Artificial Intelligence will revolutionize investments and client experience – Adeoye

Sankore is an investment platform that deploys capital across a range of asset classes on behalf of individuals and institutions. The company also runs an innovation arm dedicated to building new ventures and enabling early-stage businesses in areas of strategic importance to the firm.

Titi Adeoye, CEO of Sankore’s, is the only female founder among the top ten in the Financial Times’ fastest-growing companies ranking in Africa. In this interview with BusinessDay, Adeoye shed light on Sankore’s business strategy and the challenges facing Nigeria’s economy.

You were recently shortlisted as one of the fastest-growing companies in Africa, by the Financial Times, a leading financial news platform in the world. Tell us about it and what impact will it have on your brand?

We are honoured to have been shortlisted as one of the fastest-growing companies in Africa by the Financial Times.
We regard this recognition as a testament to our team’s hard work and dedication. It underscores our commitment to providing value to our clients. We also believe this accolade will boost our brand’s visibility, attracting potential clients and collaborators.

Please give us an insight into what you do at Sankore?
For more than a decade, we have taken satisfaction in enabling our clients to achieve their investment objectives. We provide individuals, corporations and institutions with bespoke investment management advice and implementation via our array of global products.

We have a particular focus on global investments, alternative investments and digital products to help optimize our clients’ portfolios and meet their investment needs.

What sets your investment company apart from other players in the market, and how do you maintain a competitive edge?
Sankore sets itself apart from others by emphasizing a global macro-based investment strategy. We are also very keen on ensuring our business is highly automated and digitally enabled as we believe that is the future of the investment management industry.

We not only build digital products for ourselves but also for others in the industry using technologies like artificial intelligence. We were one of the earliest builders of AI-enabled chatbots in Nigeria and believe that AI is going to revolutionize investments and client experience generally.

Last but not least, we maintain a competitive edge through significant investment in our people. We have a very talented team in whom we invest a lot of time and effort in order to ensure we all produce world-class quality work and exceptional service to our clients.

What would you say are your biggest constraints in delivering services to customers?
We face several challenges in service delivery, such as economic instability and the complexities of managing market volatility. To mitigate these risks and safeguard our client’s investments, we continuously invest in advanced research, technology, and risk management systems. Regulatory requirements and compliance can also be constraining, but we collaborate closely with regulatory bodies to ensure we always comply with applicable laws and regulations.

Can you tell us about any recent notable investments by your company, and what factors influenced your decision to invest in those particular sectors?
Our company has made several notable investments in recent years, particularly in sectors such as real estate where we have now built a platform for Young Professionals called Juno.
We are building a city within the city of Yaba to cater to the needs of young people who work in technology and other industries.
Our goal is to grow the GDP of our country while also improving the quality of life for residents.

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How does your company measure success, both in terms of financial performance and broader impact on the economy?
We measure success based on our ability to generate strong returns for our clients. , We also strive to invest in companies and assets that have a positive impact on society and contribute to sustainable economic growth.

How do you measure the performance of your investment portfolio, and what metrics do you use to evaluate the profitability of your investments?
We use a range of metrics to evaluate the performance of our investment portfolio, including the typical time-weighted return, Sharpe ratio, Information ratio, Sorting ratio and other measures of risk, return and volatility. We also benchmark against peers in the industry.

How do you assess the investment opportunities available in Nigeria, and what factors do you consider when deciding to invest in a particular industry or company?
In assessing investment opportunities in Nigeria, we consider a global macro perspective, gauging Nigerian investments within a global context. After a thorough global analysis, we consider factors unique to Nigeria, which include numerous quantitative and qualitative factors.
As with many frontier markets, government activity and the political environment in Nigeria influence potential investment returns more significantly than in more developed regions.

Any plans your company has for expanding its investment portfolio or entering new markets?
We are always seeking to expand our offerings to clients and our investment coverage. We are presently trialling a product focused on investing in culture, including film, art, and sports.
We anticipate that this sector’s growth will contribute significantly to job creation in Nigeria and offer the potential for outsized returns. We have begun investing in films and movie series, recognizing the structure that global content distributors like Netflix and Amazon Prime Video are bringing to the markets.

How do you ensure that you comply with regulatory requirements in Nigeria, and what steps do you take to maintain ethical business practices?
We ensure compliance with regulatory requirements in Nigeria by staying up-to-date with changes in laws and regulations and engaging with relevant regulatory bodies.
We also maintain high ethical business practices by adhering to our company’s code of conduct and promoting a culture of transparency and accountability across the organization.
Compliance with regulatory requirements is a top priority for our company, and we have a dedicated team that ensures that we are always in compliance with applicable laws and regulations.
We also conduct regular training for our employees to ensure that they are aware of and adhere to our ethical standards.

How do you attract and retain high-quality employees, and what strategies do you use to motivate and incentivize them to achieve the company’s goals?
We attract and retain high-quality employees by providing a dynamic and supportive work environment, opportunities for professional development and growth, and competitive compensation and benefits packages.
We also have a strong culture of teamwork and collaboration which helps to motivate and encourage our employees to work together to achieve the company’s objective.