Former Cabinet Minister Trevor Manuel, who retired from public office earlier this year after having served in Cabinet for 20 years, has joined financial advisory group Rothschild as senior adviser and deputy chairperson of Rothschild in South Africa.

He will take up the position on October 1 and will be based at the group’s Johannesburg office.

Manuel was most recently Minister in the Presidency responsible for South Africa’s National Planning Commission. He first joined Cabinet in 1994 as Trade and Industry Minister and served as Finance Minister between 1996 and 2009.

“It is with great pleasure that I welcome Trevor Manuel to Rothschild. His stewardship of the South African economy under successive Presidents and his variety of roles in various global multilateral institutions puts him in a rarified peer group.

“His addition to the firm will be invaluable to our clients as they develop strategies to expand their businesses in Africa and beyond,” commented Rothschild Group chairperson David de Rothschild.

Rothschild South Africa chairperson Professor Wiseman Nkuhlu added that Manuel’s knowledge and experience, combined with the advisory firm’s expertise, would help position the group to take advantage of a growing appetite from African companies and governments to develop their businesses and to access capital markets.

“I am very much looking forward to assisting Professor Nkuhlu, [Rothschild South Africa CEO] Martin Kingston and the rest of the team in developing the Rothschild franchise in Africa. It is an exciting step and a particular pleasure to work alongside the group and its other senior advisers,” commented Manuel.