RMB
Rand Merchant Bank (RMB) is a diversified financial services brand encompassing investment banking, fund management, corporate banking and advisory services. All businesses in the RMB brand stable form part of the wider FirstRand Group.

All about us

RMB at a glance

Rand Merchant Bank (RMB), a division of FirstRand Bank Limited, is a leading African investment bank and part of one of the largest financial services groups in Africa. We offer our clients innovative, value-added advisory, funding, trading, corporate banking and principal investing solutions.

We are a proud African investment bank with an extensive deal footprint across 35 African countries. RMB has funded several infrastructure and resource finance projects, mergers and acquisitions, and developments in many African countries over the past decade.

Our knowledge of local financing requirements, legal and jurisdictional frameworks, together with the expertise and balance sheet of FirstRand Bank, enable us to service the needs of the rapidly expanding African economy.

As the investment banking arm of the FirstRand Group, RMB has access to a network of retail banks in 25 African countries, including representative offices and subsidiaries in the UK, India, China, and the Middle East.

RMB Offices

South Africa
Namibia
Nigeria

 

RMB Representative Offices

Angola
Kenya

 

RMB Subsidiaries of FirstRand

Botswana
Lesotho
Mauritius
Mozambique
Swaziland
Tanzania
Uganda
Zambia
Zimbabwe

RMB’s international footprint

  • China (Shanghai) (FirstRand representative office)
  • United Kingdom (London) (FirstRand branch)
  • Middle East (Dubai) (FirstRand representative office)
  • India (Mumbai) (FirstRand branch)

Our strategy does not live in files, but in our people

RMB is an investment bank built on Traditional values. Innovative ideas. This business philosophy is the pledge that underpins everything we are and everything we do. To deliver on this philosophy, we employ smart, talented and passionate people who are committed to excellence and who can thrive in an entrepreneurial environment.

We believe exceptional performance is only possible with exceptional people, which is why our strategy does not live in files, but in our people. RMB is a place where exceptional people can embrace our collaborative and owner-manager culture and drive their particular lines of business as though it’s their own.  

At RMB we nurture and celebrate inspired thinkers and entrepreneurs who challenge the boundaries, engage in vigorous debate, create their own opportunities and apply thinking that can change our world. We do not subscribe to business-as-usual practices – rather big thinking that requires our employees to stretch themselves, to push the boundaries, to think differently, have an entrepreneurial spirit and a desire to make a difference in the world.

Because we believe that a combination of skills is often the best way to reach innovative solutions, we create opportunities for talented individuals from diverse industries (over and above financial services) and walks of life. That’s why it is not unusual to run into lawyers, aeronautical engineers and even medical doctors at RMB.  Would you like to join our world? You can apply to join RMB through one of these avenues:

We create sustainable value for our clients and shareholders

Our primary business objective at RMB is to create sustainable value for our clients and shareholders. By placing our clients at the centre of our innovation, we unlock possibilities and opportunities for them to grow their investments and businesses. We nurture mutually rewarding relationships and constantly challenge the norm, question existing models and develop innovative and bespoke products to grow our clients’ businesses.

Sound business

Read more about RMB’s financial performance by clicking here.

Proud heritage, bright future

Rand Merchant Bank (RMB) was founded by Paul Harris, Laurie Dippenaar and GT Ferreira in 1977. Paul Harris was the out-of-the-box thinker; Laurie Dippenaar, the numbers man, and GT Ferreira, the skilled negotiator. The vision, drive and complementary strengths of this trio transformed the fledgling outfit into one of South Africa’s leading investment banks, and one of South Africa’s most powerful brands.

Today, RMB is one of the leading African investment banks, with over 1 500 employees and an impressive track record of profitability and innovation. The RMB brand is more than just a product or service – it is a promise of added value to our clients. It is supported by our values, encased in our culture, lived by our talented people and expressed in the different elements that make up our corporate identity.

