TymeBank appoints Cheslyn Jacobs as new CEO

TymeBank has announced the appointment of Cheslyn Jacobs as its new Chief Executive Officer, effective 1 January 2026.

Jacobs will succeed Karl Westvig, who has led the bank since 2023 and will remain in an advisory role to support a smooth leadership transition.

A founding member of TymeBank, Jacobs brings over a decade of experience within the organisation and deep institutional knowledge of its operations.

Since its launch in 2019, TymeBank has grown to become one of South Africa’s leading digital banks, boasting more than 11 million customers.

Jacobs holds a BCom in Industrial Psychology from the University of the Western Cape and a Postgraduate Diploma in Business Management from the University of Pretoria’s Gordon Institute of Business Science (GIBS). Before joining Tyme, he held roles at Standard Bank and Deloitte.

He began his journey with Tyme in 2012 as Sales and Distribution Manager, later becoming National Operations Manager at Tyme Infield. He was appointed Head of Sales and Services in 2019, coinciding with the official launch of TymeBank, and was promoted to Chief Commercial Officer in 2022, where he was responsible for driving revenue growth and expanding the bank’s business footprint.

Speaking to Stephen Grootes on The Money Show, incoming CEO of TymeBank, Cheslyn Jacobs says their are plans for the business to continue to evolve during his tenure.

"As a business we've invested heavily in customer experience behind the scenes, and I think our customers can expect really, really good improvements to come in the not too distant future that will fundamentally change the experience with the bank," said Jacobs.

"One of our biggest weapons going into the future is going to be customer experience, and we're making the necessary investments behind the scenes to ensure we end head and shoulders above the rest," added Jacobs.

To hear more from Cheslyn jacobs about his appointment as TymeBank CEO, listen to the interview audio at the top of the article.