Africa investor concludes successful Summit at New York Stock Exchange
JOHANNESBURG, South-Africa, September 27, 2011/African Press Organization (APO)/ — Africa investor (Ai), a leading international investment research and communications group, today announced that the Africa investor CEO Institutional Investment Summit has once again proven itself to be the premier platform for bringing together African capital market leaders.
The Summit, which was held in association with NYSE Euronext at the New York Stock Exchange, attracted over 250 of the best of the continent’s business and government leaders, as well as high-level investors from the US and around the world. The Summit was opened by Duncan Niederauer, CEO of the New York Stock Exchange.
Private sectors leaders and the heads and CEOs of some of Africa’s most important and active stock exchanges and companies were also present to discuss regulation and investing in African capital markets, including Zin Bekkali, CEO of Silk Invest; Tshepo Mahloele; Dele Babade, Head of Ecobank Capital; Philisiwe Buthelezi, CEO of National Empowerment Fund, Ekow Afedzie, CEO of the Ghana Stock Exchange; and Sunil Benimadhu, CEO, Mauritius Stock Exchange and Chairman of the ASEA.
Other sessions highlighted the role of pension funds and fund managers in investing in Africa, as well as private equity, bond markets and IPO opportunities across the continent. CEOs then took centre stage as Africa’s banking community came under the spotlight to underline the opportunities that exist in Africa’s underbanked markets.
A highlight of the Summit was the African Heads of State Lunch, which launched the Africa investor Advisory Council. It was attended by dignitaries such as General Olesegun Obasanjo, former President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, and the Vice President of Gambia, H.E. Isatou Njie-Saidy, Georg Kell, Executive Director, Global Compact, Ambassador Diarra, UN Office of the Special Adviser for Africa. The keynote was delivered by H.E. Dr Jean Ping, Chairperson of the African Union Commission.
He stressed that “poverty alleviation will remain a distant dream unless the private sector takes its rightful role as the engine of growth.”
Commenting on the successful outcomes of the Summit, Hubert Danso, Vice Chairman and Managing Director of Africa investor, said, “We are delighted with the commitment and calibre of the investment and government leaders here today, and their commitment to the launching of the Africa investor Advisory Council for investment leaders to engage African Heads of State, which is testament to our ability to respond to calls from the United Nations and African Union for a partnership with Africa investor to convene investment leaders to advise African Heads of State on increasing investment flows to the continent.”
Chairperson Ping emphasized; “I see the launching of the Africa Investor Advisory Council as one major way through which the African Union will continue its engagement with the African private sector in order to realize our objective of creating a vibrant private sector on the continent. I wish the Africa Investor Advisory Council success in its endeavors.”
Africa investor also led capital market leaders for the closing bell at the New York Stock Exchange, which was broadcast to approximately 150 million viewers worldwide. The Summit also saw the pre-IPO of the World Trade Centers Africa, by Julius Steyn, CEO World Trade Center for the African Trade Centres Company. The company plans to list on the Mauritius Stock Exchange later this year.
The evening also saw Africa investor host its annual Index Series Awards. Award winners included some of Africa’s leading stock markets, regulators, listed companies, fund managers, stockbrokers and analysts, who can now count the prestigious Africa investor Index Series Award among their many achievements.
Summit partners and sponsors include: Ecobank; National Empowerment Fund; the Securities and Exchanges Commission of Nigeria; World Trade Centre; Thomson Reuters; Preqin; CGECI, Initiative for Global Development;Private Investors for Africa; EMPEA; Africa Progress Panel; United Nations Office on the Special Advisor for Africa; AfricaSIF; United Nations Office for Partnerships; Global Partnerships Forum; The Global Compact; ASEA; UN Principles for Responsible Investment; PAEC; Bunengi Group, Broadstreet Lagos; TradeInvest Africa; Afrique Expansion and EPFR Global.
SOURCE
African Union Commission (AUC)
