By Modupe Gbadeyanka
The former Chief Executive Officer of Nigeria’s foremost credit rating agency, Agusto & Co, Ms Vivien Shobo, has clinched the African Banker Icon Award 2020.
She received the honour at the 2020 African Banker Awards held in Ivory Coast at the just-concluded annual meetings of the African Development Bank (AfDB).
The recognition was for her outstanding work and exemplary career during her tenure at Agusto and helping to transform the debt capital market in Nigeria and beyond; which has facilitated multibillion naira transactions and enabled companies to grow and thrive.
In addition, the Award Committee acknowledged her part in contributing to the development of a world-class organisation that competes effectively with global competition.
According to the African Bankers Awards committee, “The impact of her work is beyond measure and we are proud to have an African Champion that has been able to play such an important role and compete with and out-do global competitors with larger resources.”
Agusto & Co recorded several milestones during Ms Shobo’s tenure, including rating the largest municipal bond programme and single largest tranche issuance, Lagos State government’s N500 billion bond programme and N87.5 billion bond issuance, rating Nigeria’s first 15-year corporate green bond, as well as issued first ratings to the first bond issued by a deposit money bank in Nigeria, the first bond issuance by an insurance company, and rating the first commercial paper issuance under the new guidelines of FMDQ.
She also led the firm’s African expansion initiatives by obtaining Credit Rating Agency licenses from the Capital Market Authorities of Kenya and Rwanda.
Commenting on the award, Ms Shobo remarked that recognition is an honour and source of encouragement to African women leaders in various sectors.
“Winning the African Banker Icon Award 2020 is truly an honour. I am particularly excited that our commitment and contributions to the development of debt capital markets over the years is being recognized and rewarded.
“I urge all women leaders especially those in the financial services to be inspired by this win as this is an award for all of us. I thank my colleagues at Agusto & Co for all their solidarity,” she said.
The African Bankers Award recognises personalities and banks that are driving Africa’s rapidly transforming financial sector and celebrates the achievements of those who are driving growth and development and creating new economic opportunities for citizens and communities all over the continent and inspire new generations of bankers who are shaping Africa’s future.
The African Banker Icon category is awarded to person for their helping transform the financial services sector but who is not necessarily within banking.
Previous winners include Dr Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, Adebayo Ogunlesi, one of Wall Street’s most eminent financiers, Tidjame Thiam and Eleni Gabre-Madhin, founder of the Ethiopian Commodities Exchange and many African luminaries
Adedapo Adesanya