Greg Blank: A man of humility and friend to many

Last week we lost our great friend Greg Blank. 

Greg lived a remarkable life. Not because it was perfect, but because it was deeply, unmistakably human. 

As a young man, he was one of South Africa’s finest tennis players, a Wimbledon-quality talent who rose to number two in the country during a golden era of South African tennis. 

He later became a hugely successful stockbroker during Johannesburg’s great financial years. 

But what always struck me most about Greg was not what he achieved, but how he carried himself through life. 

The Greg I knew wore humility naturally. No bravado. No self-importance. Just intelligence, warmth, humour, and enormous humanity. 

We used to have breakfast together often and every single time he saw me, he would greet me with a huge hug and those words in his unmistakable voice, “Hello Mikey. How are you, Mikey?” 

And then those famously piercing blue eyes would light up with curiosity, warmth, and genuine interest in life and in people. 

But above everything else in Greg’s life was his family. His beloved wife, Dawn. His son, Lex. His daughter, Ella. They were not simply part of his life. They were his entire world. You could feel it every time he spoke about them. The pride. The devotion. The love. 

And he was a deeply loyal friend. I was just one of his many friends, some far closer to him than I was. And yet he made you know how much he enjoyed spending time with you, and cherishing your company. 

One of the things I admired most about Greg was his refusal to become bitter. Even after enduring public disgrace, prison, a long cancer battle, and immense personal hardship, he somehow retained optimism, accountability, and grace. 

Many people speak about resilience. 

Greg lived it. 

Even in prison, his instinct was not only to survive, but to improve the lives of others around him, building recreation programmes, creating opportunities for inmates, restoring dignity where little existed. 

That tells you everything about the man. 

He once said, “In life you can’t trade backwards, you have to go forwards.” 

And he did. 

With courage. 

With honesty. 

And with humanity. 

Like many who loved Greg, I truly believed there would still be more time. His passing at just 67 feels unbearably young. But what remains is the memory of a truly good man. Loved by many. 

A man who acknowledged his faults. Who sought redemption and found redemption. Who tried not only to overcome his mistakes, but wherever he could, to make good. 

And he did. 

Rest peacefully, Greg. 

• Mike Abel is the founding partner and executive chairman of M&C Saatchi Abel and The Up&Up Group, South Africa.