In addition to boasting pristine beaches and verdant interiors, the island nation of Mauritius has also established a reputation as a thriving financial hub. Bank One, which began as a joint venture between CIEL Finance, the finance arm of Mauritian conglomerate CIEL and Kenya-based I&M Group PLC, serves a vital role in stimulating commerce throughout — and through — the sub-Saharan and Indian Ocean region. The bank has brought together 425 skilled professionals from 10 nationalities to ensure the most comprehensive coverage in geographical and sector expertise. Bank One works with retail, private, corporate and international clients, offering a full suite of services to manage their finances. Bank One International Banking positions itself as the 'Bank of Choice' for Financial Institutions in sub-Saharan Africa, focusing on several key areas. These encompass leveraging its strategic location in Mauritius as a springboard for African investments and trade financing. The bank's aim is to create a 'Star Alliance of Banks' with a unique value proposition tailored to serve the needs of SSA-focused clients. The expansion of its network of global correspondent banks for treasury, wealth management, securities, and custody services is fundamental in supporting the sub-Saharan African market. In addition, Bank One is dedicated to aiding in the short-term liquidity requirements of sub-Saharan African financial institutions and central banks. The bank has introduced a range of initiatives, including a comprehensive Financial Institutions, Central Bank/Sovereign strategy in SSA, providing financing solutions, a complete suite of treasury, securities, and custody services, offering customized products and services for long-term clients and Star Alliance Banks, and delivering an extensive range of private banking and wealth management solutions. The CFI.co judging panel presents repeat winner Bank One with the 2023 award for Best International Banking Services (Indian Ocean).