Portfolio Head, Strategy Enablement Standard Bank CIB
Avikaar is a corporate strategist with 16 years of experience in transformational programmes, including 6.5 years of consulting on 6 projects in sub-Saharan Africa. Over the past decade, he has been driving strategic initiatives at Standard Bank Corporate and Investment Banking (CIB).
After completing his Bachelor of Business Science (Finance) from the University of KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa in 2007, Avikaar began his career in management consulting at Accenture. Subsequently, he joined Standard Bank in 2014, dedicating 3.5 years to enhancing the Client Relationship Management (CRM) capabilities within the CIB division across 24 countries. In 2018, he assumed the role of strategist in the CIB Chief Executive’s
Office and as of 2022, he serves as Executive, Portfolio Head of Strategy Enablement for CIB, overseeing a portfolio of strategic initiatives focused on sustainability.
Avikaar graduated with a Master in Philosophy (Corporate Strategy) with distinction from the University of Pretoria’s Gordon Institute of Business Science (GIBS) in 2021. He was awarded academic honorary colours for achieving the highest overall average and highest overall mark for his research. He graduated with his doctorate at the same institution in 2024 with his thesis entitled ‘An institutional theory perspective on sustainable consumption’.
Grounded in his consulting, strategic and research roles, Avikaar aspires to make a tangible impact at the intersection of social, environmental, and economic challenges. His overarching objective is to utilise his experiences to advance policy and research that foster sustainable development.