Business Enquirer Magazine | Issue 111 | March 2023

ALSO BOOST DRINKS

AZURE

DUQM PORT

TSEBO

MAKING AIR TRAVEL ACCESSIBLE FOR ALL TRANSAVIA AIRLINES

MEDIA FINANCE

Jamie Waite Partner & Creative Director jamie.waite@busenq.com

John Wilson Partner & President john.wilson@busenq.com

Charlotte Rope Project Director charlotte.rope@busenq.com

Glen Newton

Senior Project Director glen.newton@busenq.com

Gary Smith

Senior Project Director gary.smith@busenq.com

Lee Pheonix Project Director lee.pheonix@busenq.com

Laura Pye Project Director laura.pye@busenq.com

David Calaz Project Director david.calaz@busenq.com

Julia Brett Project Director julia.brett@busenq.com

Chrissy Jones Project Director chrissy.jones@busenq.com

Matthew Ward Project Director matthew.ward@busenq.com

Ben Saunders

EDITORIAL

Claire Dunn Global Credit Controller claire.dunn@busenq.com

Bethany Waite Credit Controller bethany.waite@busenq.com

Tanya Rudd Head of Finance tanya.rudd@busenq.com

Kim Pearson Global Head of Accounts kim.pearson@busenq.com

DATA ANALYSIS

Kumar Nil-Khan Senior Data Strategy kumar.nilkhan@busenq.com

Simon Ferrening Production Manager Commercial Performance Analysis Anita Terrell Social Media Manager anita.terrell@busenq.com

Laura Watling Editor in Chief laura.watling@busenq.com

Carol Gibson Lead Editor carol.gibson@busenq.com

Charlotte Billig Senior Editor charlotte.billig@busenq.com

Rebecca Matthews Senior Journalist rebecca.matthews@busenq.com

PRODUCTION

Roisin Reynolds Head of Production roisin.reynolds@busenq.com

Cheraleigh Van Zanten Production Manager cheraleigh.vanzanten@busenq.com

DESIGN

Jamie Bolton Head of Design jamie.bolton@busenq.com

Lee Dixon Social Media Manager lee.dixon@busenq.com

Susan Tumelty HR Partnered Company info@hrdept.co.uk

SOCIAL MEDIA TEAM HR LEGAL

Chloe Bird

Adam Fulwood

Head of Video & Content Creation adam.fulwood@busenq.com

WEBSITE

Matt Hardwick Online Website Manager matt.hardwick@busenq.com

PHOTOGRAPHY

Didie Nturo Lead Photographer didie.nturo@busenq.com

A WORD FROM OUR EDITOR

Welcome to March’s edition of Business Enquirer, Issue 111.

I would like to begin this month’s release by offering Business Enquirer’s heartfelt condolences to the people of Syria and Turkey, who have been astronomically affected by the recent earthquakes.

The reaction from the business community has been encouraging, with many major brands offering charitable support to relief efforts.

It comes as a case in point to the recent release of the 2023 Edelman Trust Barometer report, which comments that business is considered to be the only sector to be both ethical and competent. Respondents highlighted in the research that they “want more societal involvement by business on issues such as climate change, economic inequality and workforce reskilling”.

In a similar ethical standpoint, Yale Chief Executive Leadership Institute has recently shared that over 1200 companies have publicly announced

Laura Watling Editor in Chief laura.watling@busenq.com

their curtailment of operations in Russia. This, as we mark the one year anniversary of the invasion of Ukraine.

This month, Business Enquirer presents to you several businesses with CSR at their core.

From Tsebo, a leading workplace management solutions provider, who have 46 flagship community projects across Africa, to Andean Precious Metals who have contributed $75 million to the local economy.

We also speak to a business closer to home, the UK’s Boost Drinks, who throughout the pandemic provided care packages to key workers. Postpandemic, it is driven by its culture.

On behalf of the team, I hope you enjoy this month’s motivating and thoughtprovoking conversations with some of the world’s most inspirational business leaders and entrepreneurs.

CHATGPT OWNER OpenAI BREAKS INTO TOP 50 GLOBAL SITES AS VISITS HIT 672 MILLION

OpenAI’s traffic has risen from 18.3 million to 672 million since December, a 3,572% increase in just two months due to ChatGPT

OpenAI is now the number one technology website based on traffic rank in the Computers Electronics and Technology category, overtaking Zoom, AOL and AT&T

Traffic to ChatGPT owner OpenAI has exploded by 3,572%, from 18.3 million to 672 million visits after ChatGPT’s release at the end of November.

Analysis of SimilarWeb data reveals 672 million users visited the viral AI chatbot in January 2023. Visits have exploded to over 36 times the amount since ChatGPT’s release at the end of November 2022, going from 18.3 million to 672 million in just two months as the new language model continues to make headlines.

Over the last 28 days, OpenAI has become

the 44th

globally-ranked website according to SimilarWeb data

ChatGPT drives over 92% of total website traffic.

The analysis by digital adoption magazine Digital-adoption.com reveals that OpenAI has become one of the most visited websites, ranking 44th globally in the last month based on traffic. This makes OpenAI the current number-one website in SimilarWeb’s Computers Electronics and Technology category, overtaking tech giants such as Zoom, AOL, Sharepoint and AT&T.

Over one-fifth of all visits are from India and the United States, with around 11% traffic share each, or an estimated 73.9

million visits per country over the last month. Other main countries visiting are France, Canada, and Germany.

There are currently 24 million average daily visits to OpenAI.com due to ChatGPT.

ChatGPT is currently the fastest-growing app in the world, according to investment bank UBS, which reported the chatbot reached 100 million monthly active users by January.

OpenAI has released previously successful projects, including another language model, GPT-3 and DALL-E, an AI image generator.

Founding members include current CEO Sam Altman, Elon Musk, co-founder of LinkedIn Reid Hoffman, PayPal cofounder Peter Thiel and more. According to a company press statement, $1 billion was committed when OpenAI was founded.

A spokesperson at Digital-adoption.com commented on the findings:

“SimilarWeb traffic shows that OpenAI is quickly becoming one of the biggest websites in the world after going viral. ChatGPT has been named ‘Google killer’ and an ‘AI revolution’, gaining notorious buzz. There is no denying how

its popularity has caught on like wildfire, skyrocketing the company into global ranks within two months. Internet users are discovering new purposes for the chatbot daily, and along with it comes questions around regulation.

As technology develops at such a fast rate, it raises a question as to whether we can adequately regulate and ensure that information is trustworthy and accurate, especially when used in our professional lives. While ChatGPT has been tipped as the ‘next Google’, we know that Google is creating a rival chatbot, Bard, to fend off any competition, which is rumoured to be announced in the coming days.

Regardless, the potential of AI language models to enhance our home and work lives is immeasurable, and we are just scratching the surface of what AI can do. The traffic numbers show a growing desire to use technology to enhance our daily lives”.

The study was conducted by Digitaladoption.com, which provides detailed information on how companies can maximise and accelerate the impact of their digital transformation strategy.

www.digital-adoption.com

THE MOST DIFFICULT TO READ PRIVACY POLICIES FROM STREAMING SERVICES

Privacy policies set out all the ways in which an organization gathers, stores, and uses its customers’ or clients’ personally identifiable information and data. These are legal statements which people often agree to without fully reading, due to the length and complexity of these documents.

With this in mind, cybersecurity expert Chris Bluvshtein from VPNOverview has compared the most complicated and difficult to read privacy policies from the top streaming services, in order to see what data these companies are really gathering about you.

Chris Bluvshtein from VPNOverview adds:

“A privacy policy is one of the most important statements on a company’s website. Skipping over one could put your personally identifiable information at risk of being exposed and resold. This makes you more vulnerable to annoying, unwanted spam calls and having your identity stolen.

“The majority of the policies we examined would be considered unreadable for many UK users, given that the majority required at least a university undergraduate reading level. This is particularly problematic when you consider that 1 in 7 adults in England alone, have a reading age expected of a 7-9 year old.”

NETFLIX

Time to read: 38 minutes

Reading level: University Graduate (21 and above)

Netflix was found to be the second most difficult policy to read with a readability score of 23.7 out of 100. Its policy is also one of the longest at 4,977 words, meaning that it would take the average reader nearly 40 minutes to sift through.

The streaming giant collects a wide range of invasive user data such as devices used, location, and browsers. Netflix is very vague on exactly how and why it collects said data but uses it to its advantage with crackdowns on account sharing.

SPOTIFY

Time to read: 45 minutes

Reading level: University Graduate (21 and above)

Spotify had the third most difficult policy, with a readability score of 25.0 out of 100 and was the second longest, taking around 45 minutes to read through.

Spotify’s privacy policy states that it can log and store voice data and build up personal profiles of users, despite having no real need to do so. The policy claims to use voice data to “evaluate and develop new features, technologies and improvements to the Spotify service” and “to comply with a legal obligation we are subject to.”

In fact, 42% of Spotify’s policy relates to the collection and use of your personal data, equating to 2,468 out of the 5,799 words in the document.

DISNEY+

Time to read: 20 minutes

Reading level: University Graduate (21 and above) Disney+ was found to be the hardest policy to read, given it had the lowest readability score by far at just 2.8 out of 100. The policy says that the streaming platform can share your data with third parties, which is a common part of many privacy policies. However, Disney also include the following in the fine print:

“The information received by the other company is controlled by that company and becomes subject to the other company’s privacy practices.”

This means that you are also agreeing to the policies of those other companies without knowing it.

APPLE TV+

Time to read: 18 minutes

Reading level: University Student (18-21 years old)

Apple have taken steps to improve user privacy such as including a ‘do not track’ option for users. Their policy is on par with the BBC for ease of reading as it has a readability score of 43.4/100.

However, the policy for Apple TV states that information regarding purchases and downloads can be retained for “at least a 10-year retention period, but in regions such as China that period can be 30 years.”

ITV

Time to read: 22 minutes

Reading level: University Student (18-21 years old)

ITV’s privacy policy is only 300 words longer than that of Disney+ however it is much easier to read with a score of 35.6/100.

The policy states that the user can object to the company processing their personal information and that they will “consider if your rights outweigh our interests and if they do, then we will either restrict our use of your information or delete it.”

