CEO Digital Magazine Vol 16.4 by CEO Global Group

ceo

celebrating excellence in organisations Vol 16 No 4 - 2017

G4S Turning Security Challenges into Prospects

Sandton Mile Worth Its Weight in Gold

Bankmed Partners in Health

Ruud van den Eijnden, Managing director, HEINEKEN SA.

Customers

Winning with the

Paper Paper is a thin material produced by pressing together moist fibres of cellulose pulp derived from wood, rags or grasses, and drying them into flexible sheets. It is a versatile material with many uses, including writing, printing, packaging, cleaning, and a number of industrial and construction processes.

Before the

The pulp papermaking

process is said to have been

industrialisation

China during the early 2nd Century AD,

of paper production

developed in

the most common

fibre source was recycled fibres

possibly as early as the year

105AD, by the Han court eunuch Cai Lun.

324 litres

water

is of used to make 1kg of paper.

42% of all global wood

harvest is used to make

from used textiles,

called rags.

In 1844,

Canadian inventor

Buy products with the least paper

Charles Fenerty and German F. G. Keller

packaging. Encourage businesses that follow environment

independently

friendly practices.

processes

Recycling 1 ton of paper

developed

for pulping wood fibres.

saves around 2 584l of oil, 26 500l of water and 17 trees.

paper.

The modern pulp and paper industry is global, with China leading its production and the United States right behind it.

Paper was introduced to the

West through

the city of

Baghdad, Iraq.

Demand for paper

Reduce the use of paper

is expected to double before 2030.

cups and disposable paper plates by keeping reusable

Paper arrived in

items in the office pantry. Take advantage of the latest technologies like tablets, computers and smart phones to keep your files and notes.

The earliest archaeological

fragments of paper

derive from the 2nd

Century BC in China.

Northern Africa around 1100AD.

The Egyptians learned paper making from the Arabs during the early 10th Century.

To reduce paper pollution and waste recycle all your paper waste.

50% of business

93% of paper comes

The Chinese began to use paper for writing around 600AD.

waste is composed

paper.

from

trees.

EDITOR’S

note Collateral Damage

t’s hard trying to stay abreast of business news nowadays without coming across revelations of state capture. Increasingly a growing number of local and international companies are becoming immersed in accusations (and counter-accusations) around seemingly nebulous conduct aimed at securing business contracts with our government and state owned corporations. While ethical lapses do occur, the reality is that the apparent scale and level of co-ordination of the corrupt activities we are starting to learn about, are without precedent in our country’s history. As can be expected, we have seen a fair amount of verbal gymnastics on the part of the executives who have been incriminated by these revelations – some are belatedly trying to do the right thing, while others are only getting themselves further into the morass. In amongst all of this are the employees of the affected companies. In fact, some of the companies now tainted by this scandal have been past clients or service providers of our organisation. I have found almost all these employees I engaged with, to be hard working committed professionals who cared about delivering but the best for their clients. In the maelstrom of events surrounding these exposurers, their efforts are in danger of going unrecognised and their professional reputations are being tarnished. Perhaps, it would do us well, as we look at finding the leadership strength to guide ourselves out of this mess that we reflect on the resilience and commitment of these individuals, as inspiration for guiding us forward.

Valdi Pereira

While ethical lapses do occur, the reality is that the apparent scale and level of co-ordination of the corrupt activities we are starting to learn about, are without precedent in our country’s history.

CEO 2017 Vol 16.4

INSIGHTS

Sneha Shah

Local Presence and Expertise is Key With such incredible interest in Africa, several organisations have tried to manage their Africa business from Europe or the Middle East. This has not proven to be a successful strategy for most due to language, cultural and regulatory differences. For this reason, on the ground expertise is critical either through direct local presence or partnerships. Through local presence and strong local partners, investors can also demonstrate long-term investment commitment which is favourably viewed by governments, consumers and communities.

This is really the time for consumer brands who are looking for growth to establish African presence.

Sneha Shah, Managing Director Africa, Thomson Reuters

Africa has always been a continent that evokes fascination and interest and for many investors, it is becoming a key part of their global portfolio, although for some it is still a longer-term bet. The savvy investor sees that in an environment of global protectionism, technology disruption and all assumptions up for question, there has never been a better time to invest in Africa.

e have seen solid progress by several African countries to reform policies and institute strong governance aligned with international best practices to attract greater foreign direct investment (FDI) and as a direct result, confidence and investment have grown in key sectors. What’s more, the fast-emerging middle class in Africa is also creating unprecedented consumer demand and opportunity. As the second most populated continent in the world, with the youngest population (40% of the continent is under the age of 14), this is really the time for consumer brands who are looking for growth to establish African presence.

Africa’s Role in Global Growth - and Disruption With some of the populist and nationalist movements seen in the US, UK and elsewhere, investors may be tempted to think that Africa and other emerging markets will play a smaller role on the global stage. This could be a strategic mistake. Emerging markets will continue to affect the growth plans of every single multinational in the foreseeable future. The fastest growing consumer markets, the largest opportunities for transformation at scale, the most competitive global talent – are all coming from the developing world. By 2050, half of the world’s working population will come from Africa. The challenges in Africa around infrastructure, education, financial inclusion and employment/entrepreneurship are real – but so are the opportunities to solve these issues in a way that benefits all stakeholders.

Africa

Opportunity in Crisis This presents an unprecedented opportunity for investors, educators, social activists, governments and corporations to work together to create new, inclusive models for social and commercial growth. Never has there been a greater need for the ‘Responsive and Responsible Leadership’ and never has there been a greater ability for that sort of public-private initiative and leadership to have impact. Opportunity in Crisis Investors and leaders looking for a ray of hope amidst global geo-political shifts, economic slowdown in key emerging markets and the increasing pace of change with technology disruption and regulation, should look to Africa for an attractive immediate and long-term solution. Home to some of the fastest developing economies and markets in the world, with real challenges to solve and real ways to solve them in a manner that is profitable and has social impact, Africa is the land of opportunity and the time to get involved, on the ground, is now. CEO 2017 Vol 16.4

CONTENTS 10

REGULARS 1 Your World Unravelled

LEADINGedge Ruud van den Eijnden, managing director, HEINEKEN SA shares his views on the challenging local beer market and the importance of being a responsible manufacturer of alcoholic beverages. He also gives insight into what it’s like working for a large corporation that at its heart, still cherishes strong family values.

2 Editor’s Note 3 Insight 8 Flip Side 14 On Point 40 What’s Hot or Not 72 In Conversation With

STATE YOUR CASE

Cultivating Consumer Trust

34 ezClocker From a Wantrepreneur to an Entrepreneur

36 Nolah Sleep Embracing Cause-Conscious Consumerism

38 VBN Consultants Five Millennial Myths Busted

CEO 2017 Vol 16.4

70 Dr Isaac Kamamia Wa Murichu Selfless Service to the Community

44 Alternative Currencies Are the Future

The amendments to the FIC act provides institutions flexibility when complying with their customer due diligence obligations

30 Consumer Confidence

A Disciplined Life for Success

C-level executives understand that leadership is most effective when others are empowered, leveraging the span of control.

20 Bankmed Medical Scheme

SUPPLYworx

68 Awurabena Okrah

42 Empowering Leadership

The amendments to the FIC act provides institutions flexibility when complying with their customer due diligence obligations

Turning Security Challenges into Prospects

Focus on Excellence

INtheKNOW

17 FIC

24 G4S

14 On Point

Conventional money is managed by states and banks, with users on the receiving end of monetary policy decisions. By contrast, most alternative currencies are peer-to-peer.

