FSR/FSRP/FSPP - FirstRand - Appointment Of New Chairman And Directors

FSR/FSRP/FSPP - FirstRand - Appointment Of New Chairman And Directors           
FirstRand Limited (Incorporated in South Africa)                                
Registration number 1966/010753/06)                                             
JSE Ordinary Share Code: FSR                                                    
JSE ISIN: ZAE000066304                                                          
JSE "B" Preference Share Code: FSRP                                             
JSE ISIN: ZAE000060141                                                          
JSE "B1" Preference Share Code: FSPP                                            
JSE ISIN: ZAE000070900                                                          
NSX Ordinary Share Code: FSR                                                    
("FirstRand")                                                                   
APPOINTMENT OF NEW CHAIRMAN AND DIRECTORS                                       
In compliance with the JSE Limited Listings Requirements, FirstRand advises the 
following changes to its board:                                                 
As stated in the annual report to shareholders, Mr GT Ferreira has retired as   
chairman and a director and has been replaced as chairman by Mr Laurie Dippenaar
with effect from 28 November 2008.                                              
The following new appointments to the board are advised:                        
Dr Jan Hendrik van Greuning (Independent Non-Executive Director)                
Dr van Greuning is a chartered accountant who before leaving South Africa in    
1994 served as head of South African Bank Supervision at the South African      
Reserve Bank.  He is currently attached to the World Bank where he acts as a    
senior adviser to their Treasury Operations.  He holds Doctorates in Economics  
and in Accounting Science and has authored books on International Financial     
Reporting Standards and Banking Risk.  Mr van Greuning is based in Washington,  
USA.                                                                            
Mr Deepak Premnarayen (Non-Executive Director)                                  
Mr Premnarayen holds an Honours Degree in Economics and is chairman of the ICS  
Group of Companies with its headquarters in Mumbai.  The ICS Group is involved  
in pioneering projects including public private partnerships, real estate, asset
management and property services.  Mr Premnarayen has played an important role  
in assisting FirstRand Bank to establish its operations in India.               
Mr Johannes Petrus Burger (Financial Director)                                  
Mr Burger is currently Chief Financial Officer of the FirstRand Group and is    
appointed to the board in terms of the JSE Listings Requirements.  He is a      
chartered accountant and has been with the FirstRand Group since 1986.          
Mr Matthys Hendrik Visser (Non-Executive Director)                              
Mr Visser is the Chief Executive Officer of Remgro Limited where he has worked  
since 1980.  He holds a BCom Honours Degree from the University of Stellenbosch 
and is a chartered accountant.                                                  
The appointments of Messrs van Greuning, Premnarayen and Burger are effective   
from 1 January 2009, while the appointment of Mr Visser is effective from 1     
April 2009.                                                                     
Sandton                                                                         
4 December 2008                                                                 
Sponsor                                                                         
RAND MERCHANT BANK (A division of FirstRand Bank Limited                        
Date: 04/12/2008 15:35:23 Supplied by www.sharenet.co.za                     
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