BBC IPLAYER

Time to read: 4 minutes

Reading level: University Student (18-21 years old)

This is the shortest policy on the list at 555 words and taking just 4 minutes to read. It is the third easiest to read policy on our list with a score of 43.2.

Within this policy, the BBC do include a small note about updating the document. Users should be made aware of any changes by email in the event they want to cancel the service.

The BBC states that “We will revise the privacy notice if there are significant changes to how we use your personal data. The date of the most recent revisions will appear on this page.”

This means that the BBC are not able to drastically change the way they use your data, without you agreeing to their privacy policy again.

YOUTUBE

Time to read: 7 minutes

Reading level: University Student (18-21 years old)

The video sharing and streaming platform ranked as the fifth most difficult to read, with a policy readability score of 30.6 out of 100. YouTube’s policy is the second shortest on this list at just 872 words. As it would take the average user only 7 minutes to read, the policy is shorter than the average video on the platform.

YouTube shares some of its privacy policies with Google as it belongs to this parent company. The policy states that data such as search terms, videos watched, and location data are all stored and used to serve personalised adverts to its viewers.

www.vpnoverview.com

DODGE ONLINE BANKING FRAUDSTERS WITH THESE 12 CYBERSECURITY TIPS

Arecent Which? study tested the security of 13 of the UK's most popular online banking sites between September and November 2022. The study found that Virgin Money, TSB and Nationwide were the worst at protecting their customers from online scammers.

With so many well known banking sites falling short when it comes to blocking fraudsters, cybersecurity experts at VPNOverview have compiled a list of 12 safety tips to keep your money safe from malware and phishing scams.

What are the possible dangers of online banking?

Financially motivated cybercrime, using malware and phishing, is growing at a rapid pace. In fact, by 2023, the number of internet users is set to increase by 275%, creating more targets for online banking fraudsters. Banks worldwide are doing all they can to protect their customers from banking fraud by raising awareness and utilising new technology to make online banking safer.

Malware

Cybercriminals can use malware like spyware to break into your phone or computer and potentially steal your banking details. Cybercriminals can use a keylogger to track your keystrokes and steal your banking login details as you are typing them. In the worst-case scenario, a hacker can infect your computer with a virus, allowing them to gain total control of your computer and possibly transfer your money straight into their account.

Phishing

Phishing is where a cybercriminal attempts to obtain someone’s sensitive information by pretending to be a party this person trusts, such as a bank. This imposter would contact the victim via email or phone to trick them into surrendering login information. The scammer will often produce a plausible reason why they are asking for this sensitive information. It is essential to stay vigilant and remember: it is highly unlikely that your bank will ask you for login details, PIN codes or confidential information.

Continued on page 12

A spokesperson from VPNOverview commented:

“Although banks around the world are working hard to make online banking as safe as possible, it is still a good idea to take some safety measures yourself when managing your finances. By taking charge of your own online safety, you can prove to your bank that you are not negligent and are more likely to be reimbursed by your bank if something bad happens. By following these tips to protect yourself while online banking, managing, paying and receiving money will become a lot safer.”

1.Be wary of transfers: Only transfer money to parties you trust. Money transfers cannot usually be reversed without the explicit permission of the receiving party.

2.Use a unique password and login details: Make sure your banking login details are different from your other online portals or services; it is much safer to have a different password for your bank if a hacker gains access to your device. The most secure password you can create will be at least ten characters long, containing a minimum of one uppercase letter, one lowercase letter, one number, and one symbol. It would be best if you considered changing your password to a new unique password every six months.

3.Keep login details safe: Do not give your online banking login details to anyone. If you receive a phone call or an email asking for you to enter your banking login details, sensitive information or PIN codes, this could be a phishing scam.

4.Use fingerprint and face ID: Make use of the newest technology when it comes to signing into your online banking apps. Using a fingerprint or Face ID login is much safer than the traditional username and password. Another security measure to consider is using two-factor authentication, essentially providing two methods of logging in to ensure that the right person is logging in.

5.Update apps: Ensure your device’s operating system is up-to-date. The same goes for your online banking app if you use one. The best practice is to configure your settings to update all updates automatically.

6.Never click on suspicious hyperlinks: If you receive an email or a text from a number or address you don’t recognise that contains a hyperlink, don’t click on it. Do not download any files they may contain.

7.Be wary of suspicious emails: Cybercriminals may send you a convincing-looking email with your bank’s

logo and a professional-looking layout. If this email asks for sensitive information, including your password, login details or PIN code, delete this email.

8.Check HTTPS connection: Always ensure the website you visit has a secure HTTPS connection before you log in to your online banking account. Many browsers, such as Google Chrome, Mozilla Firefox and Internet Explorer, show whether your connection to a certain website is secure. Some of these browsers may display a padlock symbol inside the address bar indicating the safety of a website’s connection. If not, you can check the URL:

If the URL you visit contains “https://”, this is secure as the ‘s’ stands for secure. If you see “http://” the connection isn’t secure. You may have to click on the URL in the search bar to see the “https://” appear. If the connection isn’t secure, do not share any personal details with that page.

9.Install antivirus software: Install antivirus software on your device to protect yourself from malware and viruses. The best antivirus programs will offer a built-in firewall, essentially a network security device that provides a barrier between a trusted network and an untrusted network.

10.Be wary of phishing: If you suspect you have come across a potential phishing email or call that claims to have been sent by your bank, contact your bank immediately to notify them. If they do not know about this request, you were likely almost a victim of a phishing scam.

11.Check your banking app frequently: Frequently check your online bank for peculiar activities and alert your bank of any transactions that you don't recognise.

12.Trust your gut: Ultimately, if something doesn’t feel quite right as you’re transferring a payment or entering sensitive details, trust your gut and don’t continue.

PIP INTERNATIONALHAS CRACKED OPEN THE POTENTIAL OF PEA PROTEIN

In less than 12 months, Protein Isolate Plant (PIP) International has received $7 million in purchase orders as they transformed from a PowerPoint presentation into a fully commissioned $30 million pilot facility. Processing over 5,000 metric tons of yellow peas annually, PIP will initially produce approximately 1,000 metric tons of their great tasting Ultimate Pea Protein called UP.P™.

“We like to say that we’ve cracked the code with our pea protein and created something the world needs and at a price that is favorable to food manufacturers,” explains Christine Lewington, PIP’s CEO. “By pairing the great taste of our protein with an affordability advantage, we are on the leading edge and poised to revolutionize the plant-based food industry with what many are calling a 3rd generation, yellow pea protein isolate.”

To date, the Lethbridge, Alberta plant has seen support from the Canadian government, has attracted the attention of foreign governments, and has dozens of private food manufacturers now entered into or negotiating contracts to use PIP’s novel pea protein.

“Food producers use our protein as an ingredient. Currently we are assisting them to develop products and supporting them as they integrate it into their processing lines,” says Lewington. “They are ‘leveling up’ the taste, nutrition profiles and enjoyability of many of their plantbased alternatives. Many are starting by reformulating current on-shelf brands using our pea protein and some are to begin market testing very soon.”

Heavy construction on PIP’s larger facility is set to restart this year and will be located on 20 acres inside the city of Lethbridge. It’s expected the new facility will process approximately 126,000 tonnes of yellow peas annually, and support over $110 million per year in pea contracts for local and regional farmers.

The new $150 million processing facility is also expected to create 100 new jobs by early 2024. It will be the highest capacity plant of any pea processing facility in the world, all while offering a premium protein without the premium price.

The growing demand for a high-quality pea protein isolate has increased in recent years particularly given how popular plant-based diets are becoming, as well as increasing consumer awareness around the nutritional benefit pea protein offers, and PIP is well-positioned to be the industry leader in the plant-based protein industry.

“The demand for plant-based proteins is driven by three things: a healthier diet, a growing population, and a focus on sustainably produced food,” states Lewington.

PIP’s protein extraction process is novel from others and has embraced some key technologies from the pharmaceutical industry. Simply, PIP’s process separates the proteins gently without damaging their functional properties. This allows food developers to easily manipulate recipes and bind, gel, dissolve to recreate new great tasting plant-based alternatives.

“When we separate our proteins out of peas, they look similar to a ping pong ball,” Lewington explains. “Smooth, spherical and with a light uniform color. Other pea proteins look more like a smashed-up golf ball. That means every dent, scrape or stain reflects the damage to the taste, colour, and functionality. Our pea protein isolate delivers a near-natural state protein for companies to work with.”

PIP is receiving unprecedented results

compared to anything developed in the plant-protein based market and is set to impact the supply of proteins globally. Consumers will soon have more great tasting, enjoyable options for their plantbase protein alternatives thanks to PIP.

Lewington says, “Our protein is 100 per cent soluble. It dissolves completely and it stays dissolved. That’s a unique benefit of our protein. And just for fun, and to learn more about our protein, we’ve made great tasting smooth ice cream and non-grainy cheese dip. This was easy because our protein isn’t grainy and offers an amazing final texture. We’ve figured out how to create the best tasting, most affordable, healthiest, and environmentally responsible pea protein isolate on the planet.”

www.pip-international.com

IHG POSTS GROWTH AND REVENUE INCREASE IN 2022

KEY METRICS:

• $25.8bn total gross revenue1 +33% vs 2021, (8)% vs 2019

• +37% global FY RevPAR1 vs 2021, (3.3)% vs 2019

• +26% global Q4 RevPAR1 vs 021, +4.1% vs 2019

IHG

HOTEL PARTNER

Further significant improvement in trading: sequential improvement each quarter in global RevPAR vs 2019

• Strongest recovery in Americas, with RevPAR +3.3% vs 2019 (Q4 +9.0%); EMEAA improving to (7.5)% (Q4 +8.8%); Greater China (38)% (Q4 (42)%) due to the scale of travel restrictions that were still in place

Average daily rate +18% vs 2021, +8% vs 2019; occupancy +9%pts vs 2021, (7)%pts vs 2019

Iberostar Beachfront Resorts agreement signed in November 2022, with first 12.4k rooms added to IHG’s system in December 2022; continue to explore further opportunities with Exclusive Partners to drive additional system growth

• Gross system growth +5.6% YOY; adjusted net system size growth of +4.3% YOY

• Opened and added 49.4k rooms (269 hotels); global estate now at 912k rooms (6,164 hotels)

Signed 80.3k rooms (467 hotels); global pipeline now at 281k rooms (1,859 hotels), +3.9% YOY

Fee margin of 56.2%, +6.6%pts vs 2021 (+2.1%pts vs 2019’s 54.1%)

• Operating profit from reportable segments of $828m, +55% vs 2021; this was held back by $17m adverse currency impact and included $5m of costs related to Iberostar agreement

Reported operating profit of $628m, after $105m System Fund reported loss and $95m net exceptional charges

Net cash from operating activities of $646m (2021: $636m), with adjusted free cash flow1 of $565m (2021: $571m); net debt movement includes $482m share buybacks, $233m dividends and a $230m net foreign exchange benefit

• Adjusted EBITDA1 of $896m, +42% vs 2021; net debt:adjusted EBITDA ratio reduced to 2.1x

Final dividend of 94.5¢ proposed, +10% vs 2021, resulting in a total dividend for the year of 138.4¢

Share buyback programme to return an additional $750m of surplus capital in 2023

1 Definitions for non-GAAP measures can be found in the ‘Use of key performance measures and non-GAAP measures’ section, along with reconciliations of these measures to the most directly comparable line items within the Financial Statements.