14 Evolve, Engage, Empower The 300-odd Master of Business Leadership (MBL) and 11 Doctor of Business Leadership (DBL) graduates received their honours under the theme: Beyond 2017-Evolve, Engage, Empower.

GLOBAL Expand your business Horizon

LIFEstyle

Publisher CEO Global (Pty) Ltd Tel: 0861 CEO MAG Fax: (012) 667 6624 Tel: 012 667 6623 info@ceomag.co.za www.ceomag.co.za

54 Ford Everest Ford Everest 2.2 litre; Able and Capable

Chief Executive Annelize Wepener annelizew@ceomag.co.za

56 BMW

Innovation at it’s best

Director: Strategic Development & Editor in Chief Valdi Pereira valdip@ceomag.co.za

60 Tsogo Sun

Director: Corporate & Financial Services Carl Wepener carlw@ceomag.co.za

Sandton Mile…Worth Its Weight in Gold

General Manager: Global Services George Wepener georgew@ceomag.co.za

62 Mercedes Benz CLA The O so cool sporty new CLA

General Manager: Global Media Services/ Head of Production Channette Raath channetter@ceomag.co.za

66 Tourism

Journalist Andrew Ngozo andrewn@ceomag.co.za Continental Project Administrators Rumbi Chanda rumbic@ceomag.co.za

Explainer: The Rise of Naked Tourism

CEO Class Administrator Mandisa Mnguni mandisam@ceomag.co.za Client Development Administrator Bontle Mofokeng bontlem@ceomag.co.za

46 Marketing Made Easy The best way to market your business is by finding out how to get more for less.

Manager: Corporate Support Raymond Mauelele raymondm@ceomag.co.za

49 Top Ten Meeting Ice Breakers But how do you get people to participate and not feel uncomfortable with an ice breaker?

52 Africa’s Go-Getting Cities Offer an Entrepreneurial Launchpad In short, the city breeds fast-thinking sales people. And when structural changes help nurture their talents, good things can happen.

54 * No article or part of an article may be reproduced or transmitted in any form without the prior written permission of the publisher. The information provided and opinions expressed in this publication are provided in good faith but do not necessarily represent the opinions of the publisher or editor. All reasonable efforts have been made to ensure the accuracy of the information contained in this publication. However, neither the publisher nor the editor can be held legally liable in any way for damages of any kind whatsoever arising directly or indirectly from any facts or information provided or omitted in these pages, or from any statements made in or withheld by this publication.

CEO 2017 Vol 16.4

FLIPSIDE

Musical Cats Deal activity in the digital health start up space has grown by 20% year-on-year. It likely that as big medical and pharmaceutical companies start cosying up to tech giants that even more activity will take place in this market. With the doctor to patient ratio in most developing countries way below acceptable norms (the norm is 1 per 1000 citizens) the reality is this is going to a space to watch and invest in, we think.

Smile,

Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s The Law If you want to visit Milan, make sure to smile all the time. The Italian metropolis has imposed a ban on frowning. The city states that it is a legal requirement to smile at all times, except during funerals or hospital visits. Grouches who dare to break this regulation can face a fine.

A Penny too Much It costs the U.S. Mint almost twice as much to mint each penny and nickel as the coins are actually worth. Taxpayers lost over USD100 million in 2013 just through the coins being made.

CEO 2017 Vol 16.4

FLIPSIDE

Dead Man Winning How did it happen that in 1923, jockey Frank Hayes won a race at Belmont Park in New York despite being dead — he suffered a heart attack mid-race, but his body stayed in the saddle until his horse crossed the line for a 20–1 outsider victory?

Since Time

Immemorial Just when you thought that autonomous or driverless cars were a fairly new phenomenon, think again. General Motors envisioned driverless cars as far back as 1939 at the World’s Fair and by 1956 had a concept they hoped would be ready by the ‘70s. It may be a few decades late, but the Waymo self-driving car is here now!

Nine Miles Apart Africa and Europe are separated by less than 9 miles (about 14.5km) at the Strait of Gibraltar, which separates Spain from Morocco. The two countries are discussing constructing an undersea rail tunnel to connect the rail systems on the two continents.

CEO 2017 Vol 16.4

Winning with the

Customers by Andrew Ngozo

Ruud van den Eijnden, Managing director, HEINEKEN SA

LEADINGEDGE - HEINEKEN SA

Breaking into the South African beer market is tough at best, even given the fact that South Africa is one of the biggest beer drinking nations in the world. For HEINEKEN South Africa, a company whose international roots and reputation precede it, this has not been a task without its challenges. Ruud van den Eijnden, the managing director of HEINEKEN SA, says his organisation is built on five strategic pillars which it intends to utilise to further grow its market share. He discusses these and declares that more than profits; HEINEKEN is committed to growing with South Africa and the communities in which its brewery is located. Having worked for some of the world’s biggest and best brands, van den Eijnden states that when the time comes, he hopes to leave a better company in South Africa; one that can proudly share its local expertise with the broader HEINEKEN International family. Can you tell us a bit about yourself? With a background in economics and business administration, I started working for HEINEKEN in 1994 as a management trainee and ended up in sales. During the internet boom in 2000 I left HEINEKEN to pursue other interests outside the organisation, but it seems the green blood never left my veins! I returned to HEINEKEN for opportunities to work in the Netherlands and some Eastern European companies in different capacities, and for the world’s biggest brands. I also worked and visited nearly all countries in Africa since joining HEINEKEN. I assumed the role of MD HEINEKEN SA in August 2015. What has been the key lesson that you have taken along with you from your past experience of working for some of the world’s biggest brands. The fact that the brand and the country are bigger than the person has been one of those key lessons for me. Secondly, that it is all about people at the end of the day.

HEINEKEN is an old family business and that sense of belonging to a family is still something that is still key to how the business is run. That remains very important for me because I value family. And as you say, I have worked with many global brands before and what is true is that many things that one seeks to achieve particularly in a new organisation like ours, have been done elsewhere, so, before reinventing the wheel, I always consult with other colleagues. In all my working years across the globe, I have also realised that there are more similarities than differences in people around the world. In the global scope of things, how important is the South African and African beer market for HEINEKEN? HEINEKEN SA remains one of our key growth markets. South Africa is the 12th largest beer market in the world but for HEINEKEN it is our 19th biggest company. We are a very large company with about 80 companies all over the world. South Africa’s contribution is in the region of between 1.5% -2% of our global sales. The country’s difference from the many other markets we operate in, is that we play in the premium segment of the overall beer market. That goes to show that our business in South Africa is pretty important. Perhaps, to put it in further context, South Africa is the third biggest market in our region after Russia and Nigeria. We are absolutely important for the region and we are among the bigger companies in the group. Broadly speaking, what is your future strategy? Are you looking to make any changes or cementing your current position? We are looking to grow the business. Our brands Amstel and HEINEKEN were, in the past, distributed by South African Breweries until they were repatriated to HEINEKEN. This was simply because we did not want our competitors to continue looking after our strategic brands. Together with other partners in the alcohol beverage industry, we formed a company called Brandhouse in 2004. The joint venture served us well but, with our market share not growing, we agreed to separate from the joint venture and start our own HEINEKEN business in partnership with Namibia Breweries. There are so many opportunities in the market mostly because it is very big and there are a few players in the premium beer segment of the market.

