Bob Diamond Has a Rival as Cortina Eyes Africa Bank Deals

Ex-Barclays Plc Chief Executive Officer Robert Diamond has a rival: Spanish billionaire Alberto Cortina, who is building a banking presence in West Africa to take advantage of demand from sovereign and corporate clients.

Cortina is conducting due diligence on a retail bank in Senegal after his Banque de Dakar investment bank started operations in the West African nation this month, he said in an interview in Madrid. He’s also planning to set up an investment banking unit in Ivory Coast to the East by the end of the year.