Keith Barr, Chief Executive Officer, IHG Hotels & Resorts, said:

“In 2022 we saw demand return strongly in most of our markets, pushing Group RevPAR back close to 2019 levels and fee margin ahead. It’s particularly pleasing that in the second half of the year we exceeded 2019 levels for both RevPAR and profitability. Looking to 2023, while there are economic uncertainties, we expect continued strong leisure demand in many markets, alongside further return of business and group travel and the ongoing reopening of China.

Our strategy over the last five years has significantly strengthened our brand portfolio and seen substantial investment to innovate our technology and distribution platforms. Our recent agreement with Iberostar adds our 18th

brand and substantially increases our resort and all-inclusive presence, and we continue to explore further new opportunities like this for additional growth through exclusive partners. Meanwhile, the other six brands we have added since 2017 already contribute more than 10% of our pipeline, and our Luxury & Lifestyle portfolio is now 13% of our system size and 20% of our pipeline as we increase our exposure to higher fee income segments.

In total, we signed 467 hotels in 2022 and opened 269, which led to net system growth of over 4%. The further 1,800 hotels in our pipeline represents future growth of over 30% of today’s system size. The Holiday Inn Brand Family, with its global leadership position, delivered around a third of our hotel signings and half of openings.

IHG’s enterprise platform strength helps our hotel owners capture demand and grow their business, with enterprise contribution increasing in 2022 to represent 77% of their total room revenue. Critical to this was the launch of our new mobile app during the year, which has led to mobile now accounting for more than half of all digital bookings, while the transformation of our IHG One Rewards programme has delivered significant improvements in both enrolments and loyalty contribution.

Alongside substantial investments in revenue-generating technology platforms to support future growth, we have also continued to invest in our internal systems to maintain the health of the business, and in capabilities to help IHG and our hotel owners meet our 2030 Journey to Tomorrow responsible business commitments.

IHG’s overarching ambition is to deliver industry-leading growth in our scale, enterprise platform and performance, doing so sustainably for all stakeholders including our hotel owners, guests and society as a whole.

We are a stronger and more resilient company than ever before, and we are proud of the advancements made in each of our strategic priorities. Reflecting the confidence we have in continued growth and the highly cash generative nature of our business, the Board is pleased to be recommending a 10% increase in the final dividend in respect of 2022 and to announce a further share buyback programme to return an additional $750m to shareholders in 2023.”

www.ihgplc.com

LES PARISIENNES CHAMPIONS LEAGUE OPPONENTS REVEALED

Les Parisiennes will face VFL Wolfsburg at the Parc des Princes on Wednesday 22 March at 21:00 in the first leg of the quarter-finals of the UEFA Women’s Champions League.

After the match in December against Real Madrid, Gérard Prêcheur's side will be back in action at the Parc des Princes this season. They will face VFL Wolfsburg in their eighth quarter-final in the Women's Champions league in as many years.

The second leg of the quarter-final will take place on Thursday 30 March at 18:45.

The club from the capital finished second to qualify from a group made up of Chelsea, Real Madrid and KFF Vllaznia, with 3 wins, 1 draw and 2 defeats to their name.

Finishing top of Group B with the best attack (19 goals scored) and the best defence (5 goals conceded), VFL

Wolfsburg picked up 4 wins and 2 draws in the group stage. The German side are unbeaten in all competitions since the start of the season.

In 2015, Les Parisiennes beat the German champions in the semi-finals of the Women's Champions League thanks to their 2-0 win in the first leg and despite a 2-1 defeat in the return leg.

Paris Saint-Germain hold the attendance

record for a club match in France, after hosting 43,255 spectators at the Parc des Princes in the semi-finals of the Women's Champions league against Olympique Lyonnais on 30 April last year.

Tickets are already available for the match between Paris Saint-Germain – VFL Wolfsburg on Wednesday 22 March via the official Club platform: click below.

www.billetterie.psg.fr/fr/footfem

AN EMPOWERING EMPLOYER

Providing integrated workplace management solutions to a range of industries across Africa, Tsebo recognises that staff are critical to business success.

Whilst it provides services relating to catering, cleaning, hygiene and energy, it also has a Remote Camps arm which trades under the All Terrain Services brand. Its purpose is to create a home away from home for the construction and resources industries.

Tsebo International CEO, Eddie Ueckermann, discussed with Business Enquirer the business’ path to becoming an invaluable partner and growing its services across Africa.

Circular Empowerment

Since the early 1970s, Tsebo has provided integrated workplace management solutions to industries such as Oil and Gas, Mining, Manufacturing, Banking, Health Care and Hospitality.

With so many competencies offered to so many industries across Africa, Eddie highlights a key to success is having robust systems and measurements.

“To ensure we offer the same high standard of service wherever we work, we ensure the same information is shared with clients across the board and use a standardised operating model. We also focus on providing the best training in customer service to our staff,” explained Eddie.

Via its services, Tsebo supports its clients in staff retention, by making staff feel safe, happy and valued.

“We offer an account management app to create fantastic experiences on a workplace camp,” said Eddie, “it shares hospitality information, any activities taking place and has a portal so that staff can give feedback on any issues. In turn, this helps staff to feel at home”.

And, according to research by Warwick University, happy staff are 12% more productive in their jobs.

“Data feedback is very important for our own business as well as our clients. We run around 2000 staff surveys a year, with the results coming directly to me,” shared Eddie, “we are also a chosen partner due to our strong ABAC policies and corporate governance”.

Recognised as a 2023 Top Employer in South Africa, Tsebo is ultimately focussed on employee retention - its own and that of its customers.

Eddie Ueckermann Chief Executive Officer Tsebo International

TSEBO - WORKPLACE SOLUTIONS

TSEBO PROJECT DIRECTED BY: GARY SMITH ARTICLE

WRITTEN BY: LAURA WATLING

Tsebo integrates the value it creates for its clients into its own business too, with Eddie noting that Tsebo has a low churn of employees with many staying for a long time.

“We are keen to identify and grow talent, mentoring colleagues into senior roles,” said Eddie.

Tsebo is driving localisation, with an aim of 95% local employment.

“There is a breadth of talent in Africa, along with those in the local community understanding the nuances of the location,” explained Eddie, “by combining international standards with local knowledge, we can provide the best service to our clients, as well as developing the local economy”.

The facilities provider trains 6-7000 staff members per year, and has a robust training programme of over 70 modules depending on the role.

In addition, vendors and suppliers to Tsebo also receive training, ensuring a superior, integrated service.

“We’re really proud of the e-learning programme we’ve developed, meaning that we can support colleagues, suppliers and vendors in every corner of Africa,” shared Eddie, “ultimately, staff are the first line of customer experience, so getting this right is important to our success”.

Tsebo’s approach to staff feels truly circular. Happy Tsebo employees means increased production, offering better service to clients. In turn, this creates happy client staff, and increased client productivity. It’s a win-win.

A Philanthropic Approach

Currently, Tsebo’s 33,000 staff are based across 3,500 client sites across Africa. To ensure a hands-on service, it has 32 offices throughout Africa.

“Our strategy so far has been to follow our clients, enabling them to have the same service from Tsebo no matter where they are,” Eddie explained.

2022 saw the acquisition of two new sites in Liberia and Malawi.

Eddie sees fantastic growth potential for Tsebo, with plans to expand into another three to four countries in the coming 18 months.

“For the last 30 years my career has been focussed on bettering Africa,” said Eddie, “I am passionate about Africa, its people, and ultimately making the world a better place”.

One way in which Eddie and Tsebo are doing so is by confronting energy supply, a scarce commodity in Africa - naturally, this makes running a business even more challenging.

YOUR RELIABLE CHOICE

Reliable food & Logistics is committed to offering solutions in nutrition to all customers in a cost effective manner. We go out of our way to offer the best logistics solutions to endear her to the Global community.

Our core values include innovation, client-value creation, integrity, and staff empowerment.

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American Gourmet

Le Blanc

“We are in the process of rolling out an energy management service. It’s a sustainable solution which uses strategies such as reducing consumption during peak times,” shared Eddie, “African people are very industrious but are failed by poor infrastructure, this new service is going to help businesses to “just run””.

Tsebo works at scale, allowing it to offer cost effective services to its clients.

“We add value for our customers by finding efficiencies and saving them money,” said Eddie.

To control capture and feedback of data, Tsebo has created its own data centre. It has built a skillset around managing data centres in order to service a new group of clients, in which it sees potential for growth.

The Pride of Africa

As well as being proud of its exceptional service and staff, Tsebo and its CEO are proud of the work it does in the communities in which it operates.

Currently, Tsebo is running 46 flagship projects across Africa, creating legacies in the continent.

Once again taking a circular approach, by supporting community groups and local businesses Tsebo is creating a network of skilled, entrepreneurial and ultimately happier people.

Amongst its projects are initiatives to develop sustainable businesses in sectors such as cleaning and farming.

“In Ghana we are implementing a farming outreach programme. This is creating “farm to fork” businesses, which can ultimately become supply chain partners,” explained Eddie.

