London Stock Exchange to boost African capital market

London Stock Exchange Group (LSEG) has finalized initiative to boost African capital market development.
 

The LSEG held the inaugural session of its new Africa Advisory Group which brought together African business leaders and senior representatives from pan-African economic bodies to discuss the challenges and opportunities presented by the development of Africa’s capital market infrastructure. 

Chief Executive Officer of London Stock Exchange Group, Xavier Rolet was joined by distinguished business leaders, policymakers and investors from across Africa. 

The group is expected to lead a number of initiatives to support capital markets development in Africa.
 

The advisory group members from Nigeria are Chinelo Anohu-Amazu, Director General, Nigeria Pension Commission, Chairman of Seplat Petroleum Development Company, ABC Orjiako, CEO Shoreline Group Kola Karim and Oscar Onyema, who is the President, African Securities Exchanges Association Investors.
 

Other Africa representatives are Naguib Sawiris, CEO, Orascom from Major Egyptian conglomerate, Brahim Benjelloun, General Manager, BMCE Morocco from One of Morocco’s largest banks, Ashish Thakkar, Founder & Chairman, Mara Group from Pan-African Business Services Company, Fatima Hara Acyl, Commissioner African Union, Richard Sezibera, Secretary General, East Africa Community, Ian Greenstreet, Founder & Chairman Infinity Capital Partners, Sev Vettivetpillai, Partner, Abraaj Group and Mutuma Marangu from private investor.

The group’s members will meet over a two -year period to develop a new leadership study which will deliver empirically grounded, actionable and Africa-specific policy recommendations.

CEO, LSEG Xavier Rolet said, “Africa represents the single largest growth opportunity in the world. To realise its staggering potential, African economies will need a sustainable and transparent funding mechanism to deliver growth finance to the thousands of ambitious, entrepreneur-led companies taking root across the continent. Only by harnessing an efficient capital markets infrastructure can this happen in a rapid yet controlled manner. We believe that the leading thinkers gathered in our new Advisory Group will be at the forefront of this evolution a project and a process that London Stock Exchange Group is fully committed to supporting’’.