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FIRST NATIONAL Bank of Southern Africa Limited is South Africa's oldest bank and counts among its clients the Johannesburg Stock Exchange, the Johannesburg municipality and several of the country's leading corporations.
Its major shareholders are Anglo American Corporation, the country's largest mining and industrial conglomerate, Southern Life, a leading insurance company, and DeBeers, the world's leading diamond company.
FNB, one of the Big Four banking groups in South Africa, is the market leader in terms of return on assets and has consistently reported real earnings growth despite four years of national economic decline.
FNB has a nationwide network of 800 branches and offices and over 900 automatic teller machines, emphasising its commitment to service convenience. It is the world's largest user of the Hogan integrated banking software, which offers customers detailed account information while providing managers with a low-maintenance tool with which to manage their books.
FNB's computer and office automation systems compare with the best in the world. A programme is in place to fully automate the branch network and so far, some 200 branches have been converted.
Its 26,000 staff are drawn from the entire spectrum of cultures represented in South Africa. All have a common purpose: to strive for service excellence and realise their career aspirations within the group.
The opening earlier this year of BankCity, the group's new corporate headquarters, was a milestone in FNB's history. Spanning six city blocks in downtown Johannesburg, BankCity's elegant architecture retains the character of early Johannesburg, contributing to a revitalisation of the central business district. Behind the old world facade is some of the most sophisticated office accommodation in the country. incorporating state of the art ergonomics and aesthetic surroundings. Formal and informal trading is accommodated at street level.
Group assets have grown 30% to nearly R50bn over the last 28 months through a combination of organic growth and increased market share. Pre-tax income for the year to September...