Ecobank (www.ecobank.com), a leading Pan-African banking group, has launched Ecobank Capital, its new capital markets and investment banking arm. The launch came in September 2010, at a prestigious African investment conference in New York.
According to a press release, Ecobank Group CEO, Arnold Ekpe told representatives of the financial media and the investment community: “The launch of Ecobank Capital illustrates our commitment to providing our international customer base with the sophisticated, integrated financing solutions demanded by today’s fast-moving markets.”
“Our rapid expansion across Middle Africa has necessitated the restructuring of our trade, project and equity finance and syndicated lending businesses with a view to enhancing the delivery of our customer services across the Continent,” he added.
Offong Ambah, CEO of Ecobank Capital, commented: “By harnessing all of Ecobank’s considerable in-house knowledge and expertise in pan-African foreign exchange, equities, debt and commodities, we can provide our corporate, governmental and institutional clients with an integrated service from a uniquely local perspective.”
Ecobank says it has a dedicated team of more than 100 professionals located in key financial centres across Africa and internationally, Ecobank Capital provides the full range of financing solutions expected from an integrated investment bank, including trading in all of Middle Africa’s 16 exotic currencies, deal origination and execution, buy-side advisory services and market research to capitalize on pan-African investment opportunities.
The parent company Ecobank Transnational Incorporated (ETI) is incorporated in Lome, Togo. The regional banking group has a presence in 30 African countries, namely: Benin, Burkina Faso, Burundi, Cameroon, Cape Verde, Central African Republic, Chad, Congo (Brazzaville), Congo (Democratic Republic), Côte d’Ivoire, Gabon, Gambia, Ghana, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Kenya, Liberia, Malawi, Mali,
Niger, Nigeria, Rwanda, Sao Tome and Principe, Senegal, Sierra Leone, South Africa, Tanzania, Togo, Uganda and Zambia. The group also has representative offices in Beijing, Johannesburg, Dubai and Paris.
ETI is listed on the stock exchanges in Lagos, Accra and the BRVM, regional securities exchange of the West African Economic and Monetary Union (UEMOA). The Group is owned by more than 180,000 private and institutional shareholders in Africa and beyond and has over 11,000 employees from 29 different countries in over 700 branches. Ecobank is a full-service bank providing wholesale, retail, investment and transactional banking services and products to governments, financial institutions, multinationals, international organizations, medium, small and micro businesses and individuals.