Applications for the 2010 Graduate programme closed on 17th August 2009 and unfortunately no further applications will be accepted. Applications will re-open this year on 1st July 2010 and close on 28th August 2010.
The following information will be required to successfully complete the on-line application process:
  • Personal details and contact information
  • Secondary Education information
  • Tertiary Education information
  • Other skills/qualifications
  • Work experience information
  • A motivation
Successful graduates need a minimum of a post-graduate (4 year) degree in any of the following - Finance, Commerce, Mathematics, Risk, Engineering, Quantitative disciplines, Computer Science, Information Technology, Marketing and Legal. Please note all positions are based in Johannesburg.
From 1st July 2010 the following link will be available for you to apply online. To apply please use the following link: Graduate Application Form
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During your London based training, you will have the opportunity to meet and learn alongside Barclays Capital graduates from around the world, thereby starting to build your global network of colleagues. All successful graduates are therefore required to hold a valid passport.

Infrastructure graduates will undergo four weeks training in London, whilst Front Office graduates will complete an eight week training programme. Training will cover various financial and technical courses as well as relevant soft skills courses needed to assist you in successfully managing your career.
The goal of this training is to enable you to be better equipped to perform to the best of your abilities when your return to your role within a specific business unit back in South Africa. So even if you are not a finance graduate you will be able to understand all financial jargon needed to be able to do your job well.

For the remainder of your Graduate year we will design a continuous professional development programme that will meet your specific needs within the relevant business area. Each Graduate will be assigned a Mentor as well as a Buddy during their Graduate year.

Typically Analysts will have a post-graduate degree (minimum of four years of study) with little or no work experience in Investment Banking.

Any work experience gained through internships will be an advantage.

Our Analysts fulfill a multitude of roles across the business. To become an Analyst at Absa Capital you need to be intelligent and numerate, with strong communication skills.



To be an Associate at Absa Capital we would expect you to have either a PhD, Masters in Finance or an MBA along with a minimum of three years relevant work experience.

You need to have demonstrated evidence of progression, responsibility, teamwork, leadership and international awareness/exposure. As one of our Associates we will give you the freedom to exercise your business skills and high level thinking in new and interesting ways. Our Associates work across the business and provide a combination of academic and professional expertise.



An engineering background helps to open up many career opportunities and is not limited only to following a career in engineering. Analytical skills and problem-solving skills are only two key skills which form the basis of your training as an engineer, but are skills not exclusive to engineering. They are just as useful and helpful in other disciplines.

Analytical skills help to interpret large amounts of data and enable you to analyze quickly and logically what it means for business and how it affects processes. Similarly, problem-solving skills help to look at a problem from first-principles and be able to quickly 'put the pieces of the puzzle together' and see where faults and obstacles to process efficiency lie. This 'top-down, bottom-up' approach is a key skill in any line of business.



Engineers’ ability to cope with the demands of financial professions can be explained by the fact that they are well prepared through constant practice to apply their knowledge in a practical way to a wide range of situations.

The international trend of late is one that has seen many engineers look more and more at careers in the financial sector because of the challenging nature of financial markets.

For all graduate enquiries please call

+27 72 ABSA CAP (+272 2272 227)
or fax +27 11 895 7837
or email grads2010@absacapital.com

A career in investment banking remains an exciting and fulfilling prospect. As South Africa’s only truly fully local and fully global investment bank, Absa Capital is constantly redefining the boundaries.

Since 2005 we have made significant progress towards reaching our goal of becoming the leading investment bank in sub-Saharan Africa. This bold ambition, however, is dependent on the dedication and commitment of every member of the Absa Capital team. We all own the business and our continued success is dependent on our collective effort.

As a graduate you have reached a significant milestone in your life. You are making important decisions regarding your future. If you are team player and believe in the relentless pursuit of excellence, then Absa Capital is the environment for you.

Since we firmly believe that the success of the firm is dependent on our people, we seek to create an environment where top talent thrives.

