afrol News, 25 October - Ecobank Transnational Plc and Cecilia Ibru, the Manging Director of Nigeria's Oceanic Bank, have won the Bank and Banker of the year 2007.

At a glittering ceremony graced by Africa's top bankers, finance ministers, governors of central banks and industry leaders at the Grand Hyatt in Washington DC, the London based African Banker, part of the IC Publications stable, organised the first-ever awards.

The 15 won awards include the Best Bank, Banker, Best Micro Bank, Best Gender Sensitive Bank.

The President of Morocco's BMCE Bank, Othman Benjelloun, won the Lifetime Achievement awards while UBA of Nigeria grabbed the Best Emerging Global Bank in Africa.

Professor Chukwuma Soludo, Governor of Central Bank of Nigeria who has overseen the most thoroughgoing reforms in the country's banking sector, won the Best Governor Award.

South Africa's Finance Minister, Dr Trevor Manuel, won the Best Finance Minister award.

The Publisher of African Banker, Afif Ben Yedder, said, “I am delighted to join tonight with such an esteemed group of business leaders as we celebrate each other’s success and honour the contributions of the nominees and winners to the financial sector."

I’m also delighted to have had three women honoured at this event: Cecilia Ibru, Oceanic Bank, Nigeria, Linah Mohohlo, Central Governor of Botswana and Evelyn Oputu, CEO of Bank of Industry.

“The suspense was almost unendurable. This award, from African Banker, means everything to me. It is wonderful to know that your hard work is appreciated. I will never forget this night and will always cherish this award,” an elated Cecilia Ibru said.

The Managing Director of Ecobank, Arnold Ekpe, collected the awards. Described as Africa's first truly multi-national bank, Ecobank now has subsidiaries in 19 countries and is technologically one of the most advanced banks in the emerging markets.

“This is a great night for all Ecobank staff,” Ekpe said. “It is a great night for African banking. This is just the beginning of a great leap forward for the continent’s financial sector.”

Afif Ben Yedder, the founder publisher of IC Publications which publishes African Banker and also African Business and New African, the continent’s foremost periodicals, said that when he started his company 45 years ago, there “was not a single indigenous bank on the continent. Your success here is the result of the pioneering work done by the generation before you. But you have succeeded beyond all expectations.”

Anver Versi, Editor of African Banker said Africa’s political heroes and heroines had been replaced by business champions. “This lays a heavy burden of expectation on your shoulders but we are confident your shoulders are broad enough to bear this weight and you will not let Africa down.”

The first African Business Awarads 2008, which is expected to honour the continent's top business people and companies, will be held in the Mozambican capital Maputo. The event will coincide with the next African Development Bank (ADB) annual meeting.

The sponsors of the awards included ADB, Afrexim Bank, Afrinvest, Bank of Industry, Standard Bank, Travelex, Virgin Nigeria, Financial Dynamics.

By staff writer

© afrol News

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