Nominees for the African Banker Awards 2008

7 October 2008
Content from a Premium Partner
African Development Bank (Abidjan)
press release

Tunis — The African Development Bank is delighted to announce its participation as a partner of the African Banker Awards 2008. This prestigious event will take place on 10 October 2008 at the Willard Intercontinental Hotel in Washington DC, during the World Bank/IMF annual meetings.

The African Banker Awards are designed to recognize the reforms, rapid modernization, consolidation, integration and expansion of African Banking.

This year, a total of 17 awards will be presented at the ceremony and gala dinner. The distinguished guests will include representatives of leading African Banks and financial institutions, international banks working with Africa, intergovernmental organizations and development agencies involved in the continent as well as Ministers of Finance, Governors of Central Banks and diplomats from across the continent.

The short listed companies and individuals for the African Banker Awards 2008 have been announced. The unique ceremony, organised in partnership with Business in Africa Events, will recognize and reward 17 categories of individuals, companies and institutions that have excelled in Africa's banking and financial sector over the last year.

This year, the number of entries received from various categories has more than doubled. The high participation of African banks emphasises their eagerness to showcase their achievements, record earnings, innovative practices and their commitment to social responsibility and gender equality.

The regional spread of participating companies is a lot wider this year. Nigerian and South African banks are once again well represented, but a growing number of banks from other countries, including, among others, Morocco, Egypt, Cameroon, Kenya, Mali, Mozambique and Mauritius, have all excelled allowing them to make the final shortlist.

Mahmoud Abdel Latif (Chairman / CEO, Bank of Alexandria), Erastus Akingbola (CEO, Intercontinental Bank), Mamadou Igor Diarra (CEO, Banque Internationale pour le Mali), Arnold Ekpe (CEO, Ecobank), Tony Elumelu (CEO, United Bank for Africa, UBA), Paul Fokam (President & Board Chairman, Afriland First Bank) and Aigboje Aig Imoukhuede (CEO, Access Bank are all up for the much prised African Banker of the Year category.

The other sought after award is African Bank of the Year. The nominees include Attijariwafa Bank, Banco Internacional de Moçambique (BIM), Intercontinental Bank, National Bank of Commerce (NBC), Oceanic Bank, Standard Bank and Zenith.

The event is supported by the African Development Bank (AfDB) which is deeply committed to building a strong and vibrant African banking industry, more particularly through its private sector arm. "Considering the challenges posed by the present environment", says Tim Turner, director of the private sector department at the AfDB, "African Banks appear on balance to be weathering the storm reasonably well. The encouraging reality of Africa on the ground includes positive growth trends, cessation of conflicts, strengthening of economic reforms, and more trade openness, all of which imply continued strong growth in demand for finance and financial services throughout much of the continent. We therefore look forward with a sense of optimism that African banks are ready and able to handle the challenge of financing Africa's sustained growth."

Stephen Hayes, President and CEO of the Corporate Council on Africa (CCA), strategic partners to the event, reiterated the importance of the banking sector in Africa. "Africa's emerging financial markets are more secure and dynamic. In today's global marketplace, the success of Africa's banking industry is pivotal to the success of the investment climate on the continent."

The winners will be announced during the Gala Dinner which will take place on 10 October at the Willard Intercontinental hotel, Washington DC, on the eve of the World Bank meetings.

Four awards, Lifetime Achievement, Finance Minister, Central Bank Governor and Banking Regulator of the Year have been chosen by the editorial committee of the African Banker Awards and will also be presented in the course of the evening.

Sponsors of this prestigious Awards Ceremony and Gala Dinner include the African Development Bank, Renaissance Group, Bank of Industry, Ecobank, 3i InfoTech and Virgin Nigeria.

Confirmed guests include a number of Finance Ministers, Central Bank Governors, Bank directors and CEOs as well as distinguished businessmen and personalities from across Africa, Asia, Europe and the USA.

A full list of nominees and more information on the criteria and panel of judges are available at: www.africanbankerawards.com.

For media enquiries, please contact:

Isabelle Dana

IC Publications, London

Tel: + 44 (0) 20 7841 3220

Email: i.dana@africasia.com

Read the original article on African Development Bank (AfDB).

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