Investment banking services provider Nedbank Capital is sponsoring the inaugural Mining Indaba Investors’ Discovery Forum, which will take place on January 30 and February 1 at the Westin Cape Town hotel. The forum aims to bring junior mining companies, investors and brokers together and will act as a precursor to the 2014 Investing in African Mining Indaba.

The company will also provide a networking lounge at the Mining Indaba, which will take place from February 3 to 6 at the Cape Town International Convention Centre, providing “a platform for industry stakeholders from across the globe and representing explorers, producers and capital providers as they converge to have strategic conversations about Africa and its unparalleled mining opportunities”, Nedbank Capital head of resources finance Peter van Kerckhoven tells Mining Weekly.

Nedbank Capital is one of the official sponsors of the Mining Indaba. Kerckhoven notes: “The company has been closely associated with the success of the event, with Nedbank Capital being a major sponsor for several years.

“We continue to support the event, not only as a sponsor but also through our large representation from across the Nedbank brand, including our alliance partner pan-African banking conglomerate Ecobank Transnational, which is the largest banking network in Africa, with more than 2 000 branches in 35 countries,” says Van Kerckhoven.

He notes the core reason behind Nedbank Capital’s involvement in the event is to foster and deepen relationships with the mining industry.

“Nedbank Capital is delighted that its South African and international mining franchise has grown in conjunction with the success of the Mining Indaba,” Van Kerckhoven says, adding that the conference offers networking opportunities and information regarding key trends within the various mining sectors, which drive business strategies and deals.

He highlights that the Mining Indaba brings like-minded industry stakeholders together, including stakeholders currently invested in African mining projects and those aiming to invest in future projects on the continent.

“The conference provides an excellent platform for these stakeholders to connect with one another and with government representatives from many African countries, facilitating ease of investment.

“As an investment bank, Nedbank Capital understands the critical role it plays as a financier for mining development, which requires ready access to equity and debt capital. It is rare for mines to be developed without access to third-party capital, which is where financial institutions, such as Nedbank Capital, have a pivotal role to play and, therefore, the company can be regarded as an enabler that assists in bringing successful projects to completion,” Van Kerckhoven concludes.