CaixaBank has been awarded the “Africanity Trophy” for its efforts to support business, drive economic development and generate wealth in Africa.
The panel of judges, which met at the Palais Namaskar in Marrakech at an event organised by the MBK Media group in partnership with FIJET Morocco (International Federation of Tourism Journalists and Writers), particularly praised CaixaBank’s contributions to Moroccan economic progress via the “Le Cercle” initiative, a regular series of business debates that the bank runs in Casablanca.
The so-called “Africanity Trophies”, this year in their seventh edition, are intended to recognise the excellence and leadership of organisations and individuals that make standout efforts to improve economic, social and human conditions in Africa.
A number of leading figures from North and sub-Saharan Africa attended the awards ceremony, including Malian minister Oumar Ibrahim Touré. The event also featured the official unveiling of the new Livre de Prestige, dedicated to the Marrakech-Safi region.
The success of “Le Cercle”
CaixaBank, presided over by Chairman Jordi Gual and CEO Gonzalo Gortázar, organises its regular series of “Le Cercle” debates to discuss issues of common interest to both Spain and Morocco, while providing a platform to build ties between businesses in the two countries.
Set up in 2017, the initiative has provided a framework for debates on topics such as the rise of start-ups, growing investment in the agri-food industry, and specialised financing for businesses in Morocco.
The majority of these events are held in Casablanca, attended by business leaders and politicians, prominent specialists in the themes discussed, institutional representatives and international trade and investment operators. CaixaBank has created a specific space for the “Le Cercle” debates, furnished with all the technical equipment that such meetings require.
These events reinforce CaixaBank’s position as a leading consultant and driver of projects, while also supporting mutual investments between Spain and Morocco. Via its Moroccan subsidiary, with branches in Casablanca, Tangier and Agadir, the bank provides services and financing chiefly to Spanish businesses, but also to major international and Moroccan companies via a wide range of solutions and services for foreign trade operations.
CaixaBank has secured a significant market share among Spanish businesses operating in Morocco and is the leading issuer of deposits originating in Spain. Likewise, it provides support to businesses interested in exploring the markets of North and sub-Saharan Africa.
About CaixaBank
CaixaBank is the leading retail bank in Spain, standing as the primary bank for 26.7% of the retail customer market. The bank, presided over by Chairman Jordi Gual and CEO Gonzalo Gortázar, serves close to 16 million customers in the Iberian market and operates 5,379 branches, the largest branch network in the Iberian Peninsula.
CaixaBank currently has an international network comprised of 26 operating branches and representative offices in 18 countries. CaixaBank harnesses these branches to provide consultancy, financing and banking services to Spanish businesses operating in the country. It also offers services and financing to local businesses that have trade relations with Spain and other countries where it has branches.
The bank was named “Best Bank in Spain in 2017” by Britain’s Euromoney magazine and New York-based publication Global Finance. In 2018 Euromoney also honoured CaixaBank as the best private banking operator in Spain for the fourth consecutive year.
CaixaBank has also been acclaimed as one of the most sustainable banks in the world, according to the Dow Jones Sustainability Index.
