Corporate Profile

Background

Capricorn Investment Holdings Ltd (CIH) was established in 1996 as a regional financial services group. The group has interests in banking, insurance and asset management, with a diversified business portfolio in Namibia, Botswana and Zambia.  The flagship brand of the group is Bank Windhoek Limited, founded in 1982. CIH is constantly exploring new investment opportunities throughout the Southern African region.

Vision and Core Purpose

CIH aspires to be a leading banking and related financial services group, creating value for all stakeholders, while supporting economic growth and development in its countries of operation. Strategic objectives include the establishment of an effective service delivery model to support and grow group operations, and a multi-business development strategy to fully unlock the group’s potential.

The CIH Group holds its responsibility as a good corporate citizen in a very high regard. Group employees participate actively in a number of private sector forums within Namibian commerce and industry, and governmental advisory bodies.

CIH encourages its operating subsidiaries to invest in communities in which they operate. Through Bank Windhoek’s corporate social investment fund, which focuses on job creation and poverty alleviation, the group’s financial contribution amounted to over N$ 4.5 million in 2008 in Namibia alone.

The CIH group corporate values resonate with: teamwork, innovation, integrity, learning, passion and excellence.

Group Companies

CIH holds a 72.9% interest in Bank Windhoek Holdings Ltd, which in turn owns all the shares in Bank Windhoek Limited. Bank Windhoek is a leading bank in Namibia and provides the full service of commercial banking products and services.
Regional banking interests were expanded with CIH’s acquisition of a banking licence in Botswana through Bank Gaborone Ltd., and the acquisition of 44,2% of shares in Cavmont Capital Holdings in Zambia, which owns 100% of Cavmont Bank. The CIH Group also holds substantial strategic investments in insurance and other financial service industries in Namibia and Botswana.
CIH believes in sustainable broad-based empowerment and successfully negotiated a BBEE transaction with a Namibian trade union-owned financial services group, Nam-mic Financial Services Holdings Limited (NFSH), in November 2002. Through this landmark partnership, CIH is able to offer members of unions affiliated to the National Union of Namibian Workers (NUNW) affordable banking and related financial products and services. (NUNW has a membership of over 200 000, including beneficiaries.)

Overview of Subsidiaries and Associates

Capricorn Investment Holdings (Botswana) (Pty) Ltd is the group’s investment holding company in Botswana. The company wholly owns Bank Gaborone Ltd and Ellwood Insurance Brokers trading as Penrich Insurance Brokers Ltd.
Capricorn Asset Management (Pty) Ltd is the leading asset manager in the Namibian capital and money market.
Cavmont Capital Holdings Zambia PLC is a listed bank-holding company in Zambia, which owns all the shares of Cavmont Bank Ltd.
Cyan Enterprise Solutions (Pty) Ltd is an IT services company that offers technology services to the CIH group as well as to external business clients. Cyan ES was formed by the consolidation of a number of IT divisions from the CIH group of companies.
Capricorn Capital (Pty) Ltd provides corporate finance advisory services and structured financial solutions to clients across the group.
Bank Windhoek Holdings Ltd is the group’s Namibian bancassurance holding company. Companies that are owned (wholly or partially) by Bank Windhoek Holdings are:
Bank Windhoek Ltd (100%), a leading commercial bank in Namibia, commanding a market share of approximately 26.5 percent. Bank Windhoek has been awarded a domestic currency long term credit rating of AA.
Welwitschia Nammic Insurance Brokers (77.6%) is one of the largest short-term insurance broking companies in Namibia, servicing both the individual and the corporate market.
Sanlam Namibia Holdings (29.5%) is a financial services group focusing on life insurance, savings and investment products.
Santam Namibia Limited (25%) is one of Namibia's largest short-term insurance companies, offering insurance products for personal, corporate, commercial and agricultural clients.
Namib Bou (100%) facilitates the supply of affordable housing to the lower and middle income groups.
Nam-mic Financial Services Holdings (Pty) Ltd is a leading broad-based empowerment company in Namibia. It is owned by CIH (27.5%) and the country’s five largest trade unions, for the benefit of members and their dependants.

Financial Results

Contact Details

CIH Group Corporate Marketing and Communication Services
P. O. Box 15, Windhoek
Tel +264 61 299 1232
Fax +264 61 22 3188
Email: info@cih.com.na