Ansbacher Group, the UK merchant bank with a colourful past, has been put up for sale by its South African owner, FirstRand, at about £100 million. The bank became part of FirstRand five years ago as the result of a merger. It has been losing money and FirstRand has come under fire. Laurie Dippenaar, the chief executive of FirstRand, admitted Ansbacher was on the block, saying: 'We are evaluating a range of possibilities for the business, including finding a strategic partner who can facilitate and support Ansbacher's international expansion plans.'
