investment industry conventions by packaging South Africa with the rest of Africa for purposes of institutional securities trading.

The new one-stop African trading capability has been launched to offshore institutions by Simon Reid, Johannesburg-based head of institutional trading at Imara Africa Securities.

Imara is close to fund managers and large investors in London and New York and expects strong support. “Major international institutions diversified some time ago into African frontier markets,” said Reid, “but traditionally African markets are packaged ‘ex-South Africa’.

However, unlike most financial groups, Imara not only has a strong South African presence, but extensive on-the-ground representation across sub-Saharan Africa. “We can therefore offer a one-stop proposition that enables major institutions to trade in African securities through our desk whether the targeted markets are in Johannesburg, Harare, Nairobi, Lusaka, Gaborone or Mauritius. When the Angolan stock exchange opens in Luanda will be open there as well. “We’ve already spoken to leading international institutions and we’re confident the convenience of this approach is well appreciated and will be well supported.”  Simultaneously, Imara Africa Securities is marketing its Africa-wide trading service to local institutions to take advantage of an upsurge in institutional position-taking in African markets. “South African institutions are showing greater interest in sub-Saharan frontier markets,” noted Reid. “South African corporates have broad exposure across Africa, but major institutions have not followed suit; at least, not until now. “Imara’s research into African markets enjoys an international reputation. Our South African clients therefore have the reassurance provided by rigorous research backed by on-the-ground transactional support as we already deal broker to broker in many African markets. “These factors support the local trend toward increased institutional positiontaking in the rest of Africa. We therefore anticipate increased volumes from both local institutions and their offshore peers.”

The Botswana-registered Imara group has offices and partners in Blantyre, Dubai, Edinburgh, Gaborone, Harare, Johannesburg, Lagos, London, Luanda, Lusaka, Mauritius, Nairobi and Windhoek. Activities include asset management, financial planning, stockbroking and corporate advisory services.