In this exclusive interview, the Chairman of the Board of Directors of the International Investment Bank (iib), Sohail Sultan, talks about how the focus is to continue to grow the African franchise, because he believes that there are huge opportunities to build a regional financial institution focused on facilitating and financing regional trade. As for Cape Verde and operations in West Africa, the emphasis on the future will increasingly be to try to position the institution to capture, support and manage many of these regional financial transactional flows.
Expresso das Ilhas interviews Sohail Sultan – CEO iibGroup
14 October, 2023
Being the only finalist who has a physical presence in Cape Verde, do you consider this an advantage?
“It is clear that the fact that we are present in Cape Verde gives us an advantage. We know and understand the market, culture and people. We have been working closely with the Government and the Central Bank of the country and value the relationships we have built and cultivated over the years in Cape Verde. We have a good and solid track record in the market and all the main players know that we have acquired an institution that was ranked in the eighth position and that, under our leadership, is, today, the third most important bank in Cape Verde.”
What are the main challenges they anticipate in relation to this acquisition and how do you expect to overcome them?
“In any acquisition, one of the main challenges is the smooth transition of ownership. Having already gone through this process in Cape Verde, we are in a unique position to take on this challenge, while waiting for the unexpected and without complacency. As always, we are available to respond to any concerns that regulators may have because integrity and transparency are values that we do not give up throughout the process. The two most important components of this process are the people who work at the institution and the clients we will continue to serve.”
Jornal Económico interviews Sohail Sultan – Chairman iibGroup