South Africa is the third biggest market in our region after Russia and Nigeria. We are absolutely important for the region and we are among the bigger companies in the group.

CEO 2017 Vol 16.4

LEADINGEDGE GroupSA 8 LEADINGEDGE -- B2B HEINEKEN

The cider market is also big here. South Africa is the second biggest cider market in the world and HEINEKEN is the biggest cider company in the world. So, if you go back a year ago, we dissolved the joint venture and decided to take our fate in our own two hands. We thought that we could not realise our full potential with the partners who also thought the same; that with us on board, they could not grow faster. It was a peaceful and rational separation as it were. It took effect in the summer of 2015 due to, among other things, legislative approvals, procedures and labour laws. As such, what you see today is a brand new company. Currently, we have about 900 people working for us. There are also 600 external sales people. We have quite a big sales force now which means we are very prepared for our future growth. Of the 900 employees, 300 come from our brewery; 300 from Brandhouse and the rest recruited across the country. The sales team was sourced from two separate sales organisations. So we have roughly about 1 500 people who didnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t know each other until a few months ago. On our strategy, our company is built on five pillars, the first of which is brand innovation. In that regard, we have gone all out to actively market our brands at various touch points where liquor is sold across the country. We have equipped this organisation with a very modern brewery in order to improve our current brand offering and still be able to add more when so required. We are building a bigger portfolio than we used to have. As such, we will be launching new brands in the coming months and years. Secondly, we intend winning with our customers. This means fostering partnerships with all the liquor retailers in South Africa and, more especially, in the townships where they were not prioritised. When we took over, one of our immediate concerns was how to improve our customer service. There were no standards at all and this resulted in us losing a lot of sales. We have since significantly improved on our customer service in the last year. At the beginning, our service levels were always below our set target. This has improved drastically but we are still below international HEINEKEN standards. Our ultimate goal is to reach the 95% mark. The other major point is to ensure that all our brands are easily available to our customers as and when they need them.

CEO 2017 Vol 16.4

The third pillar is winning with [our] people. There hasnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t necessarily been a HEINEKEN culture in South Africa and so we have to try and build one. Because everyone here is literally new, we have had to create internal guides and policies to ensure we all sing from the same hymn sheet. In winning with people there are two elements we are focusing on - to develop a HEINEKEN culture and to attract, develop and retain the best people in to our business. Personal experience has taught me that South African people switch jobs easily. This is a lived reality for many, especially the younger generation. We are very mindful of this in our the retention plan. Our fourth strategic pillar is operational excellence which refers to doing things right the first time, every time. This is related to many factors such as efficiency and cost for consumers, customers and our people. So we try and disentangle ourselves from everything that does not add value or bring an income into the business. To date, our most immediate challenge in this regard is how to get our bottles back from the market because the cost to our business and environment where this is not optimally managed, is just too horrendous. We have put in place certain measures to ensure that we get all bottles from the market as well as gauge how much time a bottle is out of the brewery before it returns. It is still early days, but we are focused on getting this right. Winning with South Africa is our fifth pillar. Obviously, we are a company that wants to make a profit and grow our market here in South Africa but, at the end of the day, we want to achieve this in a sustainable manner that could also be of value to society. This, we think, is the right thing to do. The transformation agenda is very important to us. We have just had our first broad based black economic empowerment (BBBEE) assessment as the new entity and we are fully compliant, even though there is some room for improvement. Because South Africa is one of the biggest alcohol consuming countries globally, we will continue to foster a culture of responsible consumption. As the industry, we cannot ignore that alcohol can result in a lot of socio-economic problems in society, hence we should take a stand in so far as the abuse of alcohol is concerned. We will continue to focus on the

LEADINGEDGE - HEINEKEN SA

I have worked with many global brands before and what is true is that many things that one seeks to achieve particularly in a new organisation like ours have been done elsewhere, so, before reinventing the wheel, I always consult with other colleagues. younger consumers, always above the age of 18, because studies show they are the ones who are most at risk. The drought has made an already water scarce country even drier. As a brewery, we use water in our brewing process. We have a huge responsibility to reduce the use of water in our day to day production. A few consultants from HEINEKEN International have come in to assist us put in place concrete plans to save and reduce the amount of water that we use in our production process. We hope that this will be yet another contribution we can make in our own small way, as a water saving initiative for future generations. Water saving is linked to the various corporate social responsibility initiatives (CSI) that we support around the country. Other than the water saving focus, our CSI is geared towards developing entrepreneurs that can accelerate the rate of creating employment opportunities in the country. In association with the Dutch embassy in South Africa we established Orange Corners focused on just this. Our view is that we have very talented individuals at senior management level and it is incumbent upon us to embrace aspiring entrepreneurs and mentor them as they pursue their passions. This is currently happening across three different locations in Johannesburg. How competitive are you finding the South African beer market? The market is definitely competitive and it is only going to get even more so with more players in the industry. However, we need to note that it was not that competitive in the past as South African Breweries had the lion’s share of the market, hence the little competition. When we came onto the market with Brandhouse, they were challenged and had to up their game. With our growth and marketing strategy, I firmly believe that competition in this market is getting stiffer. Compared to five years ago, consumers have a much wider choice of beer to choose from. The South African market is unique in that the lines between beer categories are a bit blurry. With the many alcoholic beverages in the market the consumer has a hard time deciding on what they should have. It is this which makes the market extremely competitive and dynamic, and keeps beer producers on their toes. What do you hope to achieve in the next 2-3 years? The good news which was my key priority to achieve is that the business and all its brands are settling well in the South African market. At the end of the day, that is our main measure of success. The beauty of it is that this is happening across all brands and in all regions. All the underlying trends that I have discussed

above show that, although it’s still early days; we are doing things right. It is not luck but the result of hard work and perseverance. Thus far, this is all very encouraging but as an organisation we are more ambitious than what we have achieved so far. In the immediate future, we would like to realise sustainable market growth and be seen as a leader in the total premium beer segment. That is the core of the HEINEKEN brand. In the cider category, we want to be seen as a sustainable challenger while, in the bigger scheme of things, HEINEKEN SA is regarded as a great place to work. The good thing about our company is that we are a very decentralised company which means that a lot of power and freedom rests with the individuals. It is up to them to contribute meaningfully to the company. I would like to leave a positive legacy at HEINEKEN SA for many years, long after I am gone. This company offers great opportunities to learn. HEINEKEN SA is the best course that we can offer. The impetus, now, is on how we continue in this vein in order to create successful entrepreneurs in our organisation and for the country. Although an international company, it is also my wish to use less of our international experts and consultants but grow and develop our own experts in the ways of HEINEKEN here in South Africa. More importantly, it is worth pointing out that HEINEKEN International regards HEINEKEN SA as a talent hub. We have great people here and have already started exporting this talent to the broader HEINEKEN world. We are a truly global brand with operations in over 80 countries with brand reach in over 180 countries through the various distribution models. I will be leaving these shores in a few years’ time and it would give me great satisfaction if more and more of my South African colleagues are spread across the entire HEINEKEN world. Ultimately, it is my dream that our brand is seen as a force of good for the country by, for instance, creating jobs. We will go all out to enhance our transformation agenda because it is the right thing to do. We are glad that HEINEKEN SA is here, because we shall make a difference as we grow the business. The general public can also expect us to spice up the category a bit as we innovate to meet the needs of an evolving consumer. What do you hope people will look back on as your legacy? It will have to be my drive and my passion. I hope that people will perceive me as one who made a difference at some point in their lives and in the organisation by creating clarity and walking the talk. I would like to be seen as an individual who broke silos and made things less complicated for everyone.

