Africa's Top Bankers Honoured at a Star-studded Evening in Marrakech

 L-R: DR. Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, Coordinating Minister for the Economy and Minister of Finance; Mallam Sanusi Lamido Sanusi, Governor, Central Bank of Nigeria; Omar Ben Yedder Managing Director, IC Events; and Dr. (Mrs.) Sarah Alade, CBN Deputy Governor (Economic Policy) at the African Banker Awards 2013, on 29/05/13 at Taj Palace Marrakech, Morocco.



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Africa's Top Bankers Honoured at a Star-studded Evening in Marrakech During the African Development Bank Annual Meetings 
 
TUNIS-BELVEDERE, Tunisia, 3 June 2013 / PRNewswire Africa / - The President of the African Development Bank, Donald Kaberuka, received an exclusive prize given by Ozwald Boateng's Made in Africa Foundation at the biggest-ever African Banker Awards ceremony on May 29 during the Bank's Annual Meetings in Marrakech.

Kaberuka received the Made in Africa Foundation Special Recognition Award for his outstanding work and his efforts to prioritize infrastructure investment on the continent.

The Nigerian Guarantee Trust Bank scooped the African Bank of the Year Award, presented to them by Michael Miebach, President of MasterCard for the Middle East and Africa. Nizar Baraka of Morocco was declared Minister of Finance of the Year on home soil for his achievements in the past year including the US $1.5bn issuance and prudent economic reforms. Two bankers were recognised in the African Banker of the year category: Aigboje Aig-Imoukhuede, GMD and CEO of Access Bank, and Joao Figueiredo, Chairman and CEO of Banco Unico, received an award for Outstanding Performance and Bold Leadership. South Africa performed particularly strongly in the investment banking division with Rand Merchant Bank scooping Investment Bank of the Year and Standard Bank winning the fixed income and deal of the year categories. Nedbank received the Socially Responsible Bank of the Year Award.

Guests were treated to a star-studded cast of performances at the ceremony that took place during the African Development Bank Annual Meetings at the Taj Palace, Marrakech. Grammy Award-winner John Legend, Senegalese singer and politician Youssou N'Dour, Senegalese-American R&B and hip-hop recording artist Akon, and American MC and actor Mos Def wowed guests in between the awards presentations.

Michael Joseph, renowned for bringing the mobile banking innovation, M-Pesa, to international recognition and Jean-Louis Ekra, president of Afreximbank, were also amongst individual winners. They won respectively the African Banker Icon and Lifetime Achievement Award.

Commenting on the ceremony, Omar Ben Yedder, Publisher of African Banker said, “Once again it has been a night where some of the exemplary leaders we have on this continent have been rewarded for ground-breaking work. It should be noted that the work is far from finished and banks and policy-makers need to continue to work together to create the instruments to reach out to the real economy of people for whom many of the products and services are out of reach.”

The African Banker Awards are organised by African Banker magazine, IC Events and BusinessinAfrica Events. It is a landmark event that celebrates excellence and best practices in African banking and finance.
MasterCard is the Platinum sponsor for this year's African Banker Awards with the Made in Africa Foundation as the Supporting Partner. Other sponsors and partners include Banque Atlantique (Groupe Banque Centrale Populaire), Banco de Poupança e Crédito, Bank of Industry, Coris Bank, BGFI Bank, Ecobank Nedbank Alliance, FirstBank, La Congolaise de Banque and the Islamic Corporation for the Development of the Private Sector.

African Bank of the Year
Guaranty Trust Bank, Nigeria

African Banker of the Year
Aigboje Aig-Imoukhuede, GMD and Chief Executive, Access Bank 
Joao Figueiredo, CEO and Chairman, Unico Bank
(Award for outstanding performance and bold leadership)

Best Bank in North Africa
Attijariwafa Bank, Morocco

Best Bank in Southern Africa
Afrasia Bank, Mauritius

Best Bank in West Africa
FirstBank Nigeria

Best Bank in East Africa
Equity Bank, Kenya

Best Bank in Central Africa
BGFI, Gabon

Central Bank Governor of the Year
H.E. Sanusi Lanido Sanusi, Nigeria

Finance Minister of the Year
HE. Nizar Baraka, Morocco

Lifetime Achievement Award
Jean-Louis Ekra, President, Afreximbank

African Banker Icon
Michael Joseph, former CEO Safaricom and founder of M-Pesa

Investment Bank of the Year
Rand Merchant Bank, South Africa

Award for Innovation in Banking
Ecobank Transnational, Togo

Socially Responsible Bank of the Year
Nedbank, South Africa

Award for Financial Inclusion
Africa Guarantee Fund, Kenya

Fixed Income Deal of the Year
Ghana Seawater Desalination Project – Standard Bank, South Africa

Deal of the Year
Umeme IPO – cfc Stanbic (Kenya) and Fieldstone (South Africa)

Private Equity Fund of the Year
Citadel Capital, Egypt

Best Retail Bank in Africa
Groupe Banque Centrale Populaire, Morocco
Best Islamic Finance Initiative
Gulf African Bank, Kenya
       
Mortgage Bank of the Year
THUIF, South Africa

Brokerage House of the Year
African Alliance, Kenya

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