Battle of the banks seeks to find the best young bankers in Africa
By Becky Atherstone
Senior Media Relations Professional
Cultivate Communications Consultancy.
As banks across Africa navigate a challenging economic climate and come to terms with an increasingly digitized continent and the immense opportunity this brings, there is an opportunity for bankers and banks to battle it out for top honours in the prestigious pan-African competition, Battle of the Banks Africa 2023.
The winning bank and its team of star bankers will be regarded as the best new talent on the continent in terms of business and financial performance, with a sharp understanding of risk management strategies and corporate governance.
In the first-of-its-kind in Africa, ICAP Training Solutions has partnered with global Capital Markets Professional Services firm Andile, to bring ProBanker’s Battle of the Banks simulation engine to market. Inviting Africa’s young bankers to enter. The Battle of the Banks Africa is a robust competition and training opportunity that will see entrants gain insight into how different areas of a bank interact to enhance overall business and financial performance. In addition to this, entrants will develop important skills and an understanding of how macroeconomic indicators impact the decision-making process at the highest levels of bank leadership
ICAP Training Solutions’ Chief Executive Officer, Yonatan Rom said the Battle of the Banks Africa provides a simulated environment where young bankers must think about what it takes to run an entire organisation and make strategic, corporate governance, risk, and financial decisions. “The stimulated banking market provides practical experience and learning in a hands-on manner,” he added.
The simulation provides bankers with skills that cannot be obtained anywhere else, other than through years of experience. Those banks who enter teams also benefit from the training as entrants can apply their learnings to their everyday roles and responsibilities back in the office.
Alongside the learning and upskilling the top performing teams progress to the final four ‘shoot-our’ on 22 November. Here teams will prepare a 4 quarter performance report which will be delivered via a 25-minute presentation on their simulated bank’s performance.
The ‘Battle’ is based on stock performance, net income, loan performance, Basel ratio, and capitalisation usage. Each of these areas is afforded its won weighting metric and has an overall weighting of 65%. Making up the other 35% is the conceptual learning (15%) and the simulated assignments (20%).
Managing Director at Andile, Pieter Kelbrick said their intention behind Battle of the Banks Africa is to drive practical experience, provide a unique learning simulation, develop skills and business acumen, give access to online training tools and webinars, and enable networking with other young bankers from across Africa. “The winners will emerge as the best young bankers in Africa,” he said.
To enter as a team, visit www.battleofthebanks.org and sign up before 15 September. Entrance cost is US$2 750 for a team of four. First prize winners will receive a prestigious floating trophy for the best performing young bankers on the continent, other prizes to be awarded are individual winner’s trophies, gold medals, and certificates as well as a USN$2 000 ICAP Academy coupon. There are also prizes for the second, third, and fourth winners. The Most Aggressive Bank, Most Cautious Bank and Best Bank presentation in the Grand Finale will also receive prizes.
