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African Banker, the leading magazine dedicated to banking and finance in Africa, announced today the shortlist for its annual African Banker Awards to be held on the 6th October 2009 at the Four Seasons Hotel during the World Bank/IMF annual meetings in Istanbul, Turkey.

Supported by the African Development Bank the African Banker Awards recognise and reward individuals, companies and institutions which have excelled in Africa’s banking and financial sector over the last year. Twice as many entries have been received compared to previous years making this year’s African Banker Awards a fiercely contested competition.

Nominees

To see the full shortlist of nominees and categories please click here.

Arab African International Bank (Egypt); Banco Angolano de Investimentos (Angola); Banque Marocaine du Commerce Extérieur (Morocco); Ecobank Group (Togo); First Bank of Nigeria and United Bank for Africa (Nigeria) are all up for the much prized category African Bank of the Year.

The other sought after award is African Banker of the Year. The nominees include Tayo Aderinokun, (MD/CEO, GTB Nigeria), Aigboje Aig-Imoukhuede, )CEO/MD, Access Bank, Nigeria); Bashir Awale (MD, Stanbic Bank, Tanzania); James Mwangi (CEO, Equity Bank, Kenya); Martin Oduor-Otieno (Group CEO, Kenya Commercial Bank).

Five of our awards, Lifetime Achievement Award, Finance Minister of the Year, Central Bank Governor of the Year, Best Development Bank in Africa and Best Global Bank in Africa will be chosen by the editorial committee of the African Banker Awards. All awards will be presented during the Gala Diner.

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

Commenting on the nominations, Anver Versi, Editor of African Banker magazine said “The volume of submissions demonstrates how seriously banks are going about their business, not only in terms of expansion but also CSR activities, capacity building, recruitment and bringing world class practices to their industry. Banks are playing a critical role in raising expectations of what businesses can and should be achieving in Africa.”

Afif Ben Yedder, Publisher of the African Banker magazine underlined the importance of recognising excellence in African banking and finance: “The African Banker Awards have now become a major event during the World Bank/IMF annual meetings. It is a great occasion to celebrate the successes of African bankers and achievements of the financial institutions of the continent.” On the nominees he commented: “They are among the best African bankers and banks in the continent. They include all the major players in the financial sector as well as the ministers of Finance and Central Bank Governors.

About the organisers

The African Banker Awards are organised by African Banker magazine and IC Events in partnership with BusinessinAfrica Events UK Ltd. The event is supported by the African Development Bank.

African Banker Magazine

African Banker is the only pan-African magazine dedicated to banking in the Continent. Launched in 2007, African Banker reflects Africa’s rapidly growing finance and banking sectors.African Banker informs you about the people and institutions who pull the strings of Africa’s banking and finance industries. In line with its commitment to banking in Africa, African Banker organises the African Banker Awards to reward the people and financial institutions that are making a big impact on improving the banking industry in Africa.

IC Events

Together with its dedicated team of specialists and extensive network of contacts, IC Events tailors innovative events responding to the most pressing issues in Africa and the Middle East. Our events are 100% results-driven, bringing together the main stakeholders and partners involved in the topics tackled to achieve concrete action plans. Our events represent a platform to inform, engage, explore and develop. We organise Awards to celebrate excellence across a variety of sectors by rewarding the social, financial, business and political leaders who have contributed most to their field. We organise the African Banker Awards to recognise the rapid growth of Africa’s banking and finance sector.

Supported by

The African Development Bank Group

The African Development Bank (AFDB) is Africa’s premier development finance institution dedicated to combating poverty and improving living conditions across the continent. The AfDB is also engaged in mobilizing resources for the economic and social progress of its Regional Member Countries (RMCs). The Bank’s mission is to promote economic and social development through loans, equity investments and technical assistance. The AfDB finances projects in infrastructure, agriculture, health, education, public utilities, transport, telecommunications, industry and the private sector.

In Partnership with

BusinessinAfrica Events UK Ltd

BusinessinAfrica Events is a leading UK based business communication company specialising in live events, public relations, media relations and reputation management for corporate clients, regulatory agencies and governments with a focus on Africa. BiAE provides an interface between Africa and the rest of the world. It offers precise planning, strict budgetary control, excellent logistical preparation, attention to detail, unrivalled regional network of contacts and a top quality database, extensive industry experience, good information flow and the best on-site management.