CEO 2017 Vol 16.4

ONPOINT

Evolve, Engage, Empower By Dr Renosi Mokate, executive dean of UNISA SBL

The University of South Africa’s Graduate School of Business Leadership (UNISA SBL) has, once again, produced a stellar cohort of Africa’s business leaders which culminated with a graduation ceremony in Pretoria followed by a gala dinner the next day of the Class of 2017 in Midrand. Their graduation marks the arrival of a new crop of leaders who are anticipated to rescue South Africa and the continent from the jaws of various social, political and economic clutches they are battling with. The 300-odd Master of Business Leadership (MBL) and 11 Doctor of Business Leadership (DBL) graduates received their honours under the theme: Beyond 2017-Evolve, Engage, Empower. This theme, says Dr Renosi Mokate, executive dean of UNISA SBL, was developed to “inspire each and every one of us to get actively involved in shaping the future of our societies. Given the current state of affairs in our continent in general, we need[ed] to reflect on what might be beyond the year 2017,” she states.

CEO 2017 Vol 16.4

ONPOINT

he current crop of leaders, according to Dr Mokate, has not executed itself well in terms of dealing with such issues as slow/low economic growth, structural unemployment, inherent inequality and poverty. “The South African situation is rather grim because two rating agencies have downgraded the country to junk status and another is expected to make an announcement along the same lines in the near future,” she points out. This is a bad indictment on how the economy and the country have been managed and governed respectively. “It is at such a critical juncture that we need this new generation of leaders who will set South Africa and the rest of the continent on a brighter pedestal.” Dr Mokate elaborates that this has been exacerbated by the high level of social unrest characterised by violent protests which, sprouting everywhere and ever more regularly, cannot seem to be arrested. These have included demonstrations against big corporates which are regarded as the economy’s lifeblood. Ability to Create a Better World for All Dr Mokate urges the Class of 2017 to be not despondent because the recent events should not detract from the fact that positive inroads have been made by various African states. “I could argue that, now more than ever, Africa is at its inflection point. It is here that your leadership skills will be needed and put to test. I would strongly recommend that you, as the next leaders, look to history for lessons. History has taught us well that we achieve more when all stakeholders put all hands on deck to positively shape the country’s future,” she clarifies. Africa and her people have tremendous capability. Dr Mokate says we can achieve great things when we are engaged and empowered. “The destiny of our collective fate now rests in your hands. It is in that regard that I am imploring the UNISA SBL Class of 2017 to be responsible community leaders who take pressing issues to heart. Leaders cannot stand on the side-lines on matters of national and global interest. They need to be fully engaged,” Dr Mokate states. The Class of 2017 are the leaders whom the continent shall look up to as decision makers who have the responsibility to future generations of addressing the problems that bedevil the continent and its nation states. “We have all the confidence in you because we know that you ably acquired education from a world leading institution such as the UNISA SBL. We are assured in your ability that you will create a better world for all the inhabitants of our continent. Evolve, be engaged and be empowered leaders; the UNISA SBL is honoured to welcome

you into its fold and call you our own. Do your best for South Africa, Africa and the world,” she encourages. Guest speaker at the graduation gala dinner retired businessman Dr Francois van Niekerk, SBL Alumnus and founder of the Mertech Group and Mergon Foundation and cofounder of the Atterbury Property Group, has a single concept which he hopes the Class of 2017 embraces as they embark on their new leadership journeys. “That concept is sharing. It has sustained me for the past 37 years I have been in business and I have used it as a yard stick to turn a nearly bankrupt company in its first year of existence into an international conglomerate with some 200 companies in 10 sectors. I believe that embracing sharing as a leadership tenet will serve you well in future for many reasons,” he says. According to Dr van Niekerk, sharing is the very basis upon which businesses are built on. “Successful businesses are a result of partnerships that come through sharing expertise and skills. As you embark on the next chapter of your leadership voyage, always keep in mind that successful management and leadership is [defined as] achieving results through other people,” he states adding that the onus was now on the graduates to develop a new vision for South Africa and Africa as the new crop of leaders. Dr Mokate ushers the Class of 2017 into the future thus: “The entire team at the UNISA SBL hopes that you will find satisfaction in what you are going to do from here on and that you make an indelible impact on the world. Whatever challenges come your way, keep in mind that you are alumni of one of the best business leadership schools in the world. Therefore, never underestimate the potential effect that you will have on your communities, country, and the continent and in the world.”

A Rich History  The UNISA SBL was formally established in 1969 after the University had successfully completed the first Master of Business Leadership degree which had been started in 1965.  Regarded as one of the top business schools in South Africa, the UNISA SBL has produced more than a third of all the MBL/MBA degrees awarded by South African universities since its inception.  The SBL is driven by a philosophy of innovation, social responsibility, ethical engagement and global connectedness.

CEO 2017 Vol 16.4

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THE AMENDMENTS TO THE FIC ACT PROVIDES INSTITUTIONS FLEXIBILITY WHEN COMPLYING WITH THEIR CUSTOMER DUE DILIGENCE OBLIGATIONS THE AMENDMENTS TO THE FIC ACT ARE AIMED AT INCREASING TRANSPARENCY IN THE FINANCIAL SYSTEM IN ORDER TO COMBAT MONEY LAUNDERING AND THE FINANCING OF TERRORISM MORE EFFECTIVELY

he amendments to the FIC Act does not allow anonymous clients. Any accountable institution that enters into a transaction with a client, be it a once off transaction or a business relationship, must know who their client is. This requirement is so much more than just a tick box exercise of providing an “ID book and proof of address”. The FIC Act refers to “customer due diligence”. This heading is quite detailed if you are reading it from the FIC Act, but simply put, it requires that the accountable institution have a very clear understanding of:  Who the client is- Is the client a natural person or a company in a very complex structure? If a corporate, who are the actual natural persons controlling or making the decisions for the company?  The products or services being taken out with the accountable institution,  The purpose of the relationship. Where did the client get the money from in order to enter into the transaction?

The FIC Act requires additional information to be collected from clients. But at the same time the FIC Act now allows accountable institutions the flexibility to determine for themselves the extent of customer due diligence. This decision must be based on the money laundering and terrorist financing risks posed in relation to the client, the products and services and other relevant factors that may be taken into account by the accountable institution. To put it simply, the higher the money laundering and terrorist financing risk posed when these factors are taken into account, the greater the level of due diligence is required in relation to the client. Essentially, when the risk is higher the accountable institution is going to ask more questions and will require more documents to verify that the client information is correct. On the flip side, the lower the risk involved, the less questions and the less documentation will have to be provided by the client. What has been

demonstrated above is essentially a “risk based approach” to client due diligence. All decisions made regarding internal policy and procedures regarding FIC Act compliance must be documented in a Risk Management and Compliance Programme (RMCP). All money laundering and terrorist financings risks that have been identified must be documented and detailed, and the institution must be able to explain how they came to rating these risks in relation to certain types of clients, products and other relevant factors. The RMCP and its contents must be reviewed and assessed regularly. Two new concepts that have been introduced by the amendments to the FIC Act include;  Beneficial Ownership; and  Prominent Influential Persons (PIPs) Beneficial ownership refers simply to understanding the ownership structure of a corporate entity so that you know who the natural person is that ultimately controls and owns the company and makes the decisions on the company’s behalf. Why is this necessary? Criminals wish to hide the ownership or control of proceeds of crime by hiding it away in corporate structures and thereby still transact with accountable institutions whilst this person goes undetected. The FIC Act aims to increase transparency in this respect. Prominent influential persons are persons who are, or have been, entrusted with prominent public or influential functions (and their family members and known close associates). Given the risks associated with such persons, additional customer due diligence measures are required in terms of the FIC Act when transacting with them. It is important to note that it does not mean that these individuals are presumed to be

involved in financial crime. Accountable institutions are still able to maintain relationships with such prominent persons, but will have to ensure that they understand the nature of those relationships to manage potential financial crime risk. The seven pillars of compliance that arise from the FIC Act may be summarised as: Registration with the FIC Appointment of a person to ensure compliance

