and oil within JP Morgan’s Investment Banking Advisory Department until 2000. He subsequently joined Goldman Sachs, assuming leadership of Goldman Sachs International’s South African office that same year. His career advanced with his appointment as managing director in 2002, followed by head of Investment Banking for Sub-Saharan Africa in 2008, and elevation to partner status in 2010. That year, Business Insider included him among Goldman Sachs’ 11 Most Impressive New Partners, while Euromoney recognized him as one of the World’s Top Ten “Financing Leaders for the 21st Century.” Coleman holds board memberships with Business Leadership South Africa (BLSA) and the National Business Initiative; his prior affiliations include READ Development, Endeavor, and the Business Election Fund.
Coleman is an advocate for the CEO Pledge of South Africa and co-leads the Youth Employment Service (YES), a collaborative initiative between public and private sectors designed to generate one million business-funded internships for young people across South Africa.