We’re looking for energetic and determined individuals who can think on their feet and enjoy the responsibility and accountability of contributing to a winning investment bank. We need diverse people with diverse skills who are prepared to take initiative, are open to learning and up to the daily challenges faced in investment banking.

At Absa Capital we are committed to investing in our people throughout their career with the firm. You can expect an environment which offers you the opportunity to achieve your true potential while growing both professionally and personally – a meritocracy where the individual is valued, but the team vision is paramount.

I look forward to welcoming you to our team.

Stephen van Coller,
Chief Executive, Absa Capital and Absa Wealth


Intern positions at Absa Capital are offered when we have real vacancies and learning opportunities; these positions are for pen-ultimate year students who wish to establish for themselves whether the investment banking environment will be a suitable career to pursue. The next Internship period will be during the June – July 2010 vacation. Positions will be advertised on this website from March 2010 so please do visit this site again in 2010.
Anastasia Halamandaris

BSc Advanced Mathematics of Finance – 09 Analyst.

As many other students nearing the end of their university career and looking for a platform to launch themselves into the financial world, I applied to most of the graduate programmes available in the industry. Absa Capital was among the first to respond and I quickly realised that Absa Capital invested time in ensuring their graduates were placed in the area that appealed to the individual’s interests as well as ensuring it complemented their personalities. I had the confidence that Absa Capital would allow me the opportunity to relentlessly pursue my quest for excellence and that they would acknowledge my achievements along the way. Each day on the structuring sales desk, I learn something new. It has been a challenging learning curve that has been carefully guided by my team. Absa Capital is for the individual who believes there are no boundaries to achieving greatness, and that each time a goal is reached the bar to excellence is shifted outwards. One needs to own the idea that “If you can see the end of the road, you’re running the wrong race”.
Denzil Pieterse

Bcom Hons Acturial Science – 08 Analyst.

As a final year student looking to enter the world of adults and proper employment I was inundated by the various recruitment runs and ‘sales pitches’ made by various companies. The two major selling points used were; “Join us for tons of money, we’re big and powerful” or “Join us for the personal touch, we’re small and niche.” One of the reasons why I joined Absa Capital was that they seemed the best blend of the two: a small young and growing company, where individuals can be recognized for their work, whilst it operates within two large spheres of support, namely the local influence of Absa Group and the international presence of Barclays Capital. In many interviews one of the first questions asked is: “What can you do for The Company?” this question directly alludes to the second reason for joining Absa Capital, which was: “What can Absa Capital do for me?” The appeal of Absa Capital was that in it being a relatively small investment bank it afforded me the opportunity to work closely with industry leaders and thus quickly build up my knowledge and skills base. Looking forward, I am excited by developments within Absa Capital and how we are proving ourselves to be a bank that should be taken seriously.
Arvana Singh

Bachelor of Business Science Finance - 09 Analyst.

My experience as a graduate in the Credit team has been truly phenomenal thus far. From the first stage of the interview process, Absa Capital stood out as an employer of choice. The high recognition and emphasis placed on the graduate programme, illustrates just how serious the company is about attracting and investing in its graduates. The London training programme has equipped me with an abundance of knowledge and has enabled me to grow both personally and professionally. Training with graduates from various countries, cultures and nationalities has given me the opportunity to build a global network of contacts and form international friendships. I was also fortunate enough to gain invaluable experience through a desk placement in London after the training. Absa Capital is definitely a place of opportunities where talented individuals are working together to redefine the investment banking landscape. The fresh thinking and vibe that prevails in the bank, makes it without a doubt, an exciting and inspiring place to work.
Marius Hugo

BSc Industrial Electronic Engineering, MBA – 07 Assoc.

