GEPF wins Initiative of the Year Award

The annual Africa Investor Index Series Awards, which took place at the New York Stock Exchange on 21 September, are designed to recognise Africa's best performing stock exchanges, listed companies, investment banks, research teams, regulators, socially responsible companies and fund managers.

This year the Government Employees Pension Fund (GEPF) walked off with the inaugural Africa investor African Pension Fund Initiative of the Year award.

Africa investor (Ai) introduced two new categories aimed at recognising the outstanding efforts by pension funds investing in Africa: the Africa investor African Pension Fund Initiative of the Year (won by GEPF), and the International Pension Fund Initiative of the Year (awarded to the United Nations Joint Staff Pension Fund).

Ripe for investment

GEPF principal executive officer John Oliphant said the Fund was proud to receive the recognition for its strategy on the African continent, pointing out that with over one billion people and a rapidly growing middle class, Africa was ripe for investment and presented exciting investment opportunities for investors looking for good returns.

"GEPF has backed its investment conviction with action and has allocated 5% of its R1.2 trillion worth of assets under management to be invested in the rest of the continent," he said. The Africa investor Index Series Awards ceremony coincided with the 6th annual Africa investor CEO Institutional Investment Summit held in association with NYSE Euronext.