Training of employees Reporting

Recordkeeping *Client identification and verification

*Risk management and Compliance Programme

Reporting is critical and at the centre of compliance with the FIC Act. Information obtained through regulatory reports submitted to the Financial Intelligence Centre (the FIC), assist in identifying the proceeds of crime and ultimately aid in the combating of crime in South Africa. The concept of a “risk based approach” does not apply to reporting in the sense that there are clearly defined reporting obligations outlined in the FIC Act. The risk based approach will however greatly assist an accountable institution in identifying suspicious and unusual behaviour and report accordingly to the FI C. For more information on registering your business with the FIC, contact 012 – 641 6000 and select option 1 or visit www.fic.gov.za

CEO 2017 Vol 16.4

How

I Consistently Beat the Stock Market as an Independent Investor By Richard Kaufman as told to Karl Kaufman

How many people do you know, who, when asked about their investments, respond: “I just give my money to an investment advisor” or “I don’t really want to be bothered with the stock market?” What about you? Have you been reluctant to learn about investing your money because you’re afraid of the stock market or anxious or overwhelmed by information?

hen I retired 11 years ago from my career as a scientist and engineer, I had some anxiety about investing for myself. I was 58 and I wanted to ensure that I wouldn’t run out of money in my golden years. So I gave two-thirds of my money to a financial planner and kept a third of it to see what kind of returns I could get on my own. Well, my financial planner came back to me after a year and proudly announced: “We were able to make you USD100 000 (minus our fees).” They were shocked when I told them my returns far outweighed theirs!

CEO 2017 Vol 16.4

That was the last time I let anyone else control my money. As of January 31, 2017, my portfolio has averaged a 15.96% annual total return over the last 10 years, which includes the Great Recession of 2008-2009. I’m not a professional investor or a licensed advisor. I’m a scientist who invests for fun and profit. Let me give you a brief overview of how I go about consistently beating the stock market by investing for myself. You see, professional investors have restrictions as to how they can operate. Some might be required

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to rebalance at specific times or are not allowed to concentrate their positions. Others engage in the shady practice of “window dressing,” where they buy up their own stocks at the end of the quarter to boost their returns. The most important thing for an individual investor is to think for yourself! This can’t be stressed enough. The stock market moves in mysterious ways, yet it is particularly affected by groupthink and herd mentality. Sometimes, having a contrarian viewpoint can net you a lot of money if you are able to analyse a stock effectively and spot an overreaction to a temporary event. My top priority when analysing a company is the quality of their management. There is no true quantitative measurement that will tell you how good a certain manager is for a company. Technical analysis won’t offer any insights – this is more of an art than a science. The only way you can understand the effectiveness of management is to do your own research and come to your own conclusions. I listen to conference calls after earnings reports and watch interviews with CEOs on CNBC and ask myself, “Do I trust this person? Are they lying or hiding something?” It’s a little like detective work in that there’s a healthy dose of intuition required in order to analyse the situation. I don’t align myself with the conventional wisdom that you need to diversify your portfolio. In fact, my portfolio is heavily concentrated in just a few stocks. As an individual investor, it pays to be knowledgeable about a select few companies; otherwise, how can you keep on top of a portfolio consisting of 20 or 30 stocks? It’s just not possible unless you have a team of analysts and assistants working for you. Of course, it’s essential to understand financials and I am constantly looking at balance sheets and profit and loss statements, but I’m really concentrating on free cash flow. If a company is generating a lot of cash, they can put that back into the business, whether it’s through research and development, share buybacks, or best of all, offering a dividend. I look for the so-called “dividend aristocrats,” which not only offer a dividend, but are consistently growing and raising their dividend. I protected myself during the stock market crash in 2008 by owning stocks with a wide moat that paid a healthy dividend. In fact, these stocks wound up paying a higher yield since their stock prices had taken a beating. When there’s a huge downturn in the market, people panic and sell into the decline. It’s essential during these times to just hold on and weather the storm while still collecting income from your dividends. The truly fearless investors bought and added to their positions at a massive discount. Think of Warren Buffett making a USD5 billion deal with Goldman Sachs in 2008 – there’s a good reason why they call him “The Oracle of Omaha.” You’ll also hear time and time again that you must reinvest your dividend. That’s fine if you’re

just passively investing and don’t want to pay too much attention to your stocks (or are fine with mediocre returns), but you may not be buying at the best price. I am very much in favour of holding onto your dividend and saving the cash for a time when you can buy a stock at a better price than if you were to just automatically reinvest. Anyone who says they can predict the stock market should not be trusted. The stock market is unpredictable, history is irrelevant and there is no magic formula for success. Technical analysts who speak of 50-day moving averages and Fibonaccis believe they know exactly when to buy or sell, but they can’t accurately predict exploding phone batteries or Trump tweets. Since the stock market is so unpredictable, I only buy and sell a little at a time and look for long-term opportunities. I make only bullish trades so I am mostly buying, but when I do sell, I try to buy back the stock at a lower price, such as after an overreaction due to an earnings miss. You should be able to increase your long-term total returns by following this strategy. As an individual investor, you’re not handcuffed by the same restrictions the professionals have to deal with. There is so much information at your fingertips that the playing field has been levelled in favour of “the little guy/gal.” The key is sifting through all that information and properly analysing what is important. My motto is “No One Loves Your Money More Than You.” Stop listening to professionals – you have the power to make your own intelligent investment decisions and build your wealth! Richard & Karl Kaufman are the founders of American Dream Investing (www.AmericanDreamInvesting.com), a family-owned financial news publication and membership service dedicated to sharing independent and unconventional thoughts on building wealth through the stock market. American Dream Investing’s Private Class Membership offers exclusive access to Rich’s portfolio and information about each trade he makes, when he makes them. You’re welcome to subscribe and follow Richard’s investments as he beats the market consistently.

STATEYOURCASE - Bankmed Medical Scheme

Partners in Health by Andrew Ngozo

What makes a good business relationship to thrive? According to Teddy Mosomothane, Chief Executive Officer and Principal Officer, Bankmed Medical Scheme (“the Scheme”), a successful business relationship is made up of a combination of factors. Chief among these is a strategic intent to deliver and demonstrate unique value to your clients, and securing partnerships, with clients and service providers, based on this understanding. This is apt in the case of Bankmed Medical Scheme because they operate within a closed medical aid scheme sector dealing in the financial services sector. He adds that their success in the sector is further solidified by the fact that they not only have concrete relationships with the employer group clients, but they have taken it a notch further by placing more emphasis on the wellness of the member in addition to traditional medical aid cover.

