Daniel Mminele
Daniel Mminele | |
|---|---|
| Born | 1965 Phalaborwa, Limpopo Province, South Africa |
| Occupation | Banking executive |
| Years active | 1987–present |
| Known for | CEO of Absa Group (2020–2021), Deputy Governor of South African Reserve Bank |
Daniel Mminele (born 1965) is a prominent South African banking executive who held the position of CEO at Absa Group Limited from January 2020 until April 2021. Headquartered in Johannesburg, Absa Group manages financial service subsidiaries throughout Botswana, Ghana, Kenya, Mauritius, Mozambique, Seychelles, South Africa, Tanzania, Uganda, and Zambia.
Prior to his tenure at Absa, Mminele dedicated more than two decades to the South African Reserve Bank (SARB), ultimately serving as Deputy Governor. During his time there, he was an integral participant in both the Monetary Policy Committee and the Financial Stability Committee, concluding his service in June 2019 after completing two successive five-year terms.
Background and education
Born in 1965 in Phalaborwa, Limpopo Province, South Africa, Mminele pursued his education in Germany. He completed his banking training at Sparkasse Paderborn, earning his qualification in 1987. Additionally, he acquired associate certificates from the Chartered Institute of Bankers (UK) while studying at City of London Polytechnic, which later became Guildhall University.
Career
Mminele launched his professional journey at Westdeutsche Landesbank Girozentrale, where he worked between 1987 and 1995 across offices in Düsseldorf and London. Upon returning to South Africa in 1995, he assumed roles including customer relations manager in corporate banking at Commerzbank and project and structured finance specialist at African Merchant Bank. In 1999, he joined the South African Reserve Bank and was elevated to Deputy Governor in 2009, overseeing areas such as financial markets and international economic affairs.
On 15 January 2020, he was appointed CEO of Absa Group, becoming the first individual of African heritage to lead the institution. He remained in this role until April 2021.
Honors and awards
While at SARB, Mminele contributed to the Monetary Policy Committee and Financial Stability Committee. Notably, he is acknowledged as Absa’s first Black African CEO. In recognition of his efforts to strengthen German-South African relations, German President Frank-Walter Steinmeier honored him with the Great Order of Merit in 2018, Germany’s most prestigious civilian award. The following year, the Association of Black Securities and Investment Professionals (ABSIP) presented him with their Lifetime Achiever Award.
Personal life
Mminele is married and has two daughters.