Rand Merchant Bank (RMB), the corporate and investment banking arm of South Africa’s FirstRand, has opened an advisory business in Beijing to connect Chinese companies and investors with trade and investment opportunities across Africa.
Rand Merchant Advisory (Beijing) Co., Ltd. was formally launched at the 2026 China-Africa Forum as bilateral trade between China and Africa exceeds $350 billion, according to the company.
The new operation builds on RMB’s presence in China, which began with the opening of a representative office in Shanghai in 2007. It will provide Chinese clients with access to RMB’s financial services, African market expertise and regional business network.
The launch comes as China and African countries pursue deeper cooperation in infrastructure, critical minerals, manufacturing, technology and renewable energy, with a growing focus on local processing and industrial development.
“China brings capital, technology, manufacturing capability and an ability to build at scale and speed. Africa brings a young population, significant infrastructure needs and considerable opportunities in industrialisation, processing and manufacturing. The next chapter must be about what we can build together — investment that creates local jobs, develops skills and expands productive capacity on the continent,” FirstRand Chief Executive Mary Vilakazi said.
Vilakazi said South Africa could serve as a gateway for Chinese companies seeking to establish operations, develop local partnerships and expand across African markets, supported by its capital markets and financial system.
Bydon Longwe, chief executive of FirstRand Broader Africa, said the Beijing operation could help channel Chinese investment towards projects addressing Africa’s infrastructure and industrial development needs.
“Africa needs long-term capital and partnerships that strengthen infrastructure, expand productive capacity and support greater local participation in value chains. By connecting Chinese institutions and enterprises with insight, relationships and execution capability across our markets, we can help create investments that are commercially sound and deliver lasting value for African economies,” Longwe said.
RMB Chief Executive Emrie Brown said Chinese companies were increasingly looking beyond trade to establish and operate businesses in Africa, creating opportunities in manufacturing, processing and local value addition.
“We increasingly see Chinese businesses looking beyond trade to build, own and operate in Africa, while interest is growing in processing, manufacturing and greater value creation on the continent. Realising that opportunity requires commercially viable projects, sound financing structures, local knowledge and partners who can deliver,” Brown said.
“Our ambition is to be the African banking partner that Chinese businesses, investors and financial institutions choose to support their trade, operations, investments and long-term growth,” Brown said. “Partnerships are ultimately defined by what we do together after events such as this. Opportunity may be where the story began, but partnership is what we are here to build.”
Rand Merchant Advisory will help Chinese companies navigate African regulatory frameworks, currency and liquidity risks, cross-border payments and local operating requirements. It will draw on RMB and FirstRand’s regional network to support clients from market entry through to longer-term expansion.
The business will focus on opportunities in infrastructure, critical minerals, renewable energy, transport, advanced manufacturing, digital connectivity and local supply chains, the company said.
Erwin Pon, chief executive of Rand Merchant Advisory (Beijing) and RMB’s head of Asia, said the operation would connect Chinese decision-makers with the bank’s expertise across African markets.
“Our role is to understand our partners’ priorities, help them navigate the practical realities of operating in African markets and connect them with the right people, expertise and financial solutions. We want Chinese enterprises to see RMB as a long-term, on-the-ground partner in Africa,” Pon said.
RMB also has relationships with Chinese policy and commercial institutions, including China Development Bank, the Export-Import Bank of China, Sinosure, the China-Africa Development Fund and China Construction Bank.
Brown said Africa’s mineral resources, demographic profile and industrialisation needs complemented China’s manufacturing capacity, technology and industrial capital.
“We firmly believe that Africa’s future is closely intertwined with China and Rand Merchant Advisory will bring our partnership even closer, serving as a trusted advisor for Chinese enterprises in Africa,” Brown said.
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