Johannesburg - Standard Bank on Wednesday launched the world’s first
dedicated Africa China Banking Centre (ACBC) in Johannesburg.
The Centre will look to provide a platform to link African
and Chinese clients with China’s digital banking and customer knowledge systems.
Africa China Banking, Standard Bank Head, George Lo said:
“This is the beginning of a long sustainable journey. We are starting to build
a gateway between Africa and China.
“Through this unique hub, we are able to offer African and
Chinese clients a business-to-business networking and personal advisory
service, helping them to access and unlock the many opportunities in
Africa-China trade,” said Lo.
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He said their primary communication platform will be WeChat
because Chinese people are quite addicted to it.
Six dedicated bankers will assist clients with day to day
banking needs such as card facilities and transactions, internet and
self-service banking, cross-border payments, and foreign currency services and
support.
“With plans for further investment in Africa China Banking
Centres in the key African growth hubs of Kenya, Zambia, Nigeria and Ghana
before the end of 2017, Standard Bank’s vision is not just to combine African
and Chinese capabilities, but to make the sum of Africa and China bigger than
the whole.
This is the scale of our challenge, but also the scale of
the opportunity that Standard Bank and ICBC are uniquely placed to realise,”
said Lo.
ICBC representative Sun Gang said: “it is our pleasure to be
here and witness this historic event, to give our client the highest bank
service is a priority.”
“Africa is a market with great potential for the future;
ICBC has built a bridge between the two markets to create possibilities. This
is the beginning of us to produce more specialized financial contact and
services to our Chinese clients,” said Gang.
BUSINESS REPORT ONLINE