Paul Harris
About
Paul Harris is the third member of the founding trio behind FirstRand, together with Laurie Dippenaar and GT Ferreira. After the three launched Rand Consolidated Investments in 1977, Harris played a leading role in building Rand Merchant Bank and later served as chief executive of FirstRand, helping shape the group's entrepreneurial, decentralised culture. FirstRand grew into the parent of First National Bank (FNB), RMB and WesBank, and its strong long-term share performance made the founders wealthy. Harris's fortune is held largely through his FirstRand-linked shareholdings and associated investment structures from the RMB stable. Beyond banking he has been active in venture investing and conservation, and is known for his interest in the outdoors and wildlife. Like his co-founders, he keeps a relatively low public profile while remaining an influential elder statesman of South African finance. His holdings are concentrated in the FirstRand-linked listed investments.
Source of wealth
Co-founded the FirstRand banking group. Harris's wealth stems from his founding interest in FirstRand — parent of FNB, Rand Merchant Bank and WesBank — which he helped grow from a small merchant bank into one of South Africa's largest financial-services groups.
Disclosed holdings
Listed (JSE): Founding-linked interests in JSE-listed FirstRand and associated investment holding structures (RMB Holdings / Remgro lineage).
Private: Venture, conservation and private investments connected to the RMB stable.
How we estimate this
Estimated primarily from the current JSE value of the FirstRand-linked shareholdings, valued at the latest share prices. See our full methodology.
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Net-worth figures here are estimates derived from public JSE share prices and disclosed holdings — for information only, not financial advice.
