Elixirr and Standard Bank launch international exchange programme
South African banking group, Standard Bank, have seen two employees join management consulting firm Elixirr as part of a new international exchange programme between the companies. The two-year programme will see Amirah Kolia and Phuluso Kwindo welcomed to the consultancy’s London office.
Professional services group Elixirr have announced a new scheme that will see two employees join their London outfit from South African client Standard Bank. The placement will see Amirah Kolia and Phuluso Kwinda, who both work within the bank’s CIB Operations wing, gain two years of international work experience with the fast growing consultancy.
Standard Bank are one of Elixirr’s longest-standing clients, having worked together since 2011 on an assortment of international projects ranging from digital strategies, to product and customer strategies, to operating models and sourcing approaches, for the firm previously won a Management Consultancy Award in 2013. More recently, the groups consultants have provided key advice in helping the bank roll out innovation initiatives across South Africa, with the two remaining committed to working together to boost Standard’s Personal & Business Bank and their Corporate Investment Bank going forward.
The two-year exchange initiative aims to give young talent exposure to new markets, industries and clients, along with presenting Elixirr an opportunity to give back to the South African economy where the company have strong roots, while Africa more generally is considered a cornerstone of the business’ long-term growth strategy. The consulting firm further has an operation in the United States.
In a period where professional service groups such as BDO, Ayming, PKF and Capco are expanding operations in South Africa, Elixirr’s new programme will allow a rare opportunity for young professionals to gain experience in the UK consulting market – the second most developed globally, behind the US, as well as internationally.
The chosen candidates, Kwinda and Kolia, will be part of the firm’s UK consulting team for the next 24 months, and are already deployed on projects involving some of Elixirr’s biggest financial service clients in the UK. In the future, the company also seek to provide the duo with experience on projects for clients across other industries so that they gain a wide variety of international business experience.
Stephen Newton, Founder and Managing Partner of Elixirr, personally put together the programme with Samuel Van Niekerk, Head of CIB Operations at Standard Bank Group.
In a release following the official launch, Newton commented, “It is an important part of our strategy to give back to Africa. Standard Bank was our first client when we launched the firm and since then our partnership has grown from strength to strength. To establish this exchange programme with one of our longest-running clients is not only testament to a true partnership but also to our shared passion to nurture and develop talent.”
Earlier this year Elixirr was named one of the globe’s top outsourcing consultancies by industry association IAOP.
