EDIT – July 24, 2018: The Central Bank of Kenya revealed that KCB was in the lead to acquire Imperial Bank. They submitted a revised bid as another bidder dropped out and CBK and KDIC will continue discussions with KCB about enhancing value for Imperial Bank depositors.
Press release on the revised proposal of the Expression of Interest on Imperial Bank Limited (In Receivership). pic.twitter.com/KG29yM67qg
— Central Bank of Kenya (@CBKKenya) July 24, 2018
Original – September 8 2017 Today the Central Bank of Kenya (CBK) has invited investors (PDF) in an expression of interest (EOI) offer to buy into Imperial Bank, in a move that echoes another ongoing one at Chase Bank.
Imperial Bank Ltd (IR): Invitation to Submit Expression of Interesthttps://t.co/YGoBOG4Qci pic.twitter.com/PwOU9kUwPN
— Central Bank of Kenya (@CBKKenya) September 8, 2017
Imperial, Kenya’s 18th largest bank, was shut in October 2015 following revelations that only emerged after the sudden death the sudden death of Imperial’s group managing director (GMD), Abdulamek Janmohamed, in September 2015. The bank had assets of Kshs 56 billion and officially had about Kshs 47 billion of depositor funds as at December 2014.
Since the closure, thousands of small depositors have been paid off the but many wealthy depositors including the elderly, Italians and Asians families and business people still have tens of millions of shillings in deposits there – funds that they had placed for the high returns offered at the previously solid (apparently), fast-growing, business-friendly, and award-winning bank.
It appeared that the bank was headed for liquidation, but for a sudden change of plan and decision to salvage Imperial Bank three months ago. A new timetable was posted and the CBK Governor met depositors of the bank to reassure them of the new process, and they have been keeping track since.
2 Weeks Ago, Preparation for “EOI” invitation was slated, What is the Status? @njorogep @mohamudmahmed @CBKKenya @KDICkenya #IBLResolution pic.twitter.com/BpEVv5t00t
— Lobby Group – IBL-IR (@lobbygroupiblke) September 4, 2017
The deadline for the EOI is September 29, three weeks away, after which short-listed investors will be invited to see confidential data on the bank. This is despite a long forensic audit and data mining process that was started after the GMD died, some results of which have been cited in court documents and media reports – and which paint a shocking picture about the tenure of Janmohamed and oversight by regulators at the CBK.
Proposals from the short-listed investors are expected in January 2018 for further discussions with a single preferred bidder in February along with other consultations with the shareholders, depositors, and creditors of Imperial Bank.
KPMG has been appointed as a transaction advisor for the Imperial Bank EOI as they also are in the Chase Bank one.