I was looking for a challenge in the financial world which would cater to my quantitative and analytical skills, whilst also putting me on the steepest learning curve. Maximum exposure to a variety of businesses clinched my decision to join the Private Equity team. Absa Capitals’ drive to be the leading investment bank, through leveraging their “fully local, fully global” capabilities is evident in my department through the size, complexity and ambitious nature of the deals we pursue. A typical work day involves; 6:30am - breakfast while watching the overnight developments in the news. 7:30 – arrive at the office, read newspaper, chat to colleagues about what deals they are working on, check and respond to overnight email. 8:00 - team meeting to discuss deal flow, work loads and bounce ideas off each other. 9:00 to 17:00 – financial modelling, research on potential deals, examine colleagues investment proposals, due diligence work, writing up investment reports, client meetings, etc. 17:00 to 23:30 – wrap up the days work, prepare for the tomorrows meetings, go home, gym, socialise and periodically check email and news for deal developments. 23:30 – sleep.
Edward Pitsi

BCom Hons, CA , MCom Financial Management – 09 Assoc.

I first became aware of Absa Capital towards the end of my articles at an auditing firm and because I was looking for an industry and environment that would push my skills to the limit, I decided to join Absa Capital. Absa Capital has a mission to be the pre-eminent investment bank in Sub Saharan Africa and they are pro-active in attracting the best talent available in the market. As a result I am surrounded by the talented individuals with various backgrounds ranging from mathematics, science, accounting and even zoology. I work in Global Finance which allows me to cover investment grade to highly levered corporates. So far I have been provided with the opportunity to interact with CEO’s and Group Treasurers of listed entities, and draw on knowledge and expertise from colleagues in Africa, Europe, Asia and the America’s. Absa Capital’s intense focus on talent recruitment and retention is evident in my fellow Graduate Associates and Graduate Analysts who are young South Africans of the highest calibre.
John Terreblanche

BSc Chemical Engineering – 08 Analyst

I decided to change in career and was lucky enough to get a position in Absa Capital’s Strategy & Planning team. As a non-finance graduate, it is an excellent place to learn about the bank, the industry, and the various products and clients. The work we do is project-based which means no two days are the same and the opportunity to learn is endless. I enjoy the challenge of working in an investment bank and more importantly the freedom I have been afforded to really stretch myself. It has been rewarding to be part of Absa Capital’s successful growth story over the last couple of years and I am excited about our prospects going forward and the opportunities that these will present for a new graduate starting out in the industry. Finally, I have genuinely enjoyed making friends with my fellow graduates, who are a very talented but easy-going group of young and ambitious individuals.
Sinenhlanhla Zulu

BSc Mining Engineering - 09 Analyst

As someone who does not have a theoretical or applied financial background, I was looking to join an institution that had both the patience necessary to oversee my training, and the commensurate belief in me to provide the requisite challenges that would spur my personal and professional growth. Absa Capital has been that institution. My knowledge of finance has improved vastly this year as my manager and team have provided an environment in which I can flourish and learn as much as possible. My engineering degree has been extremely useful in my day to day work within the IBD mining & metals team. Analysing mining company’s cashflow statements and models, reading and analysing their technical feasibility studies to fully understand their operations, forecasting revenues based commodity prices and presenting this to internal committees, are some of the tasks I am involved in on a day to day basis. My job has been extra special to me because I have had an opportunity to use what I studied at university in an entirely different arena, added to that I have had the opportunity to network with some of the most senior and respected people in the mining industry.
Emlind Assur

BSc Mechanical Engineering – 07 Analyst.

I had always wanted to be an engineer, but I also had a passion for the markets and how the South African economy performs. Since joining Absa Capital’s trading desk I have never looked back. To work in London and with some of the most highly ranked investment professionals in the world is awesome. I was lucky enough to spend a few months on the emerging markets FX options desk and then went to Singapore for 9 months where I worked on the Majors desk (the Majors are the US, UK, EU, Japan, etc.) To be trading foreign exchange options in the world’s major currencies is a giant leap forward for anyone’s career in investment banking. The G10 book is managed out of Singapore, London and New York for each respective time zone and being part of a team of about 15 people seeing 5 billion dollars of flow a day was a great learning experience. Currently I work on the FX trading options desk quoting Rand options (both vanillas and exotics) out of Johannesburg. Absa Capital’s affiliation with Barclays has given our graduate programme an extra advantage and its certainly gave me the opportunity to understand what is meant to be a local investment bank, offering offshore capabilities.
 
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