“M

uch like the health and wellness of the economy is important to South Africa, so is the same for our employer groups with regards to their most important assets, their human resources,” says Mosomothane. As such, he says that Bankmed ensures that they invest in a unique value proposition for their clients. “What is important in this regard is nurturing the relationships that we have established and formed with the employer groups. We owe our continued success to the fact that our services are essential to the industry and our clients recognised access to quality healthcare and wellness as a business imperative,” he says. Mosomothane declares that they also owe their success to the fact that their strategies are always aligned to those of their member employer groups. “The healthcare landscape in South Africa, and in the world in general, has evolved, and this will continue. It’s either you adapt or you die. Hence we continue to pay attention to the alignment of our health and wellness strategies with those of the employer groups, to ensure that these are in sync. We deliberately tailor-make our service offering with due consideration to the different employer groups’ health and wellness requirements,” he states. In part, he says, this is thanks to the long standing relationships that the institution has had with key stakeholders and partners in the sector. Investing in Healthcare and Wellness Mosomothane further explains that one of the outstanding features about Bankmed’s membership base is that many members stay with the Scheme for many years,

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and this is attributable to their stay in the banking sector. This has allowed Bankmed, over many years, to have a fairly good understanding of the risk profile of its membership base, and this is critical. “We invest in the healthcare and wellness of a membership base that reflects a risk profile of a combination of relatively young and healthy members, and older members with different healthcare needs. Having been in partnership with the employer group clients for many years, we are best placed to monitor the trends and thus tailor our benefits to the needs of the members. It should be noted that the investment we have made in this regard, including our focus on wellness, has stood us in good stead. We differentiate ourselves through better value nurtured over many years, and our focus on wellness will reinforce this value, partly through the containment of downstream costs in the life journey of a member, while the member also enjoys a better quality of life as a result of timeous healthcare interventions,” he proclaims. The age old adage that says ‘Prevention is better than cure’ rings true in Bankmed’s case. In addition to the wellness agenda already being followed, there are a number of managed care programmes which include wellness support programmes, preventative screenings and other healthy lifestyle tools which are now in abundance in this digital age. Mosomothane says that it is important to optimise such tools as enablers, in pursuit of the objectives that Bankmed would want to see achieved in the healthcare environment. Although a traditional and closed medical aid scheme by nature, Mosomothane says the response of the Scheme’s membership to efforts aimed at refreshing the relevance of its

Teddy Mosomothane, Chief Executive Officer and Principal Officer, Bankmed Medical Scheme

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STATEYOURCASE - Bankmed Medical Scheme

service offering has been encouraging. The only way that an organisation, that has been around for as long as Bankmed has, can stay relevant, is to keep up with the times. This entails reinforcing your value proposition with relevant value adds, and innovative ways that make access to your service offering a lot more convenient. For Bankmed these include, amongst others, a wellness and rewards programme called Balance, offered only to Bankmed members; and a Bankmed Mobile Application, which provides another channel for Bankmed members to engage the Scheme with digital convenience. “Uptake and use of these value adds has been growing steadily. We believe that we are headed in the right direction, and there are regular awareness campaigns to alert our members about value adds and enhancements aimed at giving them best-of-class member experience. The Bankmed App is like a medical scheme in your pocket! Thus, there may sometime be no need for members to call the contact centre when their queries can be resolved via the mobile app,” Mosomothane points out. If an organisation as old as Bankmed is to remain relevant for the foreseeable future, he says that it is important for it to adapt with the times. It is not always easy to accept the inevitable change, that often comes with the passage of time, in the entire business spectrum. That is particularly true for a very old organisation such as Bankmed. Mosomothane shares that he has come to appreciate the way in which things are done at Bankmed. “On an annual basis, just as an example, we have to go through a benefit design and review process. This is an important exercise for any medical scheme because it is about its product offering, and always requires that consideration be given to a range of factors. What I have grown to appreciate at Bankmed is the richness of the engagement, the contribution that is made by different stakeholders in the discussions, the necessary tension inherent in the process, and the pursuit of a balance between different considerations. I have therefore learnt to trust Bankmed’s engagement processes (particularly with the trustees) because they often generate very sound decisions and outcomes. This is attributable to the collective wisdom, skills and experience of our trustees, and the prevailing culture at Bankmed, underpinning our way of doing things. So, even when dealing with occasional big decisions about change, I often have to remind myself to tolerate some discomfort, and trust the process,” he says. Bankmed is the only closed medical scheme in South Africa to have been awarded an AA+ credit rating by Global Credit Ratings (GCR) for the seventh consecutive year. Mosomothane shares that a combination of several indicators was resulting in the prestigious accolade. “That we operate within the financial services sector means that we are already held in high regard and have to conform to equally higher standards. Hence the AA+ credit rating was not something that we went all out to specifically pursue and achieve, but it was something that was borne out of our routine and general

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The healthcare landscape in South Africa, and in the world in general, has evolved, and this will continue. It’s either you adapt or you die.

management of our business. When one reflects on this, I don’t think that this is, at all, surprising. The banking sector in South Africa is one that is held in very high regard across the world. Hence, as partners with the banking industry, we cannot drop the ball. All that we did was to conform to industry standards, and the rest is history. Of course, what sets us apart from the rest of the medical aid schemes is the fact that we are the only closed medical aid scheme in the banking sector, in particular,” he expounds. At the core of the rating agencies’ judgement on any institution is the latter’s stability. For all intents and purposes, Bankmed has been a stable fortress that has managed its operational performance and reserves deliberately to maintain its better value proposition. Evidence hereof, amongst other value attributes, is Bankmed’s annual contribution increases, which have been very sensitive to affordability considerations, in the face of stubborn drivers of costs. “The agencies also look at the organisation’s solvency, liquidity, as well as the stability of our membership base. At Bankmed, our membership base has been fairly stable at above 100 000 principal members for a number of years now. As at 31 December 2016, the Scheme had 106 416 principal members (214 246 beneficiaries). However, GCR rightfully highlights the risk of the high concentration of membership in the top three employer group clients. In this regard, I think it is important for us to also highlight that this is not unusual in closed medical schemes, and the composition of the governance structures of the Scheme is such that there is appropriate representation of the key stakeholders, to inform the direction of the Scheme and maintain the support for Bankmed as the Scheme of choice. Given Bankmed’s better value proposition, stability, and success over many years, this is a clarion call to all those employer groups in the banking sector who have not partnered with us, that the time is nigh, for they stand to enjoy the value of our benefits from the day that they are listed in our books.” Mosomothane says that Bankmed aspires to be the only medical aid scheme that employers would want to partner with in the banking sector. He states that this is so because therein lies the opportunity to reinforce risk pooling optimisation in the most progressive and highly regarded sector of our economy.

