African Capital Markets Conference

Event Review

EMEA Finance hosted its inaugural African Capital Markets Conference in the Grand Connaught Rooms, London, on 7 December 2011, bringing together companies, financiers, investors and advisers to discuss the range of opportunities emerging as the debt and equity markets across Africa grow.

The one-day conference showcased the growing importance of Africa as a dealmaking destination, and highlighted the key companies and governments that have opened domestic and international markets for their peers.
   
Over the course of lively panel sessions, case studies and presentations, topics that were explored included the ambitions of African sovereigns in tapping international debt markets;  the growth of the continent’s equity markets; and the crucial significance of project finance in helping countries to meet their growing infrastructure needs.

More than 100 industry specialists and market leaders attended the event, taking advantage of the first-class networking opportunities available over the day.

The event enjoyed sponsorship from Standard Bank, Goldman Sachs, Allen & Overy and Bowman Gilfillan, as well as further support from the IPFA, Royal African Society, Business Council for Africa and United Nations Development Business.

The conference was followed by the annual EMEA Finance African Banking Awards, where representatives of banks and advisers from across the continent gathered to celebrate their successes during 2011.

Description

EMEA Finance (part of the Exporta Group) hosts its first high-level conference, focused on the debt and equity markets across Africa.

Even during the challenging market conditions of recent years, Africa’s growth story has opened exciting opportunities for corporates, financiers and intermediaries. New and established stock markets are attracting ambitious companies and eager investors. The syndicated loan market has been kept busy with an increasing need for infrastructure development in projects including power and transport. Sovereign and sub-sovereign issuances from across the continent have been welcomed as a “safe haven” by investors in the face of troubles in other regions.

This comprehensive one-day conference will showcase the growing importance of Africa’s capital markets, highlighting key companies, their groundbreaking deals and the banks and other advisers that have helped guide them to completion.

With a fast-paced format that will include detailed case studies and informed debate and discussion, this is a must-attend event for corporate executives, investment bankers and all dealmakers keen to capitalise on Africa’s undoubted promise in the coming years.

Among the issues to be discussed over the day’s proceedings:

• Improving access to African capital markets for investors
• Corporate opportunities: How to make the most of Africa’s new liquidity
• Assessing the appetite for sovereign debt in the current global climate
• Equity markets: Highlighting new and established exchanges
• The growth of Africa’s depositary receipt market
• Tracking the development of key markets such as Nigeria
• Satisfying the demand for corporate/sovereign loans and demand for syndications

Who should attend?

•Capital market banking heads
•CEOs, CFOs and other c-suite executives
•Multilateral and development finance institutions
•Stock market representatives
•Brokers and dealmakers
•Lawyers and legal advisors
•Capital market analysts and consultants

The event will be followed by the annual EMEA Finance African Banking Awards, enabling delegates attending both to continue their discussions long into the night and make full use of their time.

Event Photos

Brochure

Programme

08.00 Registration and refreshments

09.10 Chairman’s opening remarks: Assessing Africa’s capital markets
Florian Von Hartig, Global Head of Debt Capital Markets, Standard Bank
•Utilising sovereign bonds to plug holes in national budgets
•Considering the importance of keeping investors informed and updated to gain competitive advantage
•Contrasting government caution with investor desire to ‘cash in’ on low interest rates
•Assessing regional stock markets and opportunities for newcomers

09.40 Panel discussion: Improving access to international capital markets
Moderator: Tim Burke, Editor, EMEA Finance
China Danforth Onyemelukwe, Managing Director, Investment Banking Division, Goldman Sachs
Lionel Shawe, Partner, Bowman Gilfillan
Philip Kamau, Senior Director, Finance & Treasury, Afreximbank
Weyinmi Omamuli, Vice President, Senior Analyst, Sovereign Risk Group, Moody’s Investors Service
•Considering the explosion in investment capital flows to Africa and into African markets
•Assessing the current economic impact of global debt markets on Africa’s capital markets
•Examining approaches to developing funding markets
•Opening up new opportunities for the corporate sector: Where are the new deals coming from?

