Standard Bank Group CFVO Dr Arno Daehnke says African banks must take the lead in mobilising capital for the continent’s infrastructure and climate transition, while also fostering strong internal cultures built on psychological safety.
Standard Bank Group chief financial value officer (CFVO) Dr Arno Daehnke told CFO South Africa that the role of banks in leading Africa’s energy and infrastructure development is central to maximising positive impact.
“We partner with Africa’s governments and businesses to mobilise the investment needed to enable access to affordable and reliable energy. Given Africa’s outsized demand for infrastructure and our strategy to create positive impact, we have fully embedded sustainable finance into our business practices,” he says.
Arno highlighted that financing for Africa’s climate transition is disproportionately high in relation to the continent’s combined GDP, making the challenge particularly acute compared to most regions. “The banks will therefore need to play a unique role in mobilising capital from different sources,” he notes.
Standard Bank has committed to mobilising more than R490 billion in sustainable finance between 2022 and 2028, with the aim of driving impact across renewable energy, green buildings, affordable housing and sustainability-linked loans.
The group’s progress was recognised at the Global Finance Sustainable Finance Awards for Africa in 2025, where Standard Bank won accolades for Best Bank for Sustainable Finance, Best Bank for ESG-Related Loans, and Best Bank for Transition/Sustainability-Linked Loans. “These awards highlight Standard Bank’s success in innovative financing of renewable energy, green buildings, affordable housing, and sustainability-linked loans across Africa,” Arno says.
Creating a safe space
Beyond financial innovation, Arno places equal emphasis on building resilient teams. He has been deliberate about embedding psychological safety within his finance team as a cornerstone of performance.
“A team with suppressed ideas, silence and limited growth opportunities are all signs of having a culture with low psychological safety. However, avid employee contribution, participation and teamwork are top indicators of a great work environment where people feel safe to express themselves,” he explains.
He added that when team members feel safe, they feel like they belong. “In a safe space people speak up and they are heard. Problem solving is enhanced, innovation spikes, curiosity spikes, people feel safe to take risks and to ask for help. And of course, conflict is easier to manage.”
To create these conditions, his finance team has been adopting a growth mindset. “It gives everybody the permission to learn, grow and change,” Arno says.
He also described how he leads with intent: “I act with courage by encouraging innovation and being open to change, even when it’s uncomfortable. I inspire excellence by actively listening to my team, co-creating meaning, and recognising achievements. I deliver with purpose by aligning my team’s work with strategic goals and making principled decisions.”
