Absa Bank Group CEO Kenny Fihla is smiling all the way to the bank after earning close to R150-million for the 2025 financial year.
His total remuneration package, revealed in Absa’s annual financial statement for 2025, shows that Fihla received a R148-million total remuneration package after he took up the powerful position on June 18 2025.
Fihla had joined Absa after leaving Standard Bank Group in March 2025, following 18 years of service.
Absa Group’s annual report, released on Tuesday, also indicates that Fihla’s total remuneration package has more than doubled since he joined from Standard Bank, where he was group deputy chief executive and earned R67 292 000 per annum.
Staff salary increases
Absa Group employees were handed a 6% salary increase, which saw the wage bill increase to about R29-billion from just below R27-billion, while shareholders were paid a final dividend of R8.50 per ordinary share. This comes after, on August 18 2025 Absa declared an interim dividend of R7.85 per ordinary share, bringing the total amount of dividend paid in 2025 to R16.35.
The company rewarded Fihla and other employees, as well as the shareholders, after the group recorded an impressive increase of 12.25% in headline earnings to R24.8-billion for the reporting period.
Headline earnings per share (HEPS) climbed by 12.20% to R29.87 while the diluted HEPS by 11.21% to R29.55.
The financial services firm’s total assets are valued at R2.2-trillion while the liabilities are worth just over R2-trillion.
The company’s income generated rose to R116-billion from R110-billion.
Absa’s profit for the reporting period climbed to R25.6-billion from just below R25-billion.
Strong performance
Speaking on the company’s performance, Fihla said the company’s 5% income growth was supported by non-interest income momentum, particularly robust trading revenue and moderate net interest income growth, despite modest retail loan growth and margin compression.
“From a geographic perspective, African regions delivered noticeably stronger earnings growth than South Africa, driven by solid pre-provision profit growth and continued customer expansion, while South Africa benefited from a meaningful improvement in credit impairments across several portfolios.
“Our performance over the past year reflects clear progress on delivering on our strategic priorities supported by disciplined execution across the group. We are seeing the benefits of our operating model changes, sharper client focus, and continued improvements in credit outcomes.
“Growth across several of our businesses, particularly in corporate and investment banking and our Africa regions’ operations, highlights the strength of our diversified franchise and our ability to deliver under evolving market conditions,” said Fihla.