Office; 0738579572

0723096797

marketing@reliablefood.co.ke operations@reliablefood.co.ke

“Whether it’s for our colleagues, clients or communities, we are passionate about creating a safe and transparent environment which empowers people,” said Eddie. www.tsebo.com

TSEBO - WORKPLACE SOLUTIONS

MAKING AIR TRAVEL ACCESSIBLE FOR ALL

On the ground, the Netherlands boasts the highest bicycle modal share in the world (at 27%). As well as bicycle, bus, cars and rail, it also has a network of boat transport.

So, it’s no surprise that they’re seeing success in the skies, too.

Leading the way in low-cost air travel is Transavia, who serve 16 million passengers from Netherlands and France travelling to 150 European and North African destinations per year.

Where possible, Transavia is now functioning at its pre-Covid levels, and Chief Information Officer, Jeroen Cornelissen, is positive that it is now time to invest in the future.

Low Cost, Local and Loved

Transavia, which is considered the number one low-cost airline in the Netherlands, boasts a fleet of 44 Boeing 737 aircraft.

The flight operator has been a staple within the Netherlands since 1965, and in 2007 it also established a base in France.

It is renowned for being accessible and affordable for all.

“The founder established the business based on the ethos of making “flying accessible for all”, and this is at the heart of our product offering,” shared Jeroen.

And, behind every successful brand, is a strong, passionate team.

“It’s important to position your people as the most important asset to your business,” explained Jeroen, “we have a positive culture which fosters an environment of learning from failure, being proud of the product, and being results driven”.

For its people, of which there are around 2500 in Netherlands, Transavia implements a human capital strategy which focuses on investing in and enriching its people, encouraging a happy employee lifestyle.

When it comes to modes of transport, the Dutch just seem to know how to get it right.

TRANSAVIA AIRLINES - AVIATION

TRANSAVIA AIRLINES

PROJECT

DIRECTED BY: CHARLOTTE ROPE

ARTICLE

WRITTEN BY: LAURA WATLING

Chief Information Officer, Jeroen Cornelissen

“We have created a friendly brand which has a good position in the Dutch air travel market, and that starts with our people who develop the product and are in front of the customer,” said Jeroen.

The Feel-Good Flight Factor

Currently, the business is focussing on how to create a “good feeling” for its customers - this starts with sustainability and the environment, something which has become increasingly important to the Transavia customer.

Of course, a port of call is to ensure the basics are being covered, such as garbage recycling and switching from plastic to cardboard on board, as well as planning efficient flight programmes.

In addition, it’s currently undergoing a fleet renewal process, transitioning over to a more efficient model of Airbus.

“Work is being done across the industry to test sustainable fuel and hybrid fuel options” explained Jeroen, “electric aircraft is also something we foresee in the future”.

The commercial aviation industry is seeing a period of twin-transition, with digitisation playing a role, too: ‘greening by IT’.

“Our new fleet of aircraft will be more digital, which brings with it opportunity and challenge,” said Jeroen.

Whilst digitisation of the industry will see more data being collected, this will mean increased data protection and more agility from Transavia’s business technology team.

“Digitisation will provide a platform for us to develop more distinctive, more datadriven products which will ultimately offer a better experience for our customers,” Jeroen said.

Flying into the Future

Transavia’s strategy focuses on maintaining and optimising its existing flights, whilst enhancing its product offering to meet the requirements of its customers.

“Logistically, we need to make the best use of the flight slots we have giving our Dutch passenger a good flight,” shared Jeroen.

The business also foresees a collaborative path for the future, starting with developing an efficient travel ecosystem.

“There is an opportunity for us to integrate products on the market to enhance our offering and improve our customer experience,” explained Jeroen, “of course,

“We don’t play the game. We change the game.” Are you looking for good IT talent? If you continue to search the way you always did, you probably won’t find them. Try creating IT instead of searching. Jeroen van der Made, founder of Createment, explains how.

Createment took the search for IT talent to a higher level. They do not focus on diplomas of years of IT work experience. Instead, they focus on finding and selecting profiles with a very high level of ability, aptitude, skills, analytical strength, logic and personality.

“We don’t play the game. We change the game. We only start the selection process with candidates who manage to convince us during our first two assessments,” Jeroen clarifies.

“Our promise to clients? A process in which the very best talent surfaces. Always. And talent sometimes comes from the most unexpected places. Last year, a dolphin trainer, a firefighter and a ballet dancer started with us. Now they are all rock-solid software engineers.”

“We train IT professionals in a world-class, pro-sports environment”

When Jeroen and his colleagues are in doubt, they don’t move forward. “We make no concessions to quality, willpower and discipline. If we are not 100% convinced about a candidate, we don’t begin our unique process. If we are convinced, we place our client at the centre

of the process: tell us your company culture and we will match your new colleague with the skills and character you need. We will train them specifically for this”.

What follows is the Createment differentiator: a unique assessment that enables a tailor-made training programme. A close partnership between our team and the HR professionals of our client is critical, Jeroen points out.

“By investing time, patience and a long-term strategic approach in creating unique talent, we achieve incredible results in terms of retention rates and diversity of the IT profiles we create. When clients tell us there is no time or space to train people, we always ask: ‘Is outsourcing or interim a better long-term solution? Do you have a plan B, or is it business as usual? What we do is not a magic formula, but a matter of hard work. At Createment, we train trainees in a world-class, pro-sports environment. Our track record? 97% of our trainees sign a longterm contract with our clients.”

Jeroen van der Made, founder of Createment

we can consider collaborating with car hire companies and hotels to offer a onestop shop for travellers which we do with Transavia Holidays. But also the option for customers to have a meal delivered in the airplane, or to have their suitcase collected and checked in from home. By becoming more data driven, the opportunities for Transavia grow in the chain of services. To fulfil this strategy we may support our staff in becoming more digital literate using the metaverse as playground”.

In addition, Jeroen is key to see collaboration across the aviation industry to share knowledge and expertise, especially in scarce domains like technology where there is a need to be distinctive or integrate third parties in a growing eco-system of technology.

“Its key to select and manage our providers of business technology on their product vision and strategy. For example, functional and non-functional. Do they

really understand business continuity in combination with agility and data management. At what level is their digital mastery?” Shared Jeroen, "Suppliers who have a vision and roadmap for digital transformation have a plus, if they can also show that they master privacy, security, compliance and observability. We want to be ahead; but safe, secure, affordable and sustainable!”

“As part of the Air France KLM Group and the World Aviation Forum, we already

have the opportunity to learn from our counterparts, but, as we step into Industrial 4.0 there is a lot more knowledge sharing we can be doing to optimise the industry,” he continued.

“At this stage, it’s crucial for Transavia to consider what our product will look like in two years, five years and so on, and become a visionary of the airline industry,” he said.

www.transavia.com

A TRANSFORMATIONAL PORT FOR THE FUTURE

The Port of Duqm is part of Oman’s ambitious Special Economic Zone Authority of Duqm (SEZAD) project. Established with the objective of diversifying the economy, the port is a Greenfield project and is fast emerging as a hub of economic activity thanks to its central location.

Initially meant to primarily serving the upstream oil and gas industry, the multimodal logistics hub also caters to numerous other logistic fields including amongst other mining and fishery.

“Whilst the port has been operational for already 10 years, we have also been ensuring that the infrastructure and superstructure of the port continues to evolve to adapt to the modern needs of the logistic world,” explained CEO, Reggy Vermeulen.

“The industrial zone and port have been built completely from scratch, including a fully operational airport and a heavyduty road network. We’re now at the stage where private sector companies can accelerate their stepping in to build future growth at the port”.

Broad Horizons

Now that the foundations have been made, the Port of Duqm is continuing to evolve for the future.

Throughout 2023, Port of Duqm has several commissions underway to develop the port’s offering.

Having undergone 10 years of intensive construction along with early operation, in 2023 the Port of Duqm is entering a pivotal phase in its journey.

GAC Oman

The Sultanate’s leading provider of integrated shipping and logistics services for 50 years

A key player in the region since 1972, GAC Oman today is one of the country’s leading shipping and logistics agents, providing a comprehensive portfolio of shipping and logistics services nationwide and operating in the ports of Muscat, Salalah, Sohar, Sur, Khasab and Duqm.

GAC Oman’s in-depth local knowledge, expertise, and global reach offer a one-stop solution for all shipping and logistics needs to support diverse sectors, including Energy, FMCG and Events. From ship agency to related shipping services such as husbandry, launch services and dry docking support, GAC Oman handles all types of vessels. Its end-to-end logistics services include freight services, project logistics, warehousing and distribution, land transportation, ship spares logistics and international moving.

The company is a registered member of Oman Society for Petroleum Services (OPAL) and has been awarded the Compliance Verification Certificate (CVC), which certifies the company’s employment and Health, Safety, and Environment measures meet stringent standards.

Sustainability

GAC Oman undertakes to adopt the vision and goals highlighted in GAC’s Roadmap to Sustainability, which outlines the commitment to “adapt, innovate and reduce” in its activities and working with stakeholders to achieve change towards a sustainable future. The Group’s goals are aligned with the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and cover three main areas of impact: economic, environmental, and social.

Visit gac.com/oman to learn more about GAC Oman and its operations, or get in touch at +968 2447 7800 / muscat@gac.com.

“The landmark projects of 2023 will be the start up of the container terminal and the refinery,” shared Reggy, “the refinery will eventually attract new investment in the petrochemical downstream industry. We are very excited about this major milestone”.

As part of the port’s development, a focus for the coming years will be its transformation into becoming a green hydrogen hub.

“We have a vision to support the implementation of green hydrogen production projets, which will support our development of a green steel manufacturing industry,” said Reggy.

In turn, Reggy foresees, amongst other, sustainable steel parts for the automotive sector will be produced at the Port of Duqm.

Ensuring the port has a broad horizon of opportunity, 2023 also includes plans to support the startup of the fishery port, which in turn will enable the port to offer a complete value chain from the sourcing to the transformation ending with the export of finished fishery products.

Driving Sustainability

Playing its role within Oman’s 2050 decarbonisation strategy, the Port of Duqm works with its clients on site to ensure that decarbonisation is embedded into their own strategies.

For the port itself, it has worked with the Oman government to procure hybrid cranes and cranes which are regenerating electricity.

