The Standard Bank Group board announced the appointment of Barend (Ben) Johannes Kruger to its board and that of The Standard Bank of South Africa Limited as an independent non-executive director with immediate effect. Ben Kruger (63), B.Com Acc (Hons)(University of Pretoria), AMP (Harvard Business School), CA(SA), is the Lead Independent Director of Aspen Pharmacare Holdings Limited and a non-executive director of The Johannesburg Stock Exchange Limited and Stanbic IBTC Holdings Plc. He is also the executive chairman of Ruby Rock Investments Proprietary Limited and the Deputy Chair and Member of the Council of the University of Pretoria.

Ben was previously employed by the Group and served in various roles including as the Deputy Group Chief Executive, the Joint Group Chief Executive until September 2017 and finally, the Executive Director until his retirement in December 2018.