Standard Bank Group
Sign in
Standard Bank Group
DRC CE Announcement
News 30 May 2023

Standard Bank names new chief executive in DRC

Standard Bank has appointed Marie-Gabrielle Opese as its Chief Executive and Head of Corporate and Investment Banking (CIB) in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC).

Ms Opese joined Standard Bank in the DRC in 2009 as Head of Risk & Company Secretary. In that capacity, she was also in charge of the bank’s credit portfolio management as well as Legal, Compliance, and Corporate Governance. Her primary portfolio has remained Risk & Credit since 2013.

Prior to joining Standard Bank, Ms Opese worked for Ecobank and Citibank in DRC where she has held different senior executive roles in Corporate Banking, Credit, Compliance and Audit.  

She has been the Deputy Chief Executive for Standard Bank DRC since October 2019, supporting the overall direction, management, and administration of all aspects of the bank as well as contributing to the commercial, operational and organizational strategy.

Mr Yinka Sanni, Chief Executive for Africa Regions, Standard Bank says the DRC is a key market as the resource-rich country provides huge opportunities for growth: “We are confident that Ms Opese, given her in-depth knowledge and experience of the DRC market, will continue the growth trajectory in a market with attractive growth prospects and investment banking opportunities.”

“We have a long history in the DRC, and with our deep specialisation and long-term experience in natural resources, Ms Opese and her executive team will continue our focus on the multinational ecosystem and the value chain of large local businesses,” he said.

Mr Sanni added that growth in the DRC will be boosted by Standard Bank’s expert knowledge in working with government, international organisations and the mining sector.

Standard Bank is the largest corporate investment bank in the DRC, injecting over US$300 million into the national economy in the last 12 months.

Ms Opese has a Bachelor of Economics degree with a concentration in financial analytics from the Lubumbashi University, and a Master of Business Administration degree from Beulah Heights University, Atlanta Georgia.

Amedeo Anniciello, the previous Chief Executive, retired in March 2023.