226 Companies From 35 Countries Gather For A Virtual Investors’ Conference

EFG Hermes Holding’s Investment Bank, the leading investment bank franchise in Frontier Emerging Markets (FEMs), kicked off its 5^th Virtual Investor Conference: “Change and Opportunity in FEM”.

The conference, which runs from 28 February – 8 March 2022 on a digital platform operated by the Firm, will allow executives from 226 companies representing 35 countries, as well as over 750 investors representing 277 financial institutions to share insights on the year ahead for FEMs.

Karim Awad, Group Chief Executive Officer of EFG Hermes Holding, said, “With another challenging year behind us, investors are weighing the risk and opportunities FEMs offer in light of global developments. Looking at uncertainty posed by the pandemic as well as global economic headwinds, FEMs — and MENA markets in particular — are expected to register growth in the year ahead.

At the 5^th Virtual Investor Conference, we expect to provide a unique platform for firsthand insights on both local opportunities and global shifts to help investors unlock new value across their portfolios. Our Investment Bank arm has shown over the years its commitment to acting as an investment catalyst for sustainable growth across FEM equities, and we have plans to continue doing so.”

The 5^th EFG Hermes Virtual Investor Conference capitalizes on the success of its four previous iterations and a legacy of industry-shaping investor conferences focused on both MENA markets and FEMs. The Firm moved its flagship One-on-One Conference to a virtual platform in light of the COVID-19 pandemic. The 4^th Virtual Investor Conference facilitated more than 14,800 meetings between international investors and senior management from 215 representing 35 countries, with 720 institutional investors representing 260 financial institutions.

Mohamed Ebeid, Co-CEO of the Investment Bank at EFG Hermes, said, “While the International Monetary Fund (IMF) downgraded its projection for global growth in 2022, MENA markets are set for a 4.3% hike. Yet with US monetary tightening comes pressure on local currencies as well as higher debt costs, but with better policy frameworks, higher forex reserves, and deepening financial markets, we still believe FEMs are better positioned today to weather what appears to be the end of quantitative easing.

Looking closer, we can see that emerging markets are running on a current account surplus, with many holding substantial foreign currency reserves and having invested heavily in deepening their capital markets. This is not only expected to cushion them against swings in exchange rates but should provide investors with the confidence to invest in the region.”

This edition of the conference will be the largest iteration of EFG Hermes’ Virtual Investor Conferences to date, with the Firm playing host to one of the most diverse groups of investors and executives from across the FEM space coming together to carve out what lies ahead for some of the most compelling markets.