Standard Bank’s Marketing Playbook to Dominate South Africa’s $1.41Tn Finance Sector

Standard Bank is 162 years old and Africa’s largest financial institution, but it’s not resting on its laurels. In this episode, Diana Springer, Group Head of Brand & Marketing, shares how her team balances heritage and innovation to keep Standard Bank relevant—and even a bit “challenger”—across 20+ markets. Diana dives into the power of emotive storytelling in a category often dominated by function and explains why “making the familiar strange” might be banking’s best path to creativity. From internal matrix structures to dealing with fintech threats, this conversation reveals what it takes for a legacy brand to remain fresh, trusted, and ready for the future of finance.