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# Absa Group Appoints Kenny Fihla as Group Chief Executive Officer, Effective 17 June 2025
- URL: https://www.theglobalbanker.com/absa-group-appoints-kenny-fihla-group-chief-executive-officer-june-2025/
- Published: 2025-06-17T12:31:00.000Z
- Updated: 2026-10-02T14:00:54.000Z
- Description: Kenny Fihla has taken over as Group CEO of Absa effective 17 June 2025, succeeding interim chief Charles Russon after joining from Standard Bank Group.
- Author: TGB Editorial Team
- Tags: Executive Moves, Africa, #archive

Absa Group has formally installed Kenny Fihla as its Group Chief Executive Officer, with the appointment taking effect on 17 June 2025\. Fihla succeeds Charles Russon, who had been serving as interim Group CEO following the departure of Arrie Rautenbach. The appointment had been announced three months earlier, on 17 March 2025.

Fihla joins Absa from Standard Bank Group, where he was most recently Deputy Group CEO and CEO of Standard Bank South Africa, after leading its Corporate and Investment Banking division from 2017 to 2024\. 

#### BACKGROUND

Russon stepped into the interim role in 2024 after Arrie Rautenbach took early retirement. Absa had earlier separated from Barclays, which began selling down its controlling stake in 2016\. The Barclays separation required Absa to build its own technology infrastructure, brand presence and international correspondent relationships across its African markets.

The group serves retail, commercial and corporate customers.

#### ABSA CORPORATE AND INVESTMENT BANKING

Absa Corporate and Investment Banking is active in debt capital markets, structured finance, transaction banking and advisory services across the continent.