From a digitisation perspective, it’s too early for the Port of Duqm to create a fully automated terminal. However, it works with its partners to implement cargo tracking and support client’s digitisation strategies.

Teamwork is Key

Poised to be one of the largest ports in the region, the Port of Duqm and its clients currently accommodates over 5000 employees.

“It may sound cliche, but I truly believe that teamwork is the key to success,” shared Reggy, “I think it’s invaluable to recruit people that are smart in their

field and those who can add to my own knowledge”.

Whilst Reggy notes on-the-job training as part of the port’s training development strategy, it also runs an exchange programme with the Port of Antwerp, enabling colleagues to be exposed to best practices.

Colleagues of the Port also have the opportunity to benefit from one of Oman’s many leadership programmes.

During his career, Reggy has had senior roles in businesses across the world, including Nigeria and Vietnam. In fact, Oman is the 10th country of residence for Reggy.

“My experience has certainly allowed me to learn the importance of being culturally sensitive and respectful,” said Reggy.

Prime Position

The Port of Duqm’s vision is to be the preferred multi-purpose port of the region, which through strategy and innovation will unlock the full potential of the SEZAD and support the diversification of Oman’s economy.

“The port is based in a strategic geopolitical position, far removed from the Strait of Hormuz and the Arabian Gulf. This makes it a secure location for businesses and industries to thrive,” explained Reggy. “The Free-Trade Agreements with the USA and Singapore add further appeal to the port being a prime investment destination for global investors”.

The development of the Port of Duqm has always been an ambitious project. With its growth strategy planned to meet the challenges and support the opportunities of the future, it will continue to be ambitious.

With the buy in and support of the Oman government and key stakeholders, Reggy is positive the plans will be realised.

www.portofduqm.om

INVEST IN OMAN'S FISHERIES SECTOR

FDO was established as the Sultanate’s National Fisheries Company to develop sustainable commercial aquaculture and fishing sector in Oman

ABOUT FDO

FDO was established as the Sultanate’s National Fisheries Company to develop sustainable commercial aquaculture and fishing sector in Oman

Fisheries Development of Oman (FDO) was established to develop sustainable commercial aquaculture and fishing sector in Oman through a joint commitment between Ministry of Agriculture and Fisheries Wealth and Oman Investment Authority (OIA). FDO is a pioneer investor in aquaculture, which acts as a catalytic initiator to develop large scale projects in the sector. First phase equity capital of OMR 30mn for investments in aquaculture and OMR 48mn for investments in fisheries allocated. FDO now have developed commercial fishing fleet, a marine fin-fish (grouper, beam, etc), shrimp & other crustaceans.

Oman Fisheries

Oman Fisheries Co SAOG is the largest fishing company in the Sultanate of Oman. We export our products to over 55 countries across the globe, providing them much more than just a wide range of whole round fish

Oceanic Shrimps Aquaculture

Oceanic Shrimp Aquaculture is FDO’s shellfish operating company. Currently the company is constructing two shrimp farms with annual capacity of 7.8k tpa, and in final stages of studies for a third farm with 24ktpa capacity. The farms will include maturation facility, hatchery, grow out ponds and basic processing.

International Seafood

International Sea food Company (ISFC) is FDO’s first value-add processing facility, with the first plan to produce canned tuna, sardine, mackerel, in addition to fish oil and fish meal. Construction of the facility to be completed in mid 2023, with a maturity output of 387,000 cans per day.

Driving sustainable commercial aquaculture and fishing in Oman

The fishing port and the fishing industries zone is considered one of the economic engines of the Special Economic Zone at Duqm, which will play a role in attracting local and international companies specialised in the fishing and its related industries. The investment also seeks to make the Duqm port a facility which targets environmentally friendly green energy projects.

Developing the infrastructure and superstructure to serve the port commercially is Marsa Al Duqm Investment Company. By doing so, the company aims to provide services to investors in the fisheries sector and fishermen from the local community.

The Stakeholders

Marsa Al Duqm Investment Company is a consortium led by a number of Oman Investment Authority businesses represented by Fisheries Development Oman (FDO), Asyad Ports, Al Wusta Fish Industries Company, the Omani Food Investment Holding Company and the French Port of Lorient Company, which is one of the largest ports hunting in Europe.

FDO was established to develop a sustainable commercial aquaculture and fishing sector in Oman through a joint commitment between the Ministry of Agriculture and Fisheries Wealth and Oman Investment Authority (OIA).

FDO is a pioneer investor in aquaculture, which acts as a catalytic initiator to develop large scale projects in the sector. The organisation has developed a commercial fishing fleet, a shellfish operating company and a value-added processing facility.

The Strategy

The strategy at the Port of Duqm will be implemented to enable local and international companies to develop the Oman fisheries sector and related activities. In addition, it will develop service and commercial facilities. This sector is considered one of the most promising sectors in

Oman and in the Special Economic Zone at Duqm (SEZAD) in particular.

The agreement aims to benefit from the infrastructure of the fishing port and support the re-export sector. In addition, it hopes to stimulate air freight traffic at Duqm Airport through export operations of fish products, and create added value to the fish wealth in the zone.

The Offering

The fishing port of Duqm is the largest commercial fishing port in Oman. With an area of approximately 7.5 square kilometres, it is suitably equipped to receive the largest international commercial fishing vessels.

The port consists of several facilities such as the main and secondary breakwaters, a 10 meter deep basin to serve commercial fishing ships, as well as a private berth for the Coast Guard Police. Its located near to a complex for fish industries and is supported by a network of paved roads which have been implemented to serve fish transportation vehicles.

Facilities have been allocated for the maintenance of commercial fishing ships, artisanal fishing ships, fishing factories, fish sale facilities, and a training centre for fishermen. The port also serves the fish industries area specialised in fish processing and canning.

The port will contribute to supporting and developing research and innovation, and the localisation of the value-added chain of fish products. FDO seeks to transform the port into a sustainable smart city in global supply chains.

"We are pleased to sign this agreement in cooperation with our partners to manage, develop and operate the largest fishing port in the Sultanate, which will be the central to supporting the fishing sector and its related industries. It also constitutes a suitable opportunity for attracting investment in the development of support sectors,” commented the FDO team.

ENERGISING EVERYBODY IN EVERY WAY

From humble beginnings in its first office in Leeds, Boost Drinks has grown to become an awardwinning functional drinks supplier and marketer.

BOOST

PROJECT

DIRECTED BY: GLEN NEWTON

ARTICLE

WRITTEN BY: LAURA WATLING

CEO Simon Gray

BOOST DRINKS - FOOD AND BEVERAGE SERVICES

Not only that, Boost has earned its stripes as a top three brand in each of its categories - Energy Stimulation, Sport, Protein, and Iced Coffee, and is market leader in Northern Ireland.

With British heritage firmly in its DNA, through its relationships with the independent retail sector, wholesale partners and events, Boost can be found internationally, too.

Leading the 35-strong SME, CEO Simon Gray founded the business straight out of university, and hasn’t looked back since. With partnership at its core, Simon’s driving a strong culture throughout the business, as it steps into a period of change.

Together We Succeed

With over 20 years in business, at the close of 2022, AG Barr (known for brands such as Irn Bru and Rubicon) announced

the buy-out of Boost Drinks.

Within AG Barr, Boost Drinks will remain a standalone business unit, allowing it to continue its planned growth trajectory and culture development.

“Stepping into 2023 as part of AG Barr is really exciting. It will support us in our continued growth, whilst we are able to tap into its vast industry knowledge and expertise” shared Simon.

Boost Drinks operates an asset light business model, outsourcing production, warehousing and logistics. With that in mind, partnerships are key to the business’ success.

“Our business has always been founded on developing strong partnerships, starting with suppliers. We’ve also built a strong network with local, regional and national wholesalers. We plan to maintain and evolve the business by continuing to develop with these partners,” said Simon, “I believe in the ethos “together we succeed””.

It’s unsurprising that on the agenda for Boost is further developing its environment and sustainable measures.

“Whilst we are not the manufacturer, we recognise the responsibility of our partners and support sustainable strategies throughout our supply chain,” explained Simon.

Boost has been working with its supply chain to remove plastic, use lighter weight packaging and log and analyse its carbon footprint. In addition, it runs a deposit return scheme.

Survival of the Fittest

Whilst the COVID-19 pandemic came with an endless list of negatives, it did give Boost Drinks the opportunity to show the industry what it’s made of.

Its approach to the pandemic focussed on two key factors - internal and external.

Internally, Simon feels the business was already ahead of the curve.

“We had already implemented many of the ways of working to come out of the pandemic, such as flexible working,” he said, “as an SME we were able to recognise each individual’s situation and adapt to that, putting mental health and wellbeing at the core of our approach”.

Meanwhile, from an external perspective it allowed Boost Drinks the opportunity to solidify its already strong partnership.

“We ensured to keep the communication channels open, developed new ways of working such as forecasting procurement, and prioritised stocking best-sellers,” Simon continued.

Ultimately, the pandemic enabled Boost Drinks to demonstrate its agility.

Not only that, it cemented its role in the community, by delivering care packages to key workers and driving recruitment initiatives.

About Expect Distribution

Expect Distribution is a transport, logistics, supply chain and warehousing company based in West Yorkshire. We offer a fresh approach, focussing on reliability, flexibility, and the profitability of our customers’ businesses.

Founded in 1988 with two vehicles, today we have over 350 employees, a 130-strong fleet and 60,000 pallet spaces across three warehousing sites. Clients include fast moving consumer goods brands Boost Drinks and Astonish, national retail chain Card Factory and customers in pharmaceuticals, construction, automotive and office furniture sectors.

Our bespoke logistics solutions

are typically offered on a term of 3-5 years which includes a dedicated Contract Manager, vehicles, and drivers; allowing for plans to be made in advance for maximum efficiency. We believe in building long-term partnerships that add value.

Boost & Expect

Having worked together for over 12 years, the relationship we have with Boost is a prime example of our bespoke approach which supports the growth trajectory of our customers. We understand each other’s business goals; aligning company values and ethos to provide a value added service with continuous improvement initiatives.

Our approach to the partnership

with Boost has been to provide a hybrid solution of warehousing and fleet operation, identifying the most cost effective solution throughout all stages of the supply chain. Regular strategic meetings determine the next steps in continuing the path of continuous improvement with clear actions determined.

