Asset management and equity firm Databank held its annual thanksgiving service at the Asbury Dunwell Church in Accra on Thursday, 12th December. The focus of the service was to thank clients, business partners, friends and family for their support during 2014, as well as to raise funds to support the Children’s ward of the Accra Psychiatric Hospital.
Springboard executive and minister of the gospel, Rev. Albert Ocran in his message challenged congregants to aspire to greater heights and not feel inferior as there is greatness in everyone.
He urged sheep in the Lord’s garden to be guarded lest the greatest opportunities pass them by. He gave an illustration of a man who had been provided with a bow and arrow to kill a bird. However, each time a bird came into view, the man only stood and watched when the bird flew by. He said 2015 is the year where those who trust in the lord must seize every opportunity and act on their hopes, especially after the prayers and fasting.
Databank Group CEO, Kojo Addae-Mensah, who took over the mantle of leadership in May from Keli Gadzekpo explained he was deeply humbled when the pair of Ken Ofori-Atta and Keli Gadzepko appointed him as the new CEO. He noted that the legacy bequeathed to him was huge, but was grateful that with the support of the team he has been able to restructure operations of the company.
He said in the last 7 months, the bank has continued to achieve a number of firsts: the launch of Edifund, Ghana’s only two-tier mutual fund – bringing the total funds being managed to 5 – and the pioneering of the first cedi bond in the country to huge acclaim.
“We also won the Balanced Fund of the year 2013 gold winner award, Broker-Dealer of the year 2013 gold winner award and Investment Advisor of the year 2013 silver award in addition to other awards given the bank,” Mr. Addae-Mensah stated.
“The vision of Databank is to be the dominant financial firm in Ghana and Africa. Even as we mark our 25th anniversary in 2015, bear in mind that the drive is to touch every Ghanaian with a databank product whiles making our products easily available,” he added.
Group Chief Marketing Officer of Databank Group for her part expressed joy at the progress of the company intimating that, despite the challenges, the bank remains a leader in many fields.
On why the bank has limited branches, Madam Gillian Hammah noted that the cost of opening new branches across the country was on the high side, but assured that in 2015 Databank will be partnering with additional commercial banks such that clients can also go into these banks to open Databank investment accounts.
“Databank is an investment bank not a commercial one, so our first goal is managing investments. Our investment expertise is second-to-none. For example, Epack has returned over 36% so far this year, while the Ghana Stock Exchange has returned less 6%. That is the power of having a Fund manager investing money on your behalf,” she added.
Databank is a proud Ghanaian multi-national company that has innovated in financial services since it was founded in 1990 by Keli Gadzekpo and Ken Ofori-Atta.
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