Biz-Community (Cape Town)
The African Banker Awards has released the shortlist of nominees for the 2012 competition. The winners will be announced at an awards ceremony on 30 May 2012, which makes its debut in Africa. This year’s event coincides with the annual African Development Bank (AfDB) meetings in Arusha, Tanzania
The competition
With a record number of entries received for this year’s competition the Bank of the Year and Banker of the Year categories both have seven nominees competing for a trophy.
Anglophone and Francophone Africa are near evenly matched in the Banker of the Year category where the shortlisted candidates are: Aigboje Aig-Imoukhuede, managing director of Access Bank, Nigeria; Amadou Kane, president directeur general, Banque Internationale pour le Commerce et l’Industrie du Sénégal (BICIS), Senegal; Bisi Onasanya, group managing director and CEO of FirstBank of Nigeria; James Benoit, CEO and executive director of AfrAsia Bank, Mauritius; Olusegun Agbaje, managing director of Guaranty Trust Bank, Nigeria; Othman Benjelloun, chairman and CEO of BMCE Bank Group, Morocco; and Pa Macoumba M. Njie, managing director of Trust Bank, The Gambia.
Nigeria and South Africa compete neck and neck in the highly anticipated Bank of the Year category with Access Bank, FirstBank of Nigeria, Standard Bank Group, and Standard Chartered in the running; however they face stiff competition from heavyweights Equity Bank, Kenya; Attijariwafa Bank, Morocco; and Ecobank (ETI), Togo.
However, it is East Africa that dominates the Financial Inclusion category with the line-up comprising Banque Rwandaise de Développement (BRD), Rwanda; BRAC Tanzania; Equity Bank, Kenya; Banque Populaire, Morocco; and Trust Merchant Bank SARL, DR Congo.
The Best Retail Bank category makes its debut this year with the first-time nominee Coris Bank International, Burkina Faso going up against the previously shortlisted candidates Diamond Bank, Nigeria, Millennium BIM, Mozambique, Banque Populaire, Morocco, and the National Bank of Egypt. Nominees
African Bank of the Year
Access Bank, Nigeria
Attijariwafa Bank, Morocco
Ecobank (ETI), Togo
Equity Bank, Kenya
FirstBank of Nigeria
Standard Bank Group, South Africa
Standard Chartered Bank, South Africa
African Banker of the Year
Aigboje Aig-Imoukhuede, managing director, Access Bank, Nigeria Amadou Kane, président directeur Général, Banque Internationale pour le Commerce et l’Industrie du Sénégal (BICIS), Senegal
Bisi Onasanya, group managing director & CEO, FirstBank of Nigeria James Benoit, CEO and executive director, AfrAsia Bank, Mauritius Olusegun Agbaje, managing director, Guaranty Trust Bank, Nigeria Othman Benjelloun, chairman and CEO, BMCE Bank Group, Morocco Pa Macoumba M. Njie, managing director, Trust Bank, The Gambia Investment Bank of the Year
Citi Bank
J.P. Morgan
Renaissance Capital
Standard Bank Group/Stanbic Bank
Standard Chartered Bank
Award for Innovation in Banking
Access Bank, Nigeria
Equity Bank, Kenya
FirstBank of Nigeria
Money Express, Senegal
Stanbic Bank, Uganda
Socially Responsible Bank of the Year
BMCE Bank Group, Morocco
Equity Bank, Kenya
Guaranty Trust Bank, Nigeria
Millennium BIM, Mozambique
Nedbank Group, South Africa
Award for Financial Inclusion
Banque Rwandaise de Développement (BRD), Rwanda
BRAC Tanzania
Equity Bank, Kenya
Banque Populaire, Morocco
Trust Merchant Bank SARL, DR Congo
Deal of the Year
Acquisition of Oceanic Bank – Ecobank (ETI)
Acquisitions of stakes in Pepkor and Premier – Rand Merchant Bank Jinchuan’s Acquisition of Metorex – Standard Bank Group
Rift Valley Railways – Citadel Capital
Syndicated Oil-Export Backed Facility “SEPLAT” – AFREXIM
Bond Deal of the Year
AFREXIM Bank Bond – Commerzbank
Eskom Bond – JP Morgan
Republic of Namibia: Debut Sovereign Eurobond – Standard Bank Group / Absa Capital
Republic of Senegal: Sovereign Bond Issue – Standard Chartered Bank Sea Trucks Group, pre IPO Convertible Bond – Absa Capital
Investment Fund/Private Equity Fund of the Year
African Development Corporation
Citadel Capital, Egypt
Emerging Capital Partners (ECP)
Standard Chartered Bank – Private Equity
Silk Invest
Best Retail Bank in Africa
Coris Bank International, Burkina Faso
Diamond Bank, Nigeria
Millennium BIM, Mozambique
Banque Populaire, Morocco
National Bank of Egypt
Commenting on this year’s entries Omar Ben Yedder, publisher of African Banker magazine, said, “We are excited to recognise and celebrate these African champions in Arusha during the AfDB annual meetings. The entries have become stronger year on year, and the committee is impressed by the role financial institutions are playing in driving growth, especially the increasing number of big ticket deals and also smaller ones, creating a blueprint for others to replicate.”
The awards, organised by African Banker magazine, IC Events and BusinessinAfrica Events, brings together over 300 key industry players and top government officials from Africa and around the world to celebrate excellence and best practices in African banking and finance. An independent panel of judges, known and respected for their expertise on the African banking and finance industry, will decide the final winners of each category.
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