Ghana hosts Standard Bank’s trade, business conference
Standard Bank, which also trades as Stanbic Bank, has underscored the significance of West Africa as an investment destination and the need for business and government leaders across the continent to network and explore opportunities and partnerships for growth.
Advertisement
The Head of Commercial Banking at Standard Bank Rest of Africa, Dr Manessah Alagbaoso, said ahead of the Standard Bank West Africa Trans-regional Conference scheduled for Accra, that in spite of a slump in commodities, West Africa offered multiple avenues for investment and was home to three of the 10 fastest growing economies in Africa, according to the International Monetary Fund’s World Economic Outlook 2016.
“Africa is alive with many possibilities if we look beyond the short-term challenges and West Africa is definitely a region of focus. We are seeing good growth figures coming out of countries such as Côte d'Ivoire and Senegal,” Dr Alagbaoso said in a statement issued by Standard Bank which also announced an exciting line-up of speakers for the October 3-5, 2016 event.
Speakers
Trade and Industry Minister, Dr Ekwow Spio-Garbrah, who is one of Africa’s pre-eminent public servants and an authority on mass communication is among keynote speakers which also include Dr Wenbin Wang, chief executive officer (CEO) of the Industrial and Commercial Bank of China (ICBC) Africa and non-executive director of Standard Bank Group; and Mr Olusegun Awolowo, CEO of the Nigerian Export Promotion Council.
The Senior Country Partner and the Head of PricewaterhouseCoopers (PwC) Ghana, Mr Vish Ashiagbor, will present a synopsis on the regulatory, business and economic environment in the West Africa region, as the Chief Executive of Stanbic Bank Côte d'Ivoire, Mr Hervé Boyer, leads a discussion on the economy of Côte d'Ivoire, market opportunities and challenges faced by commercial businesses. The chief executives of Standard Bank’s operations in Nigeria, Ghana and Angola will lead similar discussions on their respective markets.
Delegates will also hear from the Nigerian jurist and academic, Dr Olajumoke Omoniyi Oduwole, Senior Special Assistant on Trade and Investment to the President of Nigeria as well as Ghanaian business entrepreneur, Mr Michael Adubofour, the Managing Director and the founder of Mike Adu Company Ltd.
The conferece
According to the bank, the West Africa conference is aimed at Standard Bank’s commercial banking clients from across sub-Saharan Africa who are interested in expanding their operations or partnering with businesses in the West Africa Region across a range of sectors such as retail, infrastructure, agriculture, construction, manufacturing and information technology.
It will draw delegates from Ghana, Nigeria, Angola, Côte d’Ivoire, China, South Africa as well as clients from southern and eastern Africa.
Other Trending Stories
“Our experience at Standard Bank shows there is a great deal of opportunity in many sectors and markets across the continent if businesses are encouraged to look beyond the short-term. Positive changes such as government policies to promote commercial businesses, regular and democratic elections, improved literacy rates and education and the most youthful population in the world have highlighted to us that with the right kind of support, advice and innovation, the growth position promises to be significantly enhanced in the years ahead,” Dr Alagbaoso stated.
The West African conference builds on the success of the inaugural summit held in Kenya in April 2016, where Standard Bank hosted clients from Tanzania, Uganda, Zambia, Malawi, South Africa, Kenya and participants were given an overview of East African economies and explored business opportunities and partnerships in the region.
Dr Alagbaoso says Standard Bank planned to ride on the momentum garnered from the East Africa dialogue to create more opportunities for businesses on the continent to meet network and eventually establish sustainable relationships.
“When we say Africa is our home and that we drive her growth, it is our responsibility to extend ourselves beyond just banking: we must add value by providing exposure, information and our expertise to our clients to foster an environment that facilitates their growth and success,” he says.