Standard Chartered's Sonny Zulu: Zambia's Economy, Leadership, Job Creation and His Biggest MISTAKE

Standard Chartered Bank's Zambia CEO, SONNY ZULU, shares his journey from aspiring medical doctor, to metallurgist in his country's copper mines to the boss of one of the top banks. He discusses the importance of leadership and management skills, the challenges of job creation in Zambia, which he says, is a collective responsibility, not just for government. This is particularly crucial for a country like Zambia which has a median age of just 17. We talk about the bank's role in fostering economic growth. Sonny says the bank's focus is on empowering marginalised communities, especially women and young people. Training in financial management is as important as giving grants, he says, for successful entrepreneurship. I ask Sonny about the impact on African economies of American tariffs. He stresses the importance of intra-African trade. He identifies energy as one of the country's greatest challenges going forward, which is essential to fuel the ambitious increase in copper production which has been outlined by the government. Finally, Sonny tells us about his biggest professional mistake.... Chapters: 00:00 From Medicine to Metallurgy: A Career Journey 04:55 The Importance of Leadership and Management Skills 10:45 Creating Jobs and Economic Growth 15.05 Standard Chartered's Role in Economic Development 19:56 Navigating the Retail Banking Landscape 30:28 Impact of Global Tariffs on African Economies 34:00 Learning from Mistakes: A Leadership Perspective We used data and graphics from KASI INSIGHT, a consumer, economic and market data platform that focusses on Africa.

Added 19 Jul 2026