Nqobile Bhebhe, Zimpapers Business Hub
FINANCIAL markets leaders, regulators, investment professionals and institutional investors have converged in Bulawayo for the inaugural Financial Markets Stakeholder Summit, which seeks to strengthen Zimbabwe’s capital markets and unlock new investment opportunities.
The two-day summit, which began on Tuesday and ends on Wednesday, is being hosted by the Zimbabwe Stock Exchange (ZSE) and Victoria Falls Stock Exchange (VFEX) under the theme, “Shaping the Future of Zimbabwe’s Financial Markets: Connecting Capital, Innovation and Opportunity”.
The programme brings together prominent local and regional voices to examine how Zimbabwe can mobilise domestic and international capital, strengthen investor confidence and develop deeper, more dynamic financial markets.
According to the programme, Holdings Group chief executive Justin Bgoni will provide a market overview, while Ewart Salins, director of the Kenya Association of Stockbrokers and Investment Banks, will deliver a keynote address on global investment trends, emerging opportunities and the future of financial markets.
Other key speakers include Securities and Exchange Commission of Zimbabwe acting chief executive Tichaona Mushambadope, who will discuss regulation, investor protection and market integrity, and Victoria Falls International Financial Centre chief legal officer Meluleki Sibanda, who will explore positioning Zimbabwe as a regional financial centre.
Discussions will also feature representatives from the Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe, Insurance and Pensions Commission and Zimbabwe Investment and Development Agency, focusing on creating an enabling environment for investment.
On Wednesday, Ashburton Investments South Africa’s Jarred Sullivan will examine changing global investment dynamics, while Padenga Holdings’ Wilton Mukono will share an issuer’s perspective on market expectations.
Other focus areas include technology, tokenisation, environmental, social and governance (ESG) considerations, market infrastructure and investor expectations.
The summit is targeting stockbrokers, asset managers, investment advisers, regulators, listed companies, pension funds, custodians, investors, accountants, lawyers and capital markets enthusiasts.
Capital markets are important channels for mobilising savings and directing resources towards productive investment.
Deeper and more diversified markets can provide businesses with alternative funding avenues beyond traditional bank lending, enabling them to raise capital for expansion, infrastructure development, technology upgrades and increased production.
A stronger investment market can also attract institutional savings, broaden investor participation and expand access to financial instruments across different sectors of the economy.
The ZSE and VFEX play complementary roles in this process, providing platforms through which companies can raise capital and investors can access listed securities.
The VFEX offers a foreign-currency-denominated investment platform, while the ZSE remains an established avenue for equity and other capital market investments.
