Only Barclays has a significant market share in Africa by total assets, and most of that is accounted for by a single subsidiary. Other European banks still have an insignificant presence in one of the fastest-growing banking markets.
Latest articles from Philip Alexander
US tightens leash on foreign banks
January 28, 2013The desire of the US Federal Reserve to create more uniform supervision of foreign bank subsidiaries is understandable, but its proposals risk cutting across international efforts at regulatory coordination.
Boom time for Russia’s consumer lenders
January 14, 2013Banks specialising in consumer lending are earning impressive returns in Russia, but state and foreign-owned players still dominate the banking sector as a whole.
Rebuilding the Greek banking scene
January 3, 2013A series of mergers will change the shape of the Greek banking sector, with three dominant players pulling away from the pack.
Global banks wait for regulatory stars to align
January 2, 2013Banks that operate across borders must tackle differences between jurisdictions in a context where most regulators are intensifying the scrutiny of both balance sheet and strategy.
Citi’s EMEA chiefs confident of maintaining momentum
January 2, 2013Citi’s co-heads of banking in Europe, the Middle East and Africa explain how the depth of post-crisis transformation carried out under outgoing CEO Vikram Pandit has left the business in a strong position in the regions.
Global banking five years from now
January 2, 2013Cross-border universal banks will have to decide not only which countries and product segments to operate in, but also how to build the management structures to deliver the best return on capital under increased regulatory constraints.
Dodd-Frank puts swap execution facilities in the firing line
January 2, 2013Swap execution facilities are supposed to be central to the efforts of the Dodd-Frank Act to make the derivatives industry safer, but delayed rule-making has thrown their very existence into doubt.
African banks top trading revenues
December 3, 2012Trading revenues at African banks outstrip the rest of the world as a proportion of total income, but North America remains the leader in fee and commission income.
UniCredit makes early move in investment banking rethink
December 3, 2012A strategic alliance in equities with a brokerage firm and the massive strengthening of the balance sheet have helped put UniCredit's corporate and investment bank ahead of the pack, according to deputy chief executive Olivier Khayat.