Moody’s Investor Services and Standard Bank host Business Engagement

NDN Staffer

WINDHOEK, 24 APR – Standard Bank Namibia and Moody’s Investor Services, held a business engagement for about 50 public and private sector clients in Windhoek recently.

Moody’s Investors Service, often referred to as Moody’s, is a leading provider of credit ratings, research and risk analysis. Representatives from Moody’s were in Windhoek to conduct a series of courtesy visits with its important stakeholders and establish a positive presence in Namibia.

In an environment where global capital markets depend more than ever on credit ratings, a Moody’s rating provides crucial benefits and valuable opportunities for both issuers and investors. Furthermore, investors rely on their expertise and global focus for ongoing monitoring, opinion updates and rating adjustments.

Speaking at the business engagement, Adri Spangenberg, Standard Bank’s Corporate and Investment Banking Head of Coverage stated that ‘’Standard Bank is centred on commercial mindedness and urgency. Our clients call us a partner for growth, and therefore we work to understand the needs of our clients and provide trusted advice and appropriate solutions that take into account the risks, regulatory environment and market realities where applied.’’

‘’Harnessing our skilled teams, capabilities and technology, we partner with our clients to move their businesses forward. Keeping in line with the philosophy of partnership, we therefore engaged with Moody’s, in providing our clients with information that is relevant and influential to our clients’ business. We felt it to be a matter of necessity that we understand the thinking and methodology of Moody’s Investor Services,’’ added Spangenberg.

Adri Spangenberg

To equip the clients with deeper insight into the rating agency’s mind-set, Titus Nampala, Vice President – Relationship Management for Moody’s Investor Services Africa, who has the responsibility of business development and key client relationship management across the African continent, provided an informative presentation with views on Moody’s presence in Africa, the role and relevance of credit rating agencies in the Namibian market, and the benefits of a Moody’s credit rating as well as opinions on maintaining an investment grade and the rating criteria.

Titus Ndove, Standard Bank’s Head of Public Sector and Market Intelligence mentioned that, ‘’we value and appreciate the role played by credit rating agencies in our economy. Namibia has a long standing relationship with Moody’s, dating back to almost 10 years ago. Moody’s currently rates the sovereign and its debt instruments. The credit rating by Moody’s enabled the sovereign to access the international capital markets in 2011 – debut Eurobond by the Republic, which Standard Bank Namibia was a joint lead arranger for that historical transaction’’.