South Africa wins international award

Johannesburg, 08 Sept 2006

In 2001 an annual award was created by the Coface Credit Alliance network, called the "John Manners Award", in honour and memory of the contribution made by Coface (ZA) founder, shareholder and original managing director John Manners.

The spirit behind the award is to recognise within Coface an individual who has contributed in a significant manner to the benefit and growth of the worldwide Credit Alliance.

The award covers all 59 subsidiaries across the world. Previous winners were Katerina Miltiadou of Mecos, Cyprus; Pavol Parisek of EGAP, Czech Rep; Richard Burton of Coface Greater China; Naganatha Pillay of ECICS, Singapore and Nasir Al Ismaily of ECGA, Oman.

This year Coface (South Africa) CEO Malcolm Guest received the award for the contributions he has made and loyalty shown in enhancing Coface services and increasing profitability.

"We are pleased to have brought the award back to South Africa, and are hoping that the next recipient to win will also be from South Africa," says Coface (ZA) CEO Malcolm Guest.

The Coface Group

Founded in 1946, Coface, rated AA by Fitch and Aa3 by Moody`s, is a subsidiary of Natexis Banques Populaires and Groupe Banque Populaire whose share capital (Tier 1) was 14.63 billion euros end 2005. Coface`s mission is to facilitate global business-to-business trade by offering its clients four product lines to fully or partly outsource trade relationship management and to finance and protect their receivables: credit insurance, company information and ratings, receivables management and factoring. Coface also offers three other business lines: guarantee insurance, receivables management training, and, in France, management of government export guarantees. Coface operates a quality local service for its 85 000 clients thanks to its 4 850 staff in 58 countries where Coface has a direct presence. This local service also covers in 93 countries via partners in the CreditAlliance worldwide network, organised around an integrated credit risk management tool, the Common Risk System.

Sha-Izwe

Sha-Izwe Communications (Incorporating Charles Smith & Associates established in 1987) is a BEE company and part of the Constellation Group with operates in 25 countries. Sha-Izwe is the sole representative for The Constellation Group in South Africa. Services cover media relations, graphic design, advertising, investor relations and writing of tender documents and manuals.

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