Africa’s largest bank brings high-profile investment conference to Dubai

The Standard Bank of South Africa, DIFC Branch, has announced plans to host a one-day Africa Investors’ Conference in Dubai, in partnership with the Dubai Chamber of Commerce and Industry, during the 4th Global Business Forum on Africa on 1st and 2nd November.

The highly-anticipated conference, which will be held at Dubai’s Madinat Jumeirah, will bring together African corporate leaders and international investors and outline huge potential for investment in Africa, with a focus on finding key opportunities for economic growth across various sectors and industries on the continent.

With attendees from numerous African countries, including Ethiopia, Ghana, Kenya, Malawi, Nigeria, South Africa and Tanzania, the conference format consists of one-on-one and group business meetings that allow attendees to network and discuss investment opportunities in Africa.

Held under the patronage of His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President, Prime Minister and Ruler of Dubai, the forum, under the theme, "Next Generation Africa", will examine the current economic outlook for the continent, exploring its prospects for development, investment opportunities and partnerships with GCC countries.

Hamad Buamim, President and CEO of Dubai Chamber, explained that the Global Business Forum on Africa offers extensive economic insights into the current and future prospects for investment in Africa, adding that the forum is an ideal setting to host the Africa Investors’ Conference.

"Dubai has become a strategic trade and investment hub for a growing number of African businesses that have benefitted by using the emirate's strategic location to expand their footprint in the region. At the same time, the appeal of African markets to GCC companies and investors has steadily increased, as it can be seen in the growing participation in the Global Business Forum on Africa in recent years," Buamim said.

A number of institutional investors are expected to attend the conference, alongside corporate leaders from a broad range of sectors, including financial services, industry, consumer, telecommunication and media, oil and gas, and power and infrastructure.

"The policy, infrastructure and opportunity landscape across Sub-Saharan Africa present powerful growth and investment opportunities, and we have seen a significant and consistent increase in the number of Middle Eastern clients looking to break into the region," said Rassem Zok, Chief Executive at The Standard Bank of South Africa in Dubai.

"Standard Bank will continue to link international capital to African opportunity through its well-established presence in Dubai’s highly networked and globally connected capital and innovation hub," he added.

The Dubai Chamber is set to welcome five African heads of state, 12 ministers and more than 1,000 top-level government and corporate decision makers and industry experts for the forum.