  • The lion represents our African heritage and strength, and the pride we take in doing sustainable good business and good work
  • The key represents our ability to unlock the potential of our employees through our liberating and empowering culture. It represents protecting the interests of our stakeholders, while unlocking possibility and opportunity for our clients and our country

RMB cemented its market leading position on a number of fronts the past couple of years:

Read more …

The FirstRand family

FirstRand Bank Limited is the second largest listed banking group (by market capitalisation) on the Johannesburg Stock Exchange (JSE). The Group is differentiated by its owner-manager culture and operates through a portfolio of four separately branded franchises:

  • Investment Banking – RMB – one of Africa’s leading investment banks by peer ranking and industry awards
  • Retail, commercial and wholesale banking – First National Bank (FNB) – one of Africa’s largest retail, commercial and wholesale banks by assets
  • Instalment finance – WesBank – one of Africa’s top vehicle and asset finance providers by market share
  • Investment management – Ashburton Investments – offering traditional and alternative investment products 

Governance and compliance

The world is demanding greater corporate transparency. Investors want access to more accurate and relevant information about companies, transactions, markets and risks. Our banking system is robust and strong because of our outstanding corporate governance practices. We believe the way we govern our corporation, and our commitment to fair dealing and integrity in the way we conduct our business, play a central role in the strength and health of the global economy.

  • Read more about our Board Directors’ Code of Ethics; The Promotion of Access to Information Act and Table of Legislation
  • Read more about the complaints procedure for the Financial Advisory and Intermediary Services Act

Making a difference in the world right now

We believe that good business creates a better world. While business is a fundamental part of society, it also has the responsibility to have an interest in the success of society. Through the RMB Fund, we focus our Corporate Social Investment (CSI) on:
  • Arts, Culture and Heritage
  • Mathematics Leadership and Development
  • The Environment and Conservation
  • Employee Volunteer Programme – the RMB Hug Fund

Committed to managing environmental and social risk

The FirstRand Group adopted the Equator Principles in July 2009 to demonstrate our long-term commitment to manage environmental and social risk in project finance transactions. As subscribers to the Equator Principles, we want to ensure that the projects we finance are developed in a manner that is socially responsible and reflect sound environmental management practices to avoid negative impacts on project-affected ecosystems and communities.

The Equator Principles are based on the International Finance Corporation Performance Standards on social and environmental sustainability, and on the World Bank Group Environmental, Health and Safety Guidelines.

Read more …

Committed to reducing our Carbon Footprint

Climate change is real and is affecting all of us, our stakeholders and their communities. Being part of the FirstRand Group, we are continually exploring ways to address environmental concerns. One way to minimise the impact of climate change is to reduce our greenhouse gas emissions. Together with FirstRand, we undertake regular carbon footprint audits to monitor our progress to reduce emissions.

Read more …

Embracing transformation

We support FirstRand’s belief that transformation is about more than scorecards or Black Economic Empowerment (BEE) credentials – it’s about improving the macro-environment; redressing investment balances by financing development infrastructure; supporting employment equity; developing black business and equitable ownership.

We actively promote and drive transformation and skills development in all our portfolio companies, through training and apprenticeship opportunities, procurement and creating a representative workforce.

Read more …

All eyes on Africa

If ever there was a good time to invest in Africa, the time is now. Investors looking for opportunities in Africa can expect some of the highest investment returns in the world. RMB is no newcomer to Africa though. As the investment banking arm of FirstRand Bank Limited, we have concluded several deals in more than 35 African countries over the past two decades. These deals range from infrastructure and resource finance to real estate and leveraged finance deals, as well as high-profile mergers and acquisitions.

We have an extensive pool of investment banking experts who understand the broader African landscape. RMB provides the full spectrum of investment banking services to all industries, making us one of the leading financial and business partners on the continent. Our ability to react and adapt to macro-economic conditions and volatile economic challenges enables us to become the broad-based African investment bank of choice.

We have access to a network of retail banks in 25 African countries and are able to confirm trade finance risk for most jurisdictions, including an active risk participation desk which trades in African trade finance risk.

Considering that seven of the ten fastest growing economies in the world are in Africa right now, the investment case for the sub-Saharan Africa region remains enticing. Join us as we continue our exciting journey to explore and invest in Africa – the continent of the future.

RMB firsts

  • RMB has pioneered many of the products and services that form the backbone of the South African investment banking sector
  • FirstRand is the first bank from Africa to be granted a full-scale commercial banking licence in India
  • RMB was the first investment bank in South Africa to give investors access to Inflation-linked Bonds through the JSE
  • RMB underwrote and managed South Africa’s first listed convertible bond, issued by Aquarius Platinum
  • The South African Futures Exchange (Safex) was originally a division within RMB and only became an independent licenced exchange in 1988

Careers at RMB

Contact the RMB recruitment team on 011 282 8000 or visit http://www.rmb.co.za/careers/ for more information.

View our graduate programme for more information.

View our Class Of programme for more information.