> STANLIB:
African Ambitions Pan-African asset management firm STANLIB has been part of Africa’s emergence as a continent of opportunity. Its investment experts work across Africa, seeking out the best opportunities to best meet customer needs.
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TANLIB’s deep understanding of the complexity and nuances of operating in Africa has positioned it as the asset manager of choice for flows destined for Africa, under the guidance of Chief Executive Officer Seelan Gobalsamy. A Pan-African multi-specialist investment company, STANLIB manages funds of $39,5 billion for over 500,000 retail and institutional customers through its diverse investment capabilities, including active and passive portfolios, multi-manager, alternatives, and property. LEADING IN AFRICA The company has on-the-ground operations in ten African countries – Ghana, Kenya, Uganda, South Sudan, Tanzania, Botswana, Swaziland, Lesotho, Namibia, and South Africa. STANLIB is owned by Liberty Holdings Limited and a subsidiary of the Standard Bank Group, the largest banking group in Africa. “This opens doors to more than twenty of the most dynamic economies across the continent,” says Mr Gobalsamy. STANLIB was the first asset manager to set up shop in Uganda, and the first to list a real estate investment trust in East Africa when it listed the STANLIB Fahari I-REIT on the Nairobi Securities Exchange last year. “There are many opportunities in Africa. The continent is starting to grow meaningfully,” Mr Gobalsamy says, “but you have to take a long term view to achieve results.” Key to getting it right has been local knowledge. “People on the ground matter,” Mr Gobalsamy points out. “You can look at reports and research, but until you work in a country you don’t fully understand the market. I believe that being physically present in Africa is our competitive advantage to uncovering compelling investment opportunities in growth markets.” CEO: Seelan Gobalsamy
AFRICA IS 54 COUNTRIES Local knowledge tells you many things: for investors interested in the continent, one of the most important lessons to learn is that Africa comprises 54 individual countries with their own unique markets, opportunities, and challenges. 110
A recent report from McKinsey Global Institute confirms this. The Lions on the Move II report found “stark divergence” in African economies, with growth having slowed among oil exporters and North African countries, while the rest CFI.co | Capital Finance International
of Africa has posted accelerating growth at a healthy average of 4.4% from 2010 to 2015. Investing in Africa is not just a resource story: only 30% of revenues are earned by companies