Gareth Amos, MD of Intermedia, hands over a copy of the NFSR to Calle Schlettwein, Permanent Secretary of Finance.
IT has been a year since the launch or the inaugural edition of the Namibian Financial Sector Review (NFSR). Having worked with a crosssection of the industry for many years the publishers, Intermedia, recognised the need for an industry mouthpiece. This vision, expressed late 2006, has recently been realised for a second time with the launch of the 2008 edition of the Namibia Financial Sector Review (NFSR).
Unlike the handful of directories in Namibia, the NFSR is just as its name implies: a retrospective look at the factors that have both challenged and enhanced the Namibian financial sector in the year that was. “In compiling the inaugural edition in 2007, Intermedia managed to get the opinions of about 45 of Namibia’s top professionals within various sectors of the industry.
After the warm reception of the 2007 edition, we were delighted to be invited into the “homes” of 70 industry leaders and trendsetters once more, all of whom have a crucial role to play in the economic development of the country,” says Gareth Amos, Group Managing Director of the Interact Group of Companies and spokesperson for Intermedia.
The NFSR is compiled by Intermedia with the input and support developed through solid relationships with representatives from the Ministry of Finance, the Banker’s Association of Namibia, NIA, Namfisa, Nasria, the Ministry of Finance, the Bank of Namibia, NIBA and LAAN as well as with the leaders of the broader financial sector of Namibia.
These relationships ensure that the NFSR is in fact developed and compiled by the industry players themselves, who are all interviewed in order to get a broad overview of the industry from specialists in all segments. Thus in essence the NFSR is a true representation of full, open, honest and transparent cooperation by the entire industry to provide the public and other business sectors with a comprehensive overview of the financial sector.
“Having clearly outlined the vision for the publication in 2007, we are delighted with the significant increase in the number of financial experts and leaders, all of whom took time out to add their opinions on various segments of the Namibian financial sector. The NFSR 2008 edition proves that together we are very much on track in terms of producing a top end publication, which is a success mainly because of the significant input of expertise, effort and time by very busy men and women from within the industry,” said Amos.
The continued success of the NFSR 2008 comes at a time when there is much debate in the media industry with regards to the influx of South African magazines and publications, which makes it challenging for Namibian publishers to succeed, not having the same resources and financial muscle to compete effectively.
With Namibian magazines having to compete with South African titles, it is a pleasure to see a publication of international standard grow from strength to strength, which in so doing provides an example of how Namibian publishers can succeed by delivering quality publications within their own market.
