South Africa’s capital is moving north-east, and East Africa is increasingly the preferred landing strip Capital is rarely sentimental. It follows growth, scale and systems that work. In East Africa, South African investors are finding all three: youthful populations entering the formal economy, reform momentum strengthening institutions, and digital ecosystems capable of scaling across borders. What began as selective expansion is becoming a structural pivot. The north-east shift is no longer exploratory or opportunistic. It is strategic, data-driven and increasingly embedded in long-term capital allocation decisions.

Standard Bank’s Sim Tshabalala, Absa Group’s Kenny Fihla, MTN Group CEO Ralph Mupita, SanlamAllianz’s Heinie Werth, Nedbank Group’s Jason Quinn, and Old Mutual’s Jurie Strydom represent more than individual corporate leaders. Collectively, they sit at the helm of institutions controlling hundreds of billions of dollars in assets, deposits, premiums, and market capitalisation across Africa. Their strategic decisions influence capital flows, credit creation, insurance penetration, and digital finance ecosystems across multiple markets. As they pivot attention toward East Africa, they are not merely expanding footprints; they are reshaping regional banking, telecom, insurance, and investment architecture for the next phase of continental growth.