Today, First National Bank, the Kavod Trust and Councillor Moeng, Member of the Mayoral Committee, officially opened FNB’s new regional offices in the Central Business District of Bloemfontein.
Known as “First Place, Bloemfontein” the new 8284m² building consolidates seven offices in the region and now accommodates all FNB, WesBank, RMB and Ashburton businesses. It is strategically located at the heart of Bloemfontein and is easily accessible for both clients and employees.
During his keynote address, Councillor Moeng congratulated FNB and the developers for their continued commitment to the growth of the province.
“We are excited to officially launch our new provincial head office, First Place Bloemfontein. At FNB we strongly believe in the economic growth potential of the City of Mangaung. Our role as a proudly South African organisation extends further than banking alone. We see this building as a tangible expression of our commitment to this city and region,” said Stephen Gooch, FNB Free State Regional Head.
First Place Bloemfontein is owned and developed by the Kavod Trust. Phase one of the development was funded by FNB. The building has been designed to be fully functional for the bank’s purposes and already stands as a beautiful landmark with five levels that can accommodate more than 400 employees.
The cosmopolitan building designed by Bomax Architects will give clients and staff access to meeting rooms, as well as a training centre. It is fully-fledged with contemporary design elements and ‘green’ eco-friendly features that maximise natural light.
As part of a long-term commitment to develop the community and continue growing the province, local suppliers in Bloemfontein, many of which are FNB clients, were used in the construction of the building. Joe Chemaly from the Kavod Trust thanked everyone that had been instrumental in making this project a success. She emphasized that without the support of the community, valued stakeholders and local government, the launch of First Place would not have been possible.
“Free State is one of the richest agricultural provinces in the country and has the potential to make an even greater contribution to the economy. We encourage corporate South Africa to continue investing in the sustainable and responsible development of Mangaung and the Free State Province at large,” concluded Gooch.