Dedicated fleet in Boost livery enhances brand exposure and well retained, dedicated staff allows a high level of service without interruption.

Expect have invested significant time, passion and thought into their relationship with Boost and we’re excited to work together in this new era with AG Barr and embrace the opportunities it will bring.

“During this time we aimed to achieve 70% of our financial target, we hit high 80s and achieved record profits. Our growth plans weren’t easy to achieve during this time but they were certainly positive,” shared Simon, “I’m very proud of the business’ resilience”.

A Compelling Culture

When it comes to company culture, Simon, and, along with him, Boost Drinks, has been an early adopter.

As a leader, Simon has been self-taught, “nicking the best bits along the way”. He believes being humble, empathetic and inspiring are all attributes that play into his leadership style.

“It’s my goal to help to grow future leaders,” he said, “Boost Drinks nurtures an environment where colleagues have the ability to grow both internally and externally”.

Always learning, Simon turns to podcasts and personal development to nurture his abilities. In addition, he’s aware that by strengthening his team he can improve his own abilities whilst also achieving business goals.

As such, four years ago, Boost Drinks hired its first People and Culture Director. The introduction of this role enabled the business to crystalise its cultural message, directing a clear purpose, vision and values.

“I believe that we’ve implemented a compelling culture, based on the ethos of “energising everybody in every way,” explained Simon, “we’re open-minded but also open-mouthed, and embrace failure if it happens. I’m passionate about creating an environment where colleagues can be the best version of themselves, because the best version of them means the best version of our business”.

Leaping into the Future

A brand-led business, Simon described Boost Drinks as a ‘fast-follower’ with value for money credentials.

Of course, it’s inevitable that the business will have to fall in line with the cost of

inflation to avoid losses. Simon is confident, however, that Boost Drinks will still offer value for money.

Looking to the future, there is plenty of opportunity for Boost Drinks, for example the integration of technology to enable the business to work with data and insight.

“I’m excited for the future of the business, with the opportunity to invest in people, tech for people, and the integration of technology into our supply chain,” said Simon.

Naturally, as a fast-follower, the future holds exciting new products too, with flavour extensions and the launch of 500ml cans.

www.boostdrinks.com

Searches for ‘cancel Netflix account’ explode 733%

Nov 2022

Analysis of Google search data reveals that online searches for ‘cancel Netflix account’ exploded 733% worldwide on the 2nd of February, after the streaming giant announced their plan to crack down on password sharing.

A new finding by comparison site JohnSlots reveals that online interest in the term 'cancel Netflix account’ has skyrocketed since the announcement, according to Google search data, an unprecedented spike in people wanting to delete their Netflix accounts.

The rise in interest in cancelling Netflix accounts across the globe comes after the streaming giant announced their plans to restrict account and password sharing. Going forward, users will have to log into the local home WiFi network on which the account was set up at least once a

Dec 2022

month to avoid being blocked, a change that could affect up to 100 million user accounts.

A spokesperson for JohnSlots commented on the findings: “These findings provide an eye-opening insight into the staggering rise in Netflix users looking to cancel their accounts from across the globe. With the recent backlash over Netflix cancelling fan-favourite shows, such as Warrior Nun and 1899, and the frequent rises in subscription costs, this may be the last change that urges users to delete their accounts permanently.

Netflix themselves have already admitted that they expect to lose subscribers from this change, but they might not have anticipated just how bad the fallout might be.”

www.johnslots.com

Experts reveal: The answers to the most Googled questions about workouts

There’s plenty you can teach yourself about fitness, and doing so is not only useful for beginners. Even if you’re experienced with working out, learning more about exercise can improve your routine to see results faster or even fix any bad habits that you may have picked up. However, it can sometimes feel like there’s so much you need to know that you don’t know where to begin.

Fortunately, sports nutrition experts

Bulk have conducted research to discover the most Googled questions about workouts and provided their insight to help you reach your fitness goals.

“What to eat before a workout?” takes the top spot as the most searched for question around fitness.

It’s recommended to eat around 2-3 hours before exercising, particularly if you plan on completing a long workout. Eating a meal with protein before a workout can increase muscle protein synthesis, where your cells produce protein; foods like poached eggs and chicken breast are high in this nutrient.

Carbohydrates in particular give your body the fuel it needs to exercise, especially for high intensity exercises, so opt for including whole grain pasta or wholewheat toast in your pre-workout meal. However, it’s not always practical to eat

2-3 hours before exercising, for example if you like to have an early morning session in the gym before work, so a small portion of Greek yoghurt with whole grain cereal will give your body both protein and carbs without leaving you feeling sluggish.

“What does pre workout do?” and “What is pre workout?” take the second and third spots, respectively.

Pre-workout is a supplement usually taken by strength and endurance athletes to boost energy, improve workout performance and promote muscle growth. Common ingredients include caffeine, carbohydrates, creatine monohydrate, and it can be taken as pills, powders to mix with a drink, or even be combined with protein supplements.

Pre-workout should be consumed between 30-60 minutes before you workout – doing so will give you more energy to exercise harder and longer, and it can help to build your muscles.

“What to eat after a workout” is the fourth most Googled search term around working out.

Protein is the most important nutrient to consume after a workout to increase muscle mass; particularly if your workouts consist of lots of heavy lifting and strength training. Your body needs lots of protein to build and repair tissues in order to continue to grow them. For optimal results, try to consume a protein

supplement or high-protein foods between 15 minutes to an hour after your workout, which is known to be the anabolic window (the short time after exercise when your body is repairing and recovering).

It’s also important to keep in mind that 2.2 grams of protein per kilogram of body weight is the daily recommended amount of the nutrient to gain muscle. Consuming carbohydrates with protein after working out will also help to speed up recovery and replenish the muscle glycogen that you burned during exercise.

“How many exercises per workout?” takes the fifth spot for most searched questions regarding fitness.

The recommended number of exercises per workout ranges between 4-8 with each exercise consisting of 2-3 sets of 8-12 reps, but there are circumstances that can determine how many you do. For example, if you are training both upper and lower body on the same day, you may complete four exercises for each muscle group equating to eight in total, but if you are just focusing on legs it may be four overall.

Itisalsoworthconsideringthatfewerreps withahighweightarebetterforbuilding strengthandmusclemasswhilemore repsofalowerweightaresuggestedfor muscleendurance.

“HowmanytimesaweekshouldI workout?”placessixthonthelistofthe mostGoogledquestionsaboutfitness.

Aminimumof150minutesofmoderate activityor75minutesofvigorousactivityis recommendedtostayingoodhealth,with thatbeingspreadoverfourtofivedays oreveneveryday.However,itultimately comesdowntoyourfitnessgoalsand whatexercisesyouplanondoing.For example,ifyouwishtotrainbothupper andlowerbodyaswellasdoingcardio, youmayfindyourselfworkingoutevery dayanddoingseveralhoursofexercise eachweek.

Youshouldideallytraineachmuscle groupbetweentwoandthreedaysaweek andwaitatleast48 hoursbeforetraining thesameareaagain,andit’simportant torememberthatitisn’tadvisedtofocus onthesamemusclegroupeverydayasit couldresultinexhaustion,soreness,and injury.

AspokespersonfromBulkhas commented:“Workingoutgoessomuch furtherthanjustshowingupatthe gym.Ifyou’reeagertoreachyourfitness goals,it’simportanttoknoweverything fromnutritiontothesuggestedexercise duration,butit’sunderstandablethat itcanseemoverwhelming.Giventhe timeofyear,manypeoplemayhaveonly recentlyjoinedagymaspartofaNew Year’sresolution,soit’scrucialtotryto educateyourselfontheinsandoutsso thateachworkoutissuccessful.”

Theresearchwasconductedbybulk. comwhichisfoundedonthebeliefthat sport, health,fitnessandnutritionarefor everyone-nomatterwhoyouare,what youdo,orhowyoudoit.

Searches for red fashion skyrocket after Super Bowl performance

Rihanna Red is back

Issue

· Business Enquirer Magazine

Searches for ‘red jumpsuit’ skyrocketed in the UK, US, and worldwide by over 520% after Rihanna’s Super Bowl performance

The half-time performance spiked searches for red jackets, coats, shoes, and makeup

Rihanna’s redhead phase during her Loud era sparked a craze for red hair dye during the early 2010s, causing 11,000 monthly Google searches for ‘Rihanna red hair’

It’s official: ‘Rihanna Red’ is back. On February 12, the Barbadian singer, cheered on by boyfriend A$AP Rocky, performed at the Super Bowl LVII. And her fashion influence was felt around the world. The superstar made her mark on this year’s game in an all-red custom Loewe and Alaïa look, composed of an unzipped jumpsuit, leather corset, sleeping bag coat, gloves, and Maison Margiela x Salomon sneakers.

According to a study by Boohoo, Google searches skyrocketed by over 610% worldwide for ‘red jumpsuit’, an increase of over seven times the average, and 203% for the term ‘red coat’, after Rihanna’s Super Bowl half-time show. The same analysis reveals searches for ‘red puffer jacket’, ‘red boots’, and ‘red sneakers’ have soared 188%, 173%, and 78% worldwide after the performance.

Rihanna wore the all-red ensemble while performing 12 hit songs - including Only Girl in the World and We Found Love at the major sports event in Glendale, Arizona.

In the last few minutes, she donned an Alaïa sleeping bag coat in tribute to fashion legend André Leon Talley, which resembles his iconic Norma Kamali coat.

Talley’sofficialInstagramaccount acknowledgedthetributewiththe caption:'Whenthesunshines,we'llshine together.ToldyouI'llbehereforever… saidI'llalwaysbeyourfriend,'thecaption reads,taggingRihannaandincluding theSuperBowlhashtagwithaphotoof Talleyinthecoatmentionedabove

Rihannaalsoappearedtorevealbaby bumpnumbertwoonstage,later confirmedbyherrep.

Thesuperstaralsopluggedherbrand FentyBeautyonstage,whichsaw amassive1,860%spikeinsearches worldwideafterapplyingmakeupduring thesetlist.

AspokespersonatBoohoocommented onthefindings:

“Rihannaisawell-knownfashion trendsetterwithahistoryoficoniclooks tobackitup,havingalsowontheStyle IconAwardattheCFDAsin2014.

