Nedbank finally finds its Prince Charming CEO – next door at Absa

After almost six months – having received interest from about 300 applicants locally and globally – Nedbank’s search for a CEO has ended with the big green bank revealing that Jason Quinn, the current chief financial officer at Absa, will take over from Mike Brown at the end of May next year.

Group chairman Daniel Mminele says management was particularly encouraged by the level of domestic and international interest in the position, “which was an indication to us how highly the Nedbank brand is valued”.

Quinn has been with Absa since 2008 and was appointed financial director of the Absa Group and Absa Bank in 2016. He has also played the role of interim group CEO at Absa from April 2021 to March 2022 – an experience which will provide a good grounding for his upcoming role at Nedbank.

Mminele says he is “delighted” to have secured the services of an experienced leader of Quinn’s calibre with a proven track record in banking in South Africa and other parts of the African continent.

Quinn noted: “I am excited about the opportunity to work with the Board, leadership team and colleagues at Nedbank to build on the Group’s strong foundations. I have been encouraged by my interactions with the Board, and the leadership culture and purpose statement resonate strongly with me. I intend to build on those and the strategy, with the team, to deliver strong stakeholder value creation.”

Mminele worked with Quinn previously when he was at Absa, and says Quinn is likely to be a great cultural fit with a relevant skill set in South Africa and on the continent.  

Typical notice periods for upper management such as chief executives range from six months to as much as a year (the notice period for the Nedbank CEO post), and Quinn will be on “garden leave” serving out his notice period until the end of May 2024. DM