Farzam Ehsani

It is not unusual to find 40+ people in his loft apartment in Braamfontein every Friday night. And no, these people are not partying up a storm – instead they are debating social and spiritual issues to promote a more understanding world, free of prejudice and intolerance. Apart from being a devoted follower of the Baha’i Faith, Farzam is on a mission to better understand the world of Corporate and Investment banking. He accomplished his mission when he joined the RMB Class Of Programme in 2012.

It was the global financial crisis at the time that made him realise that he needed to learn more about the financial industry (an industry that affects everyone in society) to be able to make a real difference to those around him. So, when the opportunity became available to join RMB’s Class Of Programme – he grabbed it with both hands.

Farzam soon made his presence felt in the bank by playing a critical part in initiating and leading the blockchain work at the RMB FOUNDeRY. It was during this time that he also became the Chairperson of the South African Financial Blockchain Consortium to demonstrate the transformative potential of blockchain technology for the South African financial services industry.

After leaving RMB, he co-founded VALR – a private company set to build a bridge between traditional financy systems and the new world of cryptocurrencies.