It’snotthefirsttimeshecausedredto trend,havingpreviouslysentredhairdye flyingofftheshelvesintheearly2010s afterdyeingherhairduringherLoud era.Googledatashowsthat‘Rihanna redhair’isstillGoogledover11,000times everymonth,showingjusthowimpactful herstyleis.

Sheisknownfordressingfearlessly,and inspiringotherstodothesame,which iswhyshe’ssoinfluential.BadgirlRiri knowshowtomakeastatement, and withthearrivalofbabybumpnumber two,wecannotwaittoseethenext roundofgroundbreakingmaternitystyle she’llnodoubtpulloff”.

https://www.boohoo.com/womens/

Picture: PA Images / Alamy Stock Photo

2023, A POSITIVE YEAR FOR PROPERTY

Shannon Everill, one of Norfolk’s highly established Mortgage Advisors, breaks down the benefits, whether you are a home-mover, looking to remortgage, landlord or first-time buyer.

Access to a Wider Selection of Deals

Mortgage advisors give access to a much wider range of deals than if you were to research the market yourself or go direct to a bank or building society. An advisor is likely to be connected to a professional network within the sector, and may be able to offer deals that aren't yet available to the public.

Expert Advice to Suit Your Needs

Sieving through the mortgage muddle can feel daunting with so many different types of deal on offer.

An advisor can help you to find the right mortgage based on your needs. For example, the size of your deposit, your income (or joint income if buying a home with someone else), and wider personal circumstances.

They will explain the different mortgage types, such as a fix or a tracker, and advise on the length of term and flexibility of deal

SHANNON EVERILL PROJECT

DIRECTED BY: JAMIE WAITE

ARTICLE

WRITTEN BY: LAURA WATLING

When it comes to buying property, the odds of needing a mortgage to fund it are somewhere between incredibly likely and inevitable. So going to the right mortgage advisor, rather than straight to a lender, can be well worth the investment.

All pictures: Didie Nturo

SHANNON’S TIPS

• You can secure a new mortgage rate six months before your old one ends, in the current market this could protect against sudden rate rises.

SHANNON’S TIPS

• Just because you think you have some credit issues, it doesn't mean you can't get a mortgage. Many people with 'credit blips' are still eligible for the better rates. If you have concerns, get a credit report and a broker will still be able to find you a lender in almost all cases.

depending on your current situation. For first-time buyers, an advisor can help with schemes such as Shared Ownership, First Time Buyer exclusive mortgages and can even explore the possibility of clubbing together and buying with others.

Help with Everything Else

Applying for a mortgage usually means lots of paperwork. With an advisor, having someone who knows exactly what documents you need and what forms have to be filled in certainly makes life easier.

You won’t have to handle the application either. Along with advising on paperwork matters, brokers also handle the application process and provide you with updates on its progress - leaving you free to focus on all of the other details, something invaluable at such a busy time of your life.

Mortgage advisors like Shannon have a duty of care to their customer, and are there to back your corner.

Shannon’s Journey

Shannon started out in the mortgage industry in 2018 without any experience or qualifications. Within 6 months she was Top Broker out of 25 at her firm. For the first two years she specialised in Buy To Let Mortgages - mortgages designed for clients buying property intended to rent out to other people, rather than to live in.

Opportunities led her to London where she took a break from the industry working for a private equity firm. After a short time, Shannon knew that her passion resided in the mortgage industry.

“It’s the one thing that I've always been really good at” she said.

Following her talents, she returned to Norwich, working alongside one of Norfolk’s top estate agencies. By her second month she had already completed 22 mortgages and after a six month review, the mortgage network stated that she had completed more mortgages in six months than a typical advisor would in two years.

Now, Shannon works independently alongside Linear Financial Solutions, a brokerage that exists to recruit and facilitate the growth of independent financial advisers and businesses.

People

We asked Shannon to discuss with us her greatest talent. Her answer was simple: “People”.

“I do everything I can to put people at ease and take on as much of the work for them so they don't have to deal with it, it can be overwhelming,” Shannon shared.

Shannon’s process follows two core values: honesty and openness. She puts herself in her client’s shoes, thinking back to what she needed when she was a first-time buyer herself.

Shannon boasts an impressive work ethic. She conducts her business both face to face and over the phone, at all hours of the day. One of the things that sets Shannon apart is her ever-growing dedication to her client’s needs.

“I have clients messaging me, sometimes at 8 o'clock in the evening on Sundays. They always know that they can contact me whenever they've got a question,” she told us.

She works to ensure clients feel reassured 24 hours a day.

Her expert knowledge means she also knows which lenders are most likely to accept and how to get the best terms. Her understanding of the market combined with and dedication to outstanding client service creates an enjoyable, personable experience.

ShannonisFCAaccreditedandworks underthePrimisMortgageNetwork -anetworkauthorisedbytheFCAto acceptfullresponsibilityforproviding acomplianceumbrellaformortgage brokers.Theyensurebrokersaredoing theirjobthoroughlyandthattheirclient isgettingthebestoutcomefortheir circumstances.

2022wasadifficultyearforthemortgage andpropertymarketbuttherearereasons tofeelhopefulthat2023willbebetter.Ina difficulthousingmarkettakingmortgage andprotectionadvicecansaveyoutime, money,andensuresecurityinsuch undeterminedtimes.

2023, A Good Time To Buy?

Whatgoesupmustcomedown.The wideningcostgapbetweenowningand rentingwillputhomeowningoutofreach formanyfirsttimebuyers,reducingthe numberofsalesin2023.Thiscouldcause housepricestofallbyasmuchas12.5 per cent, expertspredict.

However,ifyourodethestormofthe2022 propertypricehike,choosingtoholdout forabetterdeal,nowmaybethetimeto restartyoursearch.

ForShannon,herplanthrough2023is tocontinuetotakethehousingmarket bystorm.Hergoalistosetupherown company,employingasmallteamof skilledexpertstoworkalongsideher success.Welookforwardtoseeingthe yearunfoldandfollowingheralongside herjourney.

www.instagram.com/linearfs_se

SHANNON’S TIPS

• Don't assume that going direct to your own bank will save you moneybrokers may have access to exclusive products that you can't achieve by going direct.

• Consider speaking to a broker before you start your property search, you may be able to borrow more than you expected as all lenders will calculate the loan amount differently.

AZURE HPC POWERS WORLD-RECORD SIMULATION

December 01, 2022 - A team of researchers and technology specialists recently completed a ground-breaking simulation to study aerosol transport, and better understand the potential spread of viruses in packed football stadiums, setting a world record in the process.

Researchers from the University of Eindhoven in the Netherlands and KU Leuven in Belgium were joined by teams from Microsoft and Ansys. Their goal was to leverage the power of Azure High Performance Computing to run one of the largest computational fluid dynamics simulations ever, in addition to investigating aerosol transport in a stadium, under various weather conditions.

The team combined experiments and numerical simulations to investigate atmospheric conditions and aerosol concentrations in a stadium, using pointwise measurements. This would allow the team to better understand how viruses could spread among spectators, which is especially pertinent in light of the FIFA World Cup 2022 which recently took place in Qatar.

Matt Jennings, VP: Global Customer Success at Microsoft, points to the impact of supercomputing capabilities on researchers’ ability to tackle immensely complex challenges in the future. “The combination of technology, innovation and a laser focus on problem-solving is pushing the boundaries of what’s possible and bringing us closer to solving some

of the biggest challenges of our time. Supported by Azure’s supercomputing capabilities, researchers and innovators can now explore solutions that were previously beyond the realm of possibility.”

World Cup adds impetus to research findings

Football lovers all around the world have been enthralled by the FIFA World Cup 2022. The tournament, which is widely regarded as the centrepiece of global football and draws millions of viewers as well as hundreds of thousands of spectators from all around the globe, was recently held in Qatar, with Argentina emerging victorious.

In the midst of this engrossing experience, the spectre of Sars-COV-2 still loomed large. While significant progress has been made in the rollout of vaccines, in addition to testing so as to help prevent the spread of viruses like Sars-COV-2, there are still concerns around the potential of major sporting tournaments, such as the World Cup, to become super-spreader events.

The highly contagious virus spreads mainly through aerosols suspended in the air. Most football stadiums have semiclosed roofs, with only small facades in

BY RUDEON SNELL: GLOBAL PARTNER LEAD: CUSTOMER EXPERIENCE &

SUCCESS AT MICROSOFT

CO-AUTHOR AMIRREZA RASTEGARI, PHD, SENIOR PROGRAM MANAGER, SPECIALIZED COMPUTE ENGINEERING PROJECT DIRECTED BY: GLEN NEWTON

Multidisciplinary team achieves world-record simulation powered by Azure High Performance Computing.

AZURE HIGH PERFORMANCE COMPUTING

the ceiling providing limited ventilation. Aerosol concentrations can reach dangerously high levels in stadiums. Bring together tens of thousands of passionate football fans in a single stadium, cheering and screaming their support for their teams, and the potential for such events to become hubs of transmission, exponentially increases.

To better understand the spread of the virus through football stadiums, the research team developed a simulation based on the Johan Cruijff Arena, the largest in the Netherlands and home to legendary football club Ajax. Bert Blocken, Professor of Civil Engineering at Eindhoven University of Technology & KU Leuven: “Sports have an important role in our society. We started this project because we were concerned for the athletes, spectators, and stadium exploitation. After a large measurement campaign supported by Health-Holland, Sportinnovator and PlasmaMade, it became clear that further insights had to be obtained by computer simulation. The great support by Microsoft and Ansys in running these huge simulations has been instrumental in our success.”

Using Azure High Performance Computing, the team tracked the aerosol distribution of 30 000 spectators under normal atmospheric conditions through a computational fluid dynamics (CFD) simulation. CFD is the analysis of fluid flows through numerical solution methods that enables the analysis of complex problems involving fluid-fluid, fluid-solid and fluid-gas interactions.

The resulting mesh contained nearly 6 billion cells — a world record for this type of CFD simulation on a commercially available solver.

“Pushing simulations to unexplored limits, investigating situations that cannot be properly analyzed otherwise, and preparing for the future when these multibillion-cell models will become routine was the goal of this great collaboration,” said Matt Zack, VP Corporate Development and Global Partnerships at Ansys. “But giving

invaluable insights about aerosol propagation in a full stadium and its environment is an amazing achievement.”

