ABOUT THE NEW FNB CEO Ms KAPUMPE CHOLA
22.12.2023
After finishing university, we got recruited same time by then Barclays Bank (now ABSA) into their Management Development Programme (MDP) back about the year 2000. Kapumpe, I and others (Jeff Tembo, Chita Chibesakunda, Clyde Musonda etc) would study together for the mandatory UK banking courses exams so as to earn full managerial positions that was going to come with higher perks and a personal to holder vehicles (Ciela/Nubira Korean made Daewoos) at the time.
I still remember a whole lot of us studying late into the night for the quarterly exams at the Barclays boarding training centre (Now Lusaka Water offices) on Katemo road in Longacres. She would giggle through loudly at the difficulties we would endure studying hard banking International course like ‘Law related to banking) or ‘Banking Monetary & Accounting practices’.
Our employer told us were being trained to take over as CEOs of the Bank some day. It did not seem real in the Bank that was full of Britons at which ever top positions possible. ‘Imiti ikula empanga’ kind of talk yet the old ones just never wanted (or ever want) to retire and give a chance to younger ones.
Consequently several of us later moved out of the trainee manager programme to either other Banks or changed careers all together.
About 20 years later, Kapumpe has made it to that promised summit of our Banking career as CEO of a commercial Bank and in her case the top 3 South Africa banks called First National Bank-FNB. She will run their Zambia outlet that specializes in large corporate finance and middle to high net worth retail or personal bank depositors or borrowers.
See now maybe I would have also by now been CEO had I not been politically ‘fired’ as the Treasury & International Banking Director at a bank(Finance Bank) that got closed in 2010 by the then very bad MMD government. All because I supported the then opposition leader Michael Sata (MHREIP) and the PF.
So proud of Kapumpe and FNB for not only appointing a Zambian, but a women for that matter. This so in accordance with the UN millennium goals of having 50% women representation in all top leadership position be it in the public or private sectors.
Congratulations Ms Kapumpe Chola.
Our then Barclays Bank bosses namely Mr Paul Smith, Mr Nigel Carrignton, Mr Gary Marsh, Mr John McGaffog and Mr Ian Knapman will surely be very proud of you wherever they may be.
Best wishes madam CEO.
Miles Bwalya Sampa, MP
Patriotic Front (PF) President