RMBrecognisedforsustainablefinancetransactions

MEDIA RELEASE

21 FEBRUARY 2023

RMB scoops coveted sustainable finance awards at Bonds, Loans & ESG Capital Markets Africa Awards 2023

• RMB named ESG Bond House of the year
• RMB named ESG Loan House of the year
• Pan African Resources Sustainability Linked Bond named Metals & Mining Deal of the year
• Barloworld Ltd Gender Linked Bond named ESG Bond deal of the year

Loan and Capital Markets have a critical role to play in a just transition to net zero.

RMB has been recognised in four prestigious award categories at the Bonds, Loans & ESG Capital Markets Africa Awards 2023. These awards recognise the most innovative and ground-breaking deals from sovereign, corporate and financial institution issuers and borrowers.

The exhaustive selection process involves close examination of deal size, tenor, structure, and distribution; analysis and background of the borrower and their accessibility to financing, with extra credit for those deals demonstrating high quality execution, accessing new pools of liquidity, innovative structuring, and opening-up new markets.

Says Nigel Beck, Head of Sustainable Finance & ESG Advisory at RMB: “In a short time RMB's Sustainable Finance team has established market leadership across Africa, with a breadth of transactions delivered to our clients. FirstRand has committed to facilitating R200bn of sustainable finance by 2026. Receiving these awards confirms that we are making great progress in meeting this objective.”

RMB was awarded the top ESG Bond House of the Year, as well as ESG Loan House of the Year.

The ESG Bond Deal of Year was awarded to the Barloworld transaction. This saw RMB successfully arrange Africa’s first gender-linked bond issuance (R1.143bn) for the industrials group.   

The Pan African Resources transaction was recognised as the Metals & Mining Deal of the Year. RMB acted as the sole lead arranger to assist the Africa-focused gold producer in raising a R800m Dual-Tranche 3-year and 5-year Senior Secured Sustainability-Linked Bond. This is the first local currency ZAR sustainability-linked bond in the mining sector, on the African continent.

Concludes Beck: “We are grateful for this global industry recognition, and kudos to the team for delivering on excellence in challenging economic conditions. These products are part of a suite of interventions and sustainable financial solutions with which we continue our strategic focus on a just transition across Africa.”

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Contact:

Kate Kelly l RMB l kate.kelly@rmb.co.za