STATEYOURCASE - Bankmed Medical Scheme

A Better Value Offering Bankmed prides itself as an institution that has a better value offering when compared to its peers in the sector. According to Mosomothane, it is important to note that this assertion is based on an independent actuarial analysis, and is attributed to a combination of factors, including Bankmed members’ risk profile, risk pooling optimisation, benefit options that provide more comprehensive cover, and the management of non-healthcare expenses within acceptable levels. The creation and maintenance of better value was possible because of the long standing and solid relationships with stakeholders and partners. The Scheme’s employer group clients attach significant importance to service excellence because high standards are a norm in the banking sector. He further states that staying relevant over time in a changing environment is also critical for success and continued livelihood of a business. It is about embracing a more integrated service offering such as Bankmed has already done. He says that the ultimate aim is for Bankmed’s clients to enjoy a one stop service experience even when there could be more than one service provider at the back end. Mosomothane emphatically contends that, under no circumstances should a client experience a disconnect at any point during their liaison with Bankmed. He clarifies that as they move into the future, this will become a standard norm of operation. Mosomothane is a seasoned professional who has held many high profile posts in his professional life. He says he has found out that one is able to thrive in a value system where one’s personal values are interwoven with those of the organisation. So it follows that Mosomothane and Bankmed are partners in the true sense of the word. “My value system is strongly aligned to that of Bankmed. Organisations spend a lot of time pondering and investing in defining and expressing their values, and it is important for the employee’s personal values to resonate with those of the organisation,,” he points out. In this regard, Mosomothane says that he values caring, fairness, prudence, ethical behaviour, honesty, and transparency when dealing with clients and other stakeholders in general. “One of my favourite point of reference, in interactions with stakeholders, is ethical behaviour. It goes without saying that Bankmed is an ethical organisation. If a leader lives and practices organisational values, it is easier for the same to filter down to those whom they lead. As a result, I endeavour to be the change that I want to see. My observation is that such a work ethic permeates to my colleagues,” he says. Mosomothane believes that an organisational value system should be ingrained in every employee; from top to bottom. Thus, Bankmed is constantly driving awareness on the same in order that the entire organisation speaks with a single and unified voice. Mosomothane explains that their interpretation of prudence, which is one on their values, includes the aspect of sustainability.

He points this out specifically because medical schemes are notfor-profit, but have to be sustainable. “This is therefore a critical consideration in how the Scheme is run,” he emphasises. Mosomothane believes that a leader should also set the direction for the organisation. “It is important that people should get clarity of purpose and direction. If we don’t set the tone at the top, oftentimes things can go awry across the entire organisation. I also believe that a true leader is one that makes things happen, and this is only one of the dimensions of leadership that we embrace, in the execution of the strategy that we are entrusted with. Scheme Management’s responsibility includes the management of outsourced service partners, including our administrator. If the outsourced service partners fail, it is Bankmed that has failed, and we cannot apportion blame to them for our own fiascos. Lastly, building the team and unlocking their energies is a critical success factor. It is important that you show those working with you that their efforts count. So, at every given opportunity, compliment them on a job well done. It may seem like a small gesture but the results at unlocking energies will amaze you because they have a solid impact in the long run,” he concludes.

The Medical Scheme of Choice Bankmed has accumulated experience over 103 years, during which, this prestigious medical scheme, has created and maintained tailor-made solutions for its clients’ health and wellness.  Bankmed was established in 1914 as a closed medical scheme for the South African banking industry. It operates under the Medical Schemes Act 131 of 1998.  Bankmed is one of only two medical schemes in South Africa – and the only closed medical scheme – to have been awarded an AA+ credit rating as assessed by Global Credit Ratings Co. This is the highest credit rating afforded to a medical scheme in South Africa.  With more than a century of experience in providing healthcare insurance, Bankmed has accumulated unparalleled specialist insight into the management of health in the banking sector. As a closed medical scheme, owned by its members, the needs of the members are instrumental to the evolution of the business.

CEO 2017 Vol 16.4

Turning Security Challenges by Andrew Ngozo

into Prospects Mel Brooks, Regional President, G4S Africa

STATEYOURCASE - G4S Africa

While many successful and big multinational companies will not dare venture into Africa to do business, the continent couldn’t be a much brighter prospect for a world leader in the security solutions provider, G4S. According to Mel Brooks, the Regional President for G4S Africa, Africa is the place to be and do business in, despite challenges across the continent. Brooks says these challenges can seem daunting for local and international investors looking to do business in Africa, but conversely create massive opportunities for G4S to work with its customers to find solutions to their security problems.

perating from 29 countries in the African region alone, G4S has a number of global customers already in Africa or who are showing interest to do business on the continent, where the security related aspect is significant. “Our solemn assurance to them is that we can be wherever they are and wish to be. Our extensive footprint in Africa enables us to better address the needs of our pan-African customers,” he notes. Brooks is a little more than a year and a half into his position and, already, the company is winning accolades left right and centre. He explains that 2016 marked the fifth year [anniversary] that G4S Africa region has been participating in the Top Employer Certification process. Does it surprise him that they have been awarded the 2017 Top Employer Africa status, for the fifth consecutive year for excellent people practices? Not at all; but the award is much more than that, he states. “What makes this even more special is that we are the only private security company in Africa that has ever been awarded Top Employer Certification. This is a remarkable achievement, particularly as the company has been awarded nine certifications in 2013, 11 certifications in 2014 and 2015, 13 certifications in 2016 and now again.” A Business Defining High Standards G4S’s solid people practices, effective training programmes and strong drive towards upskilling and developing its people, and the industry, have resulted in this international award and clearly set them apart from the rest. Brooks points out: “Our business is defined by the high standards and expertise of our people, and our customers rely on us to provide high quality, screened, effective employees to secure their assets and business activities.” Furthermore, they provide development opportunities to employees by giving employees additional developmental activities, special projects and rotational job assignments. For instance a one-time entry level security officer in the Democratic Republic of Congo has risen through the ranks to become a financial director in the company. He adds that there are also exchange programs and the provision of opportunities for coaching and mentoring. That is not all. Given the vast Africa remit and geographical challenges, G4S conducts a fair amount of blended learning for specialist or support functions as well as web-based self-study leadership modules, hosted on a global intranet and learner management system. In addition,

Judging from the South Africa, African and general global business operations of G4S, in addition to the wholesome embracement of technology and innovation in the security solutions provision space; they are way ahead of the rest and, indeed, a supplier of choice for the market.

employees are encouraged to take responsibility for their career growth and development. The Top Employer certification has strengthened G4S’s position as an ‘employer of choice’. The career centre attracts thousands of potential employees per annum in an era where potential employees are very selective in choosing their next employer. “Therefore, good people practices are integral in our operations and differentiates us from our competitors and bolsters our ability to attract talent. One of the reasons we’ve obtained Top Employer status is because it’s fundamentally underpinned by our company values. We treat our people with respect and we train them well. We pay our people fairly and they are well looked after. We aspire to give people a future and career opportunities and that is not always the case with organisations across Africa. The bottom line is that we aim to create meaning in our employees’ lives and in the lives of the communities and customers we serve, through providing our employees with purposeful career opportunities.” Global Best Practices and Technology at the Centre Cash transport, risk management, close protection, travel protection and protection of infrastructure and assets are among

