As part of its continued support of UNICEF, Access Bank Group, along with 5th Chukker, The Access Bank UK and Access Private Bank hosted the ‘Access Bank Polo Day’ at the Guards Polo Club, Windsor Saturday 15th July 2017.
The Access Bank Polo Day which is now in its 6th year supports UNICEF in its aim to combat orphaned and vulnerable children and internationally displaced persons in the north of Nigeria. The event was attended by over 600 esteemed guests who enjoyed a day filled with exhilarating polo tournaments between Fifth Chukker, Delaney, Keffi Ponies and Barbados Group. The tournament follows on from Access Bank/UNICEF Charity Shield Polo Tournament which is now in its tenth year.
At this year’s event Fifth Chukker went head to head with Delaney for The Access Bank Cup. Fifth Chukker won 8-6, the team was represented by Gaston Bardengo, Rodrigo Andrade, Juan Martin Nero and Adamu Mahmoud Atta. Juan Martin Nero received the Access Bank Best Playing Pony for Capricorna whom he had played in the third chukka and who is owned by the World’s Number One Player Adolfo Cambiaso. The Emir of Kano Cup was won by Keffi Ponies who played against Barbados Group. Keffi Ponies represented by Ahmed Wadada, Santiago Cernadas, Babangida Hassan and Diego White won 5-4.
The annual event which was again once a huge success is organised by The Access Bank UK who recently published its Reports and Accounts for the year ended December 31, 2016. The Bank has seen impressive growth with an increase in operating income of 27% to £25 million. The Bank’s profit before tax grew by 42% to £12.5 million, while its post-tax profit was up 43% to £9.9 million. Jamie Simmonds, CEO and Managing Director of The Access Bank UK commented that “2016 presented many challenges to our customers and their businesses. Notably, there remained a degree of trading instability across parts of Sub-Saharan Africa, uncertainties around Brexit and the unsteadying effects of elections in Europe and the USA. Reflecting this, we delivered a range of new corporate and personal products to meet our customers’ changing needs.
He added, “The reputation of The Access Bank UK in the international marketplace is now well established and continues to strengthen. We are accepted to hold a Bank of England reserve account and we have adequate resources, both financial and non-financial, to respond positively to the requirements of our growing and loyal customer base”.
Herbert Wigwe Access Bank Plc Group Managing Director and Chairman of The Access Bank UK Ltd praised the success of the UK operation by saying “2016 presented The Access Bank UK with many challenges. As such, it is a demonstration of the effectiveness of our business model and the support of our loyal and extremely capable team of employees that we achieved all our strategic targets for the year”.
“The Access Bank UK adds value to the Access Bank Group as a whole via its UK and Dubai operations and delivers tangible benefits to customers in the UK, Sub-Saharan Africa and MENA regions. After another year of impressive growth, the Bank is unquestionably starting to realise the potential we envisaged at its formation”.
