North West Business 2017 edition

INTERVIEW
Building the economy
and communities of the
North West
Provincial Head Retail and Business Banking Standard
Bank North West, Mr Trevor Holtman, outlines what drives
the bank and its staff in serving their clients in the province.
Trevor Holtman
BIOGRAPHY
Trevor Holtman is the current
Provincial Head of Standard
Bank in the North West Province.
His 23 years of banking
experience began at the very
bottom, and has included various
senior roles in Retail Banking
and Business Banking. His
belief in people and that an organisation
wins when its people
are inspired to win has been the
cornerstone of his leadership.
What is Standard Bank’s purpose in South Africa?
Standard Bank Group purpose is “Africa is our home, we drive her
growth”. This is a phenomenal purpose that binds all Standard Bankers
together; it talks about us as a bank and bankers being interwoven
into the fabric of the continent. It shows that we are very clear in our
understanding that we need to be instrumental in building the economies
of Africa and helping the people of Africa reach their dreams and
aspirations. We are very proud that we have a brand and a heritage
that extends beyond 153 years and a unique presence in Africa and
beyond – this has earned us our legitimacy and has earned us the trust
of the communities and nations we serve. In the North West Province,
where I serve, this is no different. North West is our home, and as a
consequence we purposefully place ourselves in a position where
we are instrumental in her growth, the growth of the communities
within North West and the growth of our people that we serve. This
is our unifying purpose.
What is your footprint beyond South Africa?
Our footprint in Africa is very extensive; we are represented in 17 countries,
which makes us the bank to talk to about Africa. Furthermore, we
are also represented in Hong Kong, China, Brazil, Isle of Man, Jersey,
Mauritius, United Arab Emirates, United Kingdom and the United States.
In your role of Provincial Head Retail and Business Banking,
what is your strategy regarding Standard Bank’s
business in the region?
Our strategy in the North West Province aligns to the Group Strategy,
at the core of which are some building blocks. One building block is
our Vision. Our vision is to be the leading financial services organisation
in, for and across Africa, delivering exceptional client experiences and
superior value. This is what we endeavour to execute in the North West
Province. We do so by ensuring that we hold ourselves to the highest
standards when it comes to service, and by ensuring that management
and leadership of the province are accessible to our customers
and stakeholders. Most significantly, we do so by ensuring that we
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