Rand Merchant Bank (RMB) continues to make changes to its Johannesburg-based trade team.

In December last year, the bank announced that it had placed Gregory Havermahl at the helm of the bank’s then-newly-formed trade and working capital (T&WC) business. In March this year, Minos Gerakaris, previously head of the banks and development financial institutions team was named head of trade finance, which includes traditional trade, supply chain finance, open account trade finance, structured trade and risk participation and distribution.

“The new trade finance business is responsible for product and sales across all segments of the South African franchise as well as those in our African and Indian subsidiaries and branches,” comments Gerakaris.

Since then, the bank has made a number of hires to the team: Louis du Plessis has been appointed to manage corporate and financial institution trade sales and structured and supply chain finance. Du Plessis joined the bank from Standard Chartered.

Moses Singo has moved from his role as a senior transactor focusing on African teams, to his new position as head of trade finance sales within the group’s African subsidiaries and the Indian trade corridor. He first joined the bank in 2005 as a member of the structured trade and commodity finance team.

Rita Rajagopa has joined the bank’s structuring team. She will focus on structured deals in South Africa, and report to Adriaan Els, who heads the structuring and bespoke lending team. She too has made the move to the bank from Standard Chartered.

Gerakaris comments on the hires: “Rita, Moses and Louis bring considerable experience to the business with their sales and structuring skills, which will help grow our franchise in the different regions in which we operate.”