STANDARD BANK GROUP

STANDARD Lesotho Bank (SLB) chief executive officer, Kenrick Cockerill, has died.

The bank yesterday said Mr Cockerill died in South Africa on 20 October 2020 after a short illness.

Mr Cockerill, who was appointed to the position in April this year, was buried in Durban on Saturday.

The bank said his passing was a huge loss adding that his experience will be missed.

Mr Cockerill (56) had a successful 32-year career with the Standard Bank group. He held several key leadership and specialist roles in South Africa, Botswana, Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), Nigeria, Malawi, Uganda, Kenya and Mozambique.

Before being appointed to the Lesotho post in April this year, Mr Cockerill was CEO at the Standard Bank in Tanzania.

"It is with great sadness that the board of directors of Standard Lesotho Bank announces the death of the chief executive of Standard Lesotho Bank, Kenrick Cockerill, who has died after a short illness," the SLB said in a statement this week.

"Mr Cockerill succumbed to illness on Tuesday 20 October and was laid to rest on Saturday the 24th at Westville, Durban.

"His untimely death is a great loss to the bank, our staff and the banking industry in general as we were looking up to him to improve the experience of our customers across all our points of presence. The board, management and staff of the bank conveys their heartfelt condolences to his family. He will be truly missed."

The bank has appointed Thabiso Tsenki as acting CEO until a permanent CEO is hired.

"While plans are underway to find a substantive chief executive, the board has appointed Thabiso Tsenki to assume the role in an acting capacity," the bank said.

When he joined SLB in April, Mr Cockerill replaced Mpho Vumbukani, who was the first Mosotho in that position.

Despite being appointed in April this year, Mr Cockerill failed to move to the country due to the lockdowns and travel restrictions imposed by South Africa and Lesotho to fight the spread of the Coronavirus (Covid-19) pandemic.

He had been working remotely from South Africa until the time of his death.

Copyright Lesotho Times. Distributed by AllAfrica Global Media (allAfrica.com)., source News Service English