High Performance Computing unlocks new research capabilities

To run such a large and complex simulation, the team needed immense computing power. They chose Azure HBv2 virtual machines using the powerful AMD EPIC 7742 processors, with 4GB of RAM per physical core. Each HBv2 virtual machine provides up to 340GB/second of memory bandwidth and up to 4 teraflops of FP64 computing power.

A total of 300 virtual machines with 96 cores each were used for a total of 28 800 CPU cores running on a total of 55TB of memory. The simulations used Ansys Fluent 2022 R2 with OpenMPI 4.1.1. The virtual machines were connected through a non-blocking fat tree network featuring a 200Gb/second Mellanox HDR InfiniBand.

Following the successful simulation of the Johan Cruijff Arena, the research team also

conducted a simulation considering Qatari weather conditions typical during the FIFA World Cup 2022 to better understand potential aerosol spread during a World Cup match.

Jennings adds: “The success of this project has provided vital insights that can guide innovation across multiple industries in the future. The positive implications of this herculean effort can help support advances in healthcare, especially genomics, advances in manufacturing, especially smart factories and advances in automotive, especially vehicle engineering, aerodynamic simulations, sensor performance, and autonomous driving. Azure High Performance Computing can lay the foundations for next-generation business models, customer experiences and strategic business value to be unlocked.”

To learn more about Microsoft Azure HPC + AI, visit https://www.azure.com/ hpc or to request a demo, contact HPCdemo@microsoft.com

Matt Zack, VP Corporate Development and Global Partnerships at Ansys

Matt Jennings, VP: Global Customer Success at Microsoft

A very fine mesh was generated to accurately model the exhalation of 30,000 fans

Velocity magnitude close to the fans and throughout the entire stadium

TRANSFORMATIONAL GROWTH IN BOLIVIA AND THE WIDER AMERICAS

Andean, which is a Canadian publicly-listed company, wholly owns Manquiri, the operator of the largest commercial silver oxide processing plant in the Cerro Rico in Bolivia - San Bartolomé. Responsible for operations on the ground at Manquiri is Humberto Rada Gómez, President of Manquiri.

Business Enquirer speaks to both leaders about the transformational growth opportunities of the Company and how people are at its core.

Bringing the Asset Back to Life

Purchased in 2017 from Coeur Mining when the asset had eight months of mine life remaining, Andean has continued to invest in San Bartolomé and extending its mine life. Now, it has two to three years left, with the potential to further extend by up to 10 years, and beyond. Since its inception in 2009, San Bartolomé has produced over 65 million ounces of silver equivalents.

The asset has also generated significant cash from its operations, and by the end of Q3 2022 boasted a cash balance of around $90 million with zero debt.

“Our strong balance sheet is a standout at a time when many junior mining companies need capital,” explained Alberto, “We are able to control our destiny. Andean has a strong foundation and a two-pronged growth strategy:

ANDEAN PRECIOUS METALS PROJECT

DIRECTED BY: GARY

SMITH

ARTICLE WRITTEN BY: LAURA

WATLING

Led by Founder and CEO, Alberto Morales, Andean Precious Metals is a growth-oriented precious metals company with heart.

ANDEAN PRECIOUS METALS - MINING

organic growth in Bolivia and growth via

M & A”.

Like many industries the world over, the last 12-18 months has seen global inflation. For the mining industry, Andean included, this has been compounded by by volatility in precious metals prices arising from the interest rates across the globe as they impact the sliver investment demand where the metal is considered as an alternative asset class for investment purposes.

“Despite the ups and downs, we achieved our 2022 annual production guidance and maintained our strong, and importantly, debt-free balance sheet,” shared Alberto. But, with challenge comes opportunity, and Andean foresees several opportunities to optimise production, reduce its costs, and grow organically in Bolivia and beyond.

The San Bartolomé plant treats ore from the Company’s Cerro Rico deposits and its ore sourcing business. As well, it is looking at ways to extract the silver from its fines disposal facility and process it.

“One of our most exciting and tangible organic growth initiatives involves our wet tailings, which has a significant silver and tin content. Currently, we are conducting metallurgy tests to assess the best way to extract the silver and are reviewing the financial feasibility,” said Alberto.

A Two-Pronged Approach

Andean is focussed on transformational growth, following a two-pronged strategy: organic growth in Bolivia and M&A in the wider Americas.

Within Bolivia, on top of its wet tailings initiative, it will look to secure new

Metalci S.A. is one of the principal suppliers of spare and wear parts for Bolivia’s mining, cement, sugar, oil, and construction industries. Almost three decades in the game give us the necessary technology, specialized staff, and expertise to serve Bolivia and other regions with export-quality products.

We invite you to visit our website or get in touch to learn more about the company and the services we offer.

contracts third-party material sources which meet its criteria.

“If we can find the right opportunity we may seek to acquirea new mining operation in Bolivia. I am hoping to see significant advancements in Bolivia over the next one to two years,” shared Alberto. A vision for Andean is to become a multiasset producer, and it is actively reviewing potential M&A targets.

Whilst the processor is focussed on silver and gold producing assets, it isn’t opposed to stepping into green and other base metals.

“Ideally, it would be a producing asset, or one close to production, in the wider Americas,” explained Alberto, “Because most of our team members are from a Spanish culture, we’re particularly interested in jurisdictions such as Bolivia, Mexico and Peru”.

ANDEAN PRECIOUS METALS - MINING

Working for the Community

Whilst transformational growth is a key strategy for Andean Precious Metals, itis clearthat the value it adds toits community is extremely important. Since its commissioning in 2008, San Bartolomé has established its importance to the economy in Bolivia, Potosi in particular.

With about 250 employees and almost an equal number of indirect contractor jobs from Potosi, Andean positively impacts the economy of the city of Potosi by ~25%, via wages, royalties and taxes. Annually, it contributes (both directly and indirectly) close to $75 million to its local economy.

“Manquiri has created an identity for itself in Bolivia, offering attractive wages, continual training and world-class facilities. We empower the local

community, which in turn allows us to secure our social licence,” discussed Humberto.

As well as its relationship with employees, Andean has secured itself as a pillar of the community too, by working with the locals to developing initiatives that benefit the Potosi surrounding communities.

“We work with many cooperatives and local businesses, supporting the artisanal miners, fish farms and the education, health and sanitation sectors,” shared Humberto. “Whilst we support them in developing their business, we allow them to thrive without overpowering their autonomy”.

Throughout the last 15 years of operation, Andean has been able to provide one of the best examples in the world of an

ANDEAN

effective working relationship between a large-scale miner and artisanal small-scale miner (ASM)s.

As the largest commercial silver oxide processing plant in Bolivia, San Bartolomé is playing an important role in formalising Potosi’s ASM sector.

“Andean works on the principles of trust, dignity and respect, and ultimately aims to create enduring partnerships and a future for the people of Bolivia,” said Humberto. Surpassing the Standard

ESG is inherent to Andean’s business model. In addition to social initiatives, Andean is implementing several measures to meet the environmental objecives of reducing its carbon footprint.

Currently, it's working with InnovaSol, a Bolivian solar power business.

The center word of our company name is VALUE, and this principle has been our purpose and our way of living for more than a decade. Value unifies the other two words of our business name, where MULTI means that we are not limited to a single view but are flexible. We understand the importance of creating different, diverse, and not single solutions for our customers. We believe in providing the best experience to customers, suppliers, and associates, which translates into great personalized SOLUTIONS with

Our supply portfolio includes products from top global manufacturers and industry leaders. Our list includes, but is not limited to, sodium cyanide, collectors, frothers, depressants, flocculants, coagulants, antiscalants, sulfites, sulfates, caustic soda, grinding media, lime, geosynthetics, HDPE piping, pumps & parts, antidote kits, storage

ANDEAN

Our primary advisory services are related to improving the efficiency of the Supply Chain function. We can help our clients assemble and train teams, design and implement purchasing procedures and strategies, implement the ERP logistics modules, and appraisal, sell, or disposal of materials and equipment.

At MultiValue Solutions and MVS International, we take “Value” seriously. That is why we are committed to delivering unique experiences that create valuable results for your operations, your bottom line results, and your ultimate goal or legacy.

www.multivaluesolutions.com

Contact us: info@multivaluesolutions.com

Tel/WA: +591 7203 3866, +502 4216 0247

EXCAVADORA 330

21 LTS/HR

PESO: 30 TONELADAS CUCHARÓN: 2.1 M3.

ANDEAN PRECIOUS METALS - MINING

“WeareworkingwithInnovasoltodevelop theuseofrenewablesolarenergyatour miningfacilitiesinBolivia.We’reworking inpartnershiptodevelopabusiness modelforusingsolarenergywithout theneedtomakeaninitialinvestment. Thefirststageisfocusedonthe implementationinourancillaryfacilities,” explainedHumberto.

Andeanalsohasastate-of-the-artdrystacktailingsfacility.

“Ourtailingsmanagementisakey exampleofhowweapplysustainability bestpractices,”theCEOcontinued Additionally,theCompanyhasbeen focussingonreceivingISO45001and IS014001certifications,whichareawarded formeetingenvironmentalandhealth andsafetytargets,respectively.

“Ourstaffisfullycommittedto supportingthebusinessinreceiving thisaccreditation,atestamentto their commitmenttothebusiness,andalso reflectiveofourinternalpolicyaround preservationoflife,”saidHumberto.

Transformational Growth Plan

Overthecourseofthenext12-18months, Andeanhasitssightfirmlysetonits strategictransformationalgrowthplan. Acombinationoffactorsmeansthatthe outlookisparticularlystrongforAndean. Firstly,itisbelievedbythebusinessthat thecurrentgeopoliticalclimate,andthe worldwidemonetarypoliciesfollowedby thecentralbanksaroundtheworldwill besupportiveoftheminingsectorinthe nearterm.

Thisiscompoundedbythedataaround supplyanddemandforsilver,showing thatdemandforthemetaliscurrently outweighingsupply.

“Withthisinmind,it’saninterestingtime forthoselookingtoinvestinourindustry, onanassetdiversificationorallocation basis,andourbusinessisawell-positioned investment,”saidAlbertoinfinishing.

www.andeanpm.com