GLAMOUROUS SAFARICOM IPO ATTRACTS GLITTERATI INVESTMENT BANKS

The Safaricom IPO which is billed to be the mother of all IPO's Kenyan has attracted some the most sophisticated Investment Banks in business. But what does one expect when the company is a Vodafone offspring raking in profits to the tune of billions per month?, has the fastest growning customer base in the region and has become the lifestyle of millions subscribers?

In other words, we are talking about a marketing behemoth which is why the government is trying to think of an IPO in Kenya and in another country like UK. Offloading the whole 25% of the stock in Kenya is bound to disrupt the local money market hence the LSE probable thinking.

With that in mind here are some of the consortia that have bid for lead advisors, lead brokers, receiving banks and public relations:

* First Africa Consortium:
StanChart, PKF Kenya, First Africa, Drummond, Goldman Sachs Int'l.

* Citi Consortium:
Sterling & Discount Securities and Citi NA Kenya.

*Dyer & Blair Inv. Bank Consortium:
Dyer&Blair, Faida & Asbhu Securities and Morgan Stanley Int'l Plc.

*SRK Consortium:
KPMG, Apex Africa & Africa Alliance Inv Bank and Renaissance Capital.

*CFC Financial Services Consortium:
Stanbic Kenya, Suntra Inv Bank, Kestrel EA, Credit Suisse Europe Ltd, Standard Bank Group Ltd and DCDM Advisory Ltd.

The Receiving Bank Shortlist:

* KCB, StanChart and Posta.

*CitiBank NA, Equity and Kenya Post Office Savings Bank.

Public Relations Shortlist:

*Gina Din,
*Ogilvy,
*Scanad
*Exclamation


Indeed, the very best are courting the most beautiful lass around and that happens to be none other than Safcom. May the best suitor win for there is an unprecedented financial as well as goodwill windfall coming ahead.