10.30 Networking break

11.20 The growth of Nigeria’s domestic markets
Kobby Bentsi-Enchill, Debt Capital Markets, Corporate Finance, Investment Banking, Stanbic IBTC Bank
Femi Adeyemo, Chief Financial Officer, Oando
Adesola Adeduntan, Director & Chief Financial Officer, Africa Finance Corporation
•Highlighting key developments such as the issuance of the country’s first Eurobond
•Increasing Nigeria’s visibility within international capital markets
•Building Nigerian national champions through the capital markets
•Providing a benchmark for investors to price risk accurately
•Regional currency and sub-sovereign borrowing

11.50 Panel discussion: What is the appetite for sovereign debt?
Moderator: Jan Randolph, Head of Sovereign Risk, IHS Global Insight
Paul-Harry Aithnard, Group Head, Research, Ecobank
Philip Smith, Partner, Allen & Overy
Peter Baillargeon, Head, International Debt Capital Markets Africa, Standard Bank
Stefan Nalletamby, Partnership Coordinator, Making Finance Work for Africa, African Development Bank (AfDB)
•Assessing the performance of African debt markets and identifying demand and supply factors
•Opportunities for issuers: Looking at the key benefits of issuing and how best to maximise gains
•Is the appetite for sovereign debt in Africa likely to go beyond its basic/minimum needs?
•Exploring attempts within African states to deepen local debt markets in line with regional objectives

12.50 Lunch (sponsored by Bowman)

14.00 African equity markets: Room for everyone?
Moderator: Simon Matthews, Head of Equity Capital Markets, Standard Bank
Simon Reid, Head of Institutional Trading, Imara Africa Securities
Ashley Elliot, Analyst, Africa, Global Risk Analysis, Control Risks
Jamie Allsopp, Fund Manager, Insparo Asset Management
•Trends in African equity markets: increased access to capital markets
•The growth of the domestic African stock exchange
•Why do mineral companies continue to list on international stock exchanges
•Investor trends across the region
•Elephant hunting: Large liquid transactions that will change the African capital markets landscape

14.40 Case study: Depositary receipt programmes
Mary Gormley, Managing Director & Regional Manager, Sub-Saharan Africa, Depositary Receipts, BNY Mellon
•Creating new opportunities for institutional investors
•Highlighting Zambia’s LuSE as the first stock exchange in Africa to list depository receipts
•Providing a mechanism for international companies to facilitate a local listing

15.20 Networking break

15.40 Panel discussion: Syndicated loans and the appetite for corporate finance
Moderator: Khurshid Fazel, Director, Banking & Finance, Bowman Gilfillan
Samuel Mugoya, Senior Manager, Special Funding Unit, Afreximbank
Jonathan Robinson, Managing Director, Project Finance, MENA, HSBC
Pamela Green, Director, Syndications, Standard Chartered Bank
Tim Scales, Partner, Allen & Overy
Karl Weinfurtner, Director, Africa, DEG
•Assessing appetite for loans within the corporate climate and demand for syndications
•Highlighting refinancing and restructuring risks for borrowers and impact on market appeal
•Considering the current lending demand for new and ongoing infrastructure and project finance
•Looking at the popularity of joint loan syndications between local and international banks

16.30 Chairman’s closing remarks followed by African Banking Awards

Venue

Sponsors

Sponsorship opportunities including exhibition stands are available for this event.

To become a sponsor, please contact Tom Whitehead, Head of Sponsorship Sales at twhitehead@exportagroup.com.

Exporta's events have a global reputation, renowned for superb networking opportunities and educational presentations by high-profile speakers.

Time after time our events attract the leading companies in our market as sponsors.

See below for a full list of our Event Sponsors, Institutional Partners and Media Partners and click on the logo to visit their web site. 

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