In an interview with Profile Mozambique, Patrícia Darsam, Director of Corporate and Investment Banking at Absa Bank Mozambique, discusses how the institution has navigated the macroeconomic and socio-economic challenges of the past year.
With a strategic focus on the Client and innovation, Darsam explains how the Bank has developed financial solutions tailored to the needs of large enterprises, emphasizing digitalization and the personalization of its services.
During a period of instability, Absa Bank Mozambique has positioned itself as a trusted partner in the country’s economic development, with a clear vision of sustainable growth and strengthening client relationships.
Profile Mozambique: What is the focus of Corporate and Investment Banking at Absa Bank Mozambique, and how does it differ from other business segments?
Patrícia Darsam: Corporate and Investment Banking (CIB) at Absa Bank Mozambique plays a structural role in supporting the expansion and consolidation of large companies and institutions, distinguishing itself from the Small and Medium Enterprises (SME) segment by the complexity and scale of the financial instruments offered.
Our approach centers on developing structured and transformative mechanisms, tailored to the specific needs of our partners, encompassing project financing, trade finance operations, foreign exchange risk management, and capital market initiatives. We work closely with the companies we support, aiding their investments, optimizing their financial performance, and fostering their long-term sustainability.
What truly sets us apart is our ability to leverage the experience and regional presence of the Absa Group, providing access to a global network of knowledge, sophisticated products, and personalized solutions. Our positioning is clear: we are more than a bank; we are a strategic ally for the economic agents driving Mozambique’s progress.
It is with this vision that I lead Corporate and Investment Banking at Absa Bank Mozambique, ensuring that our client portfolio has access to excellent proposals and specialized support, aligned with their ambitions and the country’s sustainable development.
PM: Reflecting on the past year, what were the most evident challenges the institution faced, and what measures were adopted to overcome them?
PD: The year 2024 proved to be particularly demanding for the Mozambican banking sector, influenced by volatile macroeconomic factors and unexpected socio-economic dynamics. Nevertheless, Absa Bank Mozambique demonstrated agility and responsiveness, concluding the year with consistent financial performance and reinforcing its market position.
One of the pillars of this strategy was client centrality. In a challenging context, we effectively anticipated the new demands of the companies we support, consolidating trust-based relationships and promoting differentiating financial instruments that helped mitigate risks and add value. In parallel, we substantially enhanced our digital capabilities, promoting more fluid, secure, and efficient interactions, which allowed us to intensify proximity with our stakeholders and expand our market presence.
Our commitment to excellence was recognized through various awards, notably the distinction awarded by the Mozambique Stock Exchange, which recognized Absa as the largest custodian bank for companies registered in the Central Securities Depository. This recognition confirms our active contribution to strengthening the Mozambican capital market and promoting solid and sustainable relationships with our stakeholders.
Despite the constraints experienced in the last quarter of the year, Absa demonstrated the capacity for reinvention and innovation, reinforcing its position as a reference financial institution and reaffirming our mission to be an excellent partner for economic agents and national development.
PM: Absa Bank Mozambique has a significant presence in the country. Can you highlight the main services the Bank offers within Corporate and Investment Banking and how they differ from traditional banking services?
PD: At Absa, our approach to Corporate and Investment Banking (CIB) goes beyond conventional traditional banking models. Our mission is to design specialized, differentiating financial instruments tailored to the reality of companies, enhancing their profitability and contributing to the sustainability of their businesses.
The differentiation of our proposal lies in the personalization and sophistication of solutions, allowing us to provide structured responses that correspond to the concrete needs of our stakeholders. In the area of Structured and Project Financing, we offer mechanisms adapted to large-scale initiatives, ensuring access to essential capital for the expansion of operations.
In Trade Finance and Foreign Exchange Risk Management, we offer tools that help mitigate uncertainties associated with international operations, ensuring greater predictability and protection. In Capital Markets and Asset Management, we support our partners in issuing debt instruments, raising funds, and diversifying their investments.
We complement this offering with modern Transactional Banking and Payment Solutions based on digital platforms and automated processes, ensuring operational efficiency and agility.
Digital innovation is one of the pillars of our activity, with continuous investment in technology to ensure flexibility, responsiveness, and a seamless experience. In this ecosystem, we consider fintechs as strategic allies, whose agility complements the robustness of traditional banking, allowing us to create new synergies and opportunities.
Additionally, in the SME segment, we take an active commitment, offering solutions tailored to the local reality and promoting capacity building through partnerships with market entities and multilateral organizations. This sector is essential for the dynamism of the economy, and Absa intends to continue being a catalyst for its evolution.
At Absa, we do not merely intermediate financial services. We position ourselves as business partners, delivering relevant and transformative proposals aligned with our clients’ ambitions and Mozambique’s economic dynamics.
PM: What are Absa Bank’s prospects for the future of Corporate and Investment Banking in the country?
PD: At Absa, we approach the future with conviction and a sense of responsibility, recognizing in Mozambique an ecosystem with high potential for significant advancements. We have identified five priority areas in our strategy, aligned with national imperatives and market dynamics, aiming to continue presenting innovative, effective, and sustainable financial proposals.
Mozambique benefits from unique attributes: abundant natural resources, regionally significant logistical corridors, a coast with high economic potential, and arable land with enormous productive capacity. These conditions give it a privileged position as a destination for structured investment, both national and foreign.
Our positioning is unequivocal: we want to grow with Mozambique, actively support our partners, and contribute to strengthening the country’s productive bases by providing
