Standard Bank in partnership with ICBC Standard Bank and Microsoft is hosting it’s 10th Africa Investors Conference using the Microsoft enhanced teams platform.
BY TAFADZWA MHLANGA
The conference started on Monday and will run until tomorrow. The conference is aimed at connecting investors, African corporate clients and policymakers to connect with the world’s leading institutional investors.
“In line with current world trends, Stanbic Bank Zimbabwe’s parent company, Standard Bank Group has adopted a digital approach to enable African corporate clients and leading policymakers to connect virtually with some of the world’s leading institutional investors,” read the statement.
“In partnership with ICBC Standard Bank and Microsoft, Standard Bank is hosting its 10th Africa Investors Conference using a specially enhanced Microsoft Teams platform to host over 2 500 meetings over five days, doubling the number of meetings hosted in 2019. The virtual platform is enabling many more African corporates and investors to fully participate in the conference and policymaker sessions will be larger in reach.”
The number of investors registered for the conference has increased by 78% and African corporate participation increased by 17%.
The conference is being hosted against the backdrop of an uncertain environment as the COVID-19 pandemic and national lockdowns remain very much to the fore.
With the impact of the crisis in mind, participants will access significant opportunities to collaborate and exchange fresh ideas, helping to drive growth on the continent.
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While the COVID-19 pandemic is a major setback for the global economy, Standard Bank Group believes Africa’s long-term prospects remain positive and the opportunities for investors and businesses to promote the development of the continent while also generating healthy returns remain,” said the chief executive of Standard Bank’s international unit, Gert Vogel.
The Africa Investors Conference was first held in 2010 and for the past nine years has been hosted at Standard Bank’s offices in London.
Corporates from across the continent, representing a broad range of sectors, including financial services, healthcare, power, transport, mining, construction, chemicals, leisure, telecoms, food and retail, are represented. Government ministers, central bankers, investors and corporates from across numerous African countries are also involved.
This year’s event comes ahead of the highly anticipated launch of the African Continental Free-Trade Area (AfCFTA), which will boost intra-African trade and local economies. While the trading bloc’s implementation has been delayed due to COVID-19, its launch is expected to have a transformative impact on African economies.
