It is understandable that black business organisations are disappointed that Nedbank picked a white man, Jason Quinn, to replace Mike Brown as the banking group’s CEO. After all, it is their duty to do so.
It is in line with meetings the groups, which include the Black Business Council (BBC) and the Black Management Forum, have had with the bank’s board and chair Daniel Mminele to understand its broader transformation strategy.
However, some of the remarks such as “missed opportunity” raise concerns. These include a suggestion, albeit implied, that the job ought to have been earmarked for a black candidate or woman. Worse still, is a suggestion that the board did not apply itself fully or that it backtracked on an internal succession candidate.
This is regrettable, and a narrow read of transformation.
Real transformation goes beyond a single role. A broader approach to transformation includes a more progressive mindset. Within this context, white men and women have an important role to play in advancing the transformation aspirations of organisations such as Nedbank. Transformation should be a strategic imperative of an entire organisation and all its stakeholders, and to narrowly regard the race of the CEO or chair as a talisman of such is a mistake.
Quinn needs to be given space and support to prove that he can be an effective agent for transformation. The BBC said it would watch Nedbank closely. We all should.
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