HSBC South Africa CEO Welcome message

I am very pleased to extend a warm welcome to the Cape Town SVNS as our beautiful city once again plays host to this wonderful event. The HSBC SVNS 2025 series kicked off in style last weekend in Dubai and we are extremely excited to watch the action unfold as the men’s and women’s teams once again take to the field.

Following on from the success of last year’s event, I am thrilled that our clients and colleagues will be able to enjoy the festival atmosphere and celebrate the true spirit of the Cape Town SVNS. The HSBC SVNS 2025 series is made up of 7 legs, all located in 7 iconic cities around the world. This global network aligns closely to that of HSBC’s and is a clear reminder of the true power of our international connectivity, as we bring different people from all around the world, together.

In line with our global SVNS partnership, we remain committed to growing the game at the grassroots level by providing opportunities for local communities to get involved and stay active. The HSBC TAG Rugby programme continues to be an integral part of this drive for development and over the past 7 years has introduced over 1,000 children to the game. This year alone we were able to welcome 160 children from 16 different schools across Cape Town to take part in an action packed morning just outside the stadium.

Working alongside World Rugby through our partnership, we are continuing to strive for equality and inclusion through the sport while driving positive change. We are extremely proud that the HSBC SVNS series provides equal participation fees for both men’s and women’s teams, establishing a clear standard for other sports and competitions to follow.

Last year saw the Australia women’s and Argentina men’s teams claim their respective titles here in Cape Town and we look forward to seeing if they can retain their trophies or if we will be crowning two new champions come Sunday evening.

On behalf of HSBC, I hope you have a fantastic weekend at the Cape Town SVNS and enjoy the excitement both on and off the pitch. To all players and teams alike, we wish you the very best for your time here in Cape Town and onwards for the remainder of the HSBC SVNS 2025 series.

Muneer Ismail, CEO, HSBC South Africa