ABSA’s Peter Matlare loses battle with Covid-19

Absa Deputy CEO Peter Matlare has lost his battle with Covid-19. His legacy includes leading roles at Tiger Brands and the state broadcaster.

Published on:

08 Mar 2021, 10:12 am

By Adelaide Changole and Roxanne Henderson

(Bloomberg) – Absa Group Deputy Chief Executive Officer Peter Matlare has died Sunday after succumbing to Covid-19 related complications.

The executive, 61, had been with South Africa's third-largest bank since 2016 and was previously head of foods group Tiger Brands and state broadcaster SABC.

"We express our heartfelt sympathy and condolences to Peter's wife Nomvula and to his daughters," the Johannesburg-based lender said in a statement, following an announcement from his family.

Shocked and saddened by the news of the passing of Peter Matlare. #Covid19 has robbed us of another professional in his prime. Heartfelt condolences to the family, friends and colleagues. May his soul #RIP #RIPPeterMatlare pic.twitter.com/POW7JRIKPr
— Prof Thuli Madonsela (@ThuliMadonsela3) March 7, 2021

At Absa, Matlare was responsible for steering operations in the rest of Africa, where the company had been expanding its corporate and investment banking unit. That was part of a strategic and organisational overhaul that started in 2018 after the group separated from its former parent Barclays and positioned itself as a pan-African player.

South Africa has been the worst-hit country by the Covid-19 pandemic on the continent, with more than 1.5 million infections and more than 50,000 deaths, according to data from the ministry of health.

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