Alan Pullinger, CEO of FirstRand, shares the message of realistic optimism he gave global investors

Investors in banking stocks ask first about the prospects of the country where the institution operates, then about the company itself. Having just arrived back home from a post-results roadshow to US and UK investors, FirstRand CEO Alan Pullinger has been thinking a lot about their questions around the likely future for the SA economy. His conclusions - positive results of economic reforms; optimism about the country's latent potential - may come as a surprise for many of his fellow citizens. Rational, insightful and balanced, Pullinger delivers hope without varnishing reality. He spoke to Alec Hogg at BizNews.