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STATEYOURCASE - G4S Africa

the main security services required on the continent. Brooks notes that what is really exciting is that there is a huge potential to deliver innovation through technology solutions that are changing many of the industry’s dynamics. “To successfully deliver these services along with supporting solutions such as guarding, surveillance and access control, it is necessary to draw on global best practices and expertise, as well as local knowledge and attendant cultural understanding of local challenges, and how to tackle them.” Having said that, what Brooks has quickly realised after joining the region is that the company’s employees in Africa are G4S’s biggest asset. “They are passionate people who have the local knowledge and expertise to turn our customers’ security challenges in Africa into opportunities,” he explains. G4S is increasingly gaining a reputation as a company that offers innovative technological solutions to clients. Brooks believes that the future of the security industry will be heavily influenced by technology and that there is huge potential for technology in the African market. “Although our prime regional focus will continue to be our core services of manned guarding, cash security and facilities management, the intention is also to bring new energy and innovation to our electronic security sector and its consultancy services in Africa,” he reveals. Typically these technological innovations include: advanced access control systems and video and image analytics software, with integration software that connects and controls multiple devices to create an end-to-end security solution. The future of cash management systems, such as G4S’s Deposita products, is changing with many financial organisations embracing automation throughout the lifecycle of cash. He elaborates that: “We have already entered the era of the Internet of Things – our physical security devices, such as our security cameras, turnstiles, communications systems, cash acceptance devices, vehicles and vehicle barriers are able to interconnect with our customer’s already existing enterprise relationship platforms [ERP’s]. The transition from the analogue to a digital era, now allows us to innovatively work with our customers to assure that our security products and services are integrated successfully with our customers’ systems, meeting, and in most cases, exceeding our customers’ requirements.” A good example demonstrating how technology and innovation has already transformed the industry is to look at the already aforementioned Deposita Bank Cash Acceptance Device that G4S has developed for the banking sector. The solution enables the customer to do an assisted and or nonassisted deposit without using the traditional bank teller. The system recognises the deposited value, detects counterfeit currency and unfit notes and then deposits the cash securely. The customer receives realtime value for the cash deposited. By automating the process of depositing cash and by integrating the technology with the bank’s system, it increases the speed of deposit transactions, minimises overheads and also reduces the cash-in-transit and processing costs by ensuring the cash

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Brooks is a little more than a year into his position and, already, the company is winning accolades left right and centre.

is processed closer to the source. “This is the first time that this technology has been developed specifically for the banking sector in Africa,” adds Brooks. The opportunities that exist within the security industry to incorporate technology are infinite and G4S has the right people, expertise, range of services, footprint and partners in Africa to make innovative technology projects come together for the customer. They believe IoT solutions are an integral part of their strategy to link traditional security solutions into the customer’s journey to become fully digital. Endless Future Possibilities Operating in a highly competitive field means that G4S has to be at the top of its game all the time. Thus, says Brooks, G4S distinguishes itself by offering its customers the best quality and consistency in services, products and innovative solutions. He clarifies: “We develop long-term strategic partnerships with customers in key sectors where we can help them to deliver their own business objectives through either increasing their revenues, reducing costs, managing risks, protecting critical assets or improving their service delivery to the customers they serve.” According to him, this is done by understanding the environments in which “our customers operate, the pressures they face and the things that matter to them. By understanding the bigger picture and applying our expertise and knowledge derived from providing security solutions in diverse regulatory environments in over 100 countries around the world and 29 countries in Africa, we turn our customers’ security challenges into prospects.” He adds that integrity is one of G4S’s core corporate values – it is a vital part of the organisational strategy and forms the essential foundation on which they carry out their business and their best people practices. “I believe that our policies and standards on health and safety, business ethics, whistleblowing and human rights are robust and well respected in the industry. Customers and employees alike, want to be associated with an ethical company that fulfils its due diligence obligations.” Judging from the South Africa, African and general global business operations of G4S, in addition to the wholesome embracement of technology and innovation in the security solutions provision space; they are way ahead of the rest and, indeed a supplier of choice for the market. Says Brooks: “I trust

STATEYOURCASE - G4S Africa

The Largest, the Oldest and the Best By Far G4S is the largest security company in Africa; operating from 29 countries with more than 119 000 employees and boasting of more than 100 years’ experience of helping people to operate in secure environments.  It is one of the largest security services providers in the world, with operations in more than 100 countries across six continents.  Voted the Top Employer in 13 African countries in 2017 G4S is the largest security company in Africa, largest private security employer in Africa and second largest sector employer in the world.  G4S plays an important role in society; making a difference by helping people operate in a safe and secure environment where they can thrive and prosper.  It has a history dating back to 1957 in South Africa but has been around for much longer internationally.  The G4S group of companies can trace its roots back to 1901 as “Kjøbenhavn Frederiksberg Nattevagt” in Scandinavia.  The G4S brand is a product of a merger between Group 4 Falck and Securicor in 2004.  On 1 June 2007 the company officially became known as G4S and the group subsequently dropped ‘Group 4 Securicor’ from its branding in January 2009.  For the G4S business, it is all about relationships and they are proud to have built longstanding relationships with their stakeholders by living their group values which are: customer focus, best people, expertise, performance, teamwork and collaboration as well as safety first.

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STATEYOURCASE - G4S Africa

that our customers will continue to experience our excellence in customer service and that this constant would drive longterm sustainable relationships with them. We will aim to work even closer with our customers to better understand their needs and to help them find new and exciting solutions for their security problems.” G4S has experienced a great deal of success with new innovations that have been introduced into the Africa market recently, including the Bank Cash Accepting Device for Capitec, the mobile banking solution or ‘Bank-in-a-Box’ offering rural banking services, and an e-commerce solution for OLX in Kenya. The company, explains Brooks, is focussed on continuing to tailor these services so that they constantly meet the changing needs of the customer. Shedding more light into the immediate future, he shares that they also plan to further expand their technology offering to customers. “We can be where our customers are and produce the advanced solutions that our customers need us to create. I am especially excited about the prospects that system and product integration holds – the possibilities are endless and would bring great advantages to both our customers and to G4S, such as greater efficiencies, cost savings, better control, decreased risk and a better and safer working environment for all,” he assures. Brooks adds that the group, has a huge cash solutions line and technology centres in the US, Europe and Africa. South Africa is, and has been, the front line for G4S hardware development, particularly around the Deposita business which they bought many years ago. They have merged technology developed in South Africa with the capability and competence from their US colleagues and now “we have local technical expertise and global innovation to enable us to provide a compelling solution”. Towards Zero Harm As a professional and business leader in his own right, Brooks’ career spans many years in different territories across the globe. Needless to say, with Brooks at the helm of its African operations, G4S Africa is sure to be a melting pot for the best talent and products in the industry. He shares that with more than 119 000 employees working in diverse environments across the Africa region, being a reliable and ethical employer is, of course, a

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top priority. “Our employees are the heartbeat of our company and we simply cannot afford to compromise when it comes to their health, safety or wellbeing. We have invested significantly in improving our health and safety management and training capability across the region. Although we have seen significant improvement over the last couple of years, we are yet to achieve our goal of ‘Zero Harm’. We remain committed to always doing more to improve our health and safety record,” he clarifies. Throughout his career, Brooks says he has learnt that the development and training of one’s people is [perhaps] the most important investment a business will ever make. He pronounces that: “People are our brand, our image, our product and our service. Without quality people, our business cannot offer quality to customers. In Africa, G4S understands the importance of employing good people, investing in their development and has been recognised as one of the leaders in this field. With any growing economy, one of the key requirements is to drive education, training and development.” A big percentage of G4S personnel are under 25 and so programmes they put in place, such as their Learnership Programme in South Africa, are there to help them establish the workforce of the future and to develop skills that their market and their business will require going forward. Brooks has extensive experience in a number of senior line and functional roles in the defence and technology industry which he brings to the table. Therefore, he is keen to modernise the business and integrate technology as an aid where possible. He says that he believes that technology and innovation will be key to reaching G4S’s business objectives on the continent. “My aim is to maximise the opportunity throughout Africa. As such, I am eager to make G4S a valued partner with our Africa customers through the provision of high value security services to secure their world. Delivery of service excellence and consistency are among the non-negotiables.” Brookes concludes that it is important to recognise that the sustainable growth of the business also depends on their unwavering commitment to good corporate governance, proactