For many people, breaking one record is more than enough for a lifetime. However, this cannot be said about Bydon Longwe, the FirstRand Broader Africa CEO, who is the first Zambian to hold this high position. Longwe first made history when he became the first Zambian to become CEO of FNB Zambia.
In a world where several organizations frown upon local expertise, Bydon Longwe proved any doubters wrong by earning his place as CEO in Zambia and later bagging a promotion as boss of all the CEOs in Africa for the same bank.
Born in 1973, Bydon Longwe spent most of his early years on the Copperbelt in Kitwe, Chingola, and Luanshya. He attended Mpelembe Boys and Chiwala Technical schools for his secondary education before obtaining an accounting qualification at the Accountancy Training College in Chingola. He later obtained a qualification at the Edinburgh Business School, Heriot-Watt University.
With a strong belief in hard work, Longwe joined Deloitte as a senior auditor in 1996 before moving to Botswana in 2000 to join KPMG. While in Botswana, he joined BancABC as Senior Finance Manager before rising to become Chief Financial Officer for Zambia and Mozambique and later Deputy Managing Director in Zambia for three years.
In 2018, Mr. Longwe joined FNB Zambia as Chief Financial Officer and, in only two years, rose to become the first Zambian CEO of the bank in 2020. He now serves as CEO of FirstRand Broader Africa, FNB’s parent company.
Regarded as the largest financial institution by market capitalization in Africa, FirstRand has a huge portfolio, which includes FNB, RMB, Wesbank, and other brands. As CEO of FirstRand Broader Africa, Bydon Longwe oversees the operations of all FNB and RMB brands across Africa. CEOs from the countries in which these banks operate in Africa report to Bydon, who acts as a contact point with the parent company, FirstRand.
Such responsibility comes with a lot of sacrifice, and one would expect that life must be hectic for Bydon. As a father of four boys, he has no choice but to make time for both his work and family, which he speaks fondly about.
“It’s really like you’re always juggling, ensuring that your work, your family, friends, and all that is all up there. It will never balance, but you have to look out for each to ensure you watch yourself when it looks like you’re making more emphasis on one than the other,” he says.
Bydon Longwe also prides himself as a well-grounded Christian, an attribute he believes is also key to self-development. He believes that, as part of the balance, building a strong belief system is important.
When asked what makes him successful in the corporate world, Bydon believes in a simple theory that he says sets the tone for a successful career.
“I think that one of the things you need to be successful, especially in the corporate world, is to have the right to sit at the table. There are things that take you to the table that we sometimes forget”, he says.
“If you’re an accountant and, at some point, would like to become CEO or CFO, first of all, you’ve got to be a great accountant!”
“Just be good at what you do, and that’s the start. Being good at what you do earns you the right to be at the table. Once you’re at the table, other things start coming”, he adds.
As CEO, Bydon Longwe is passionate about elevating the SME business in Broader Africa. Given that SMEs have been underserved in Africa, he is challenging himself to replicate success across the continent and would like to look back in a year, hopefully with pride and success.
For now, Bydon Longwe adds to the list of people taking Zambia ku Calo [taking Zambia to the world].
By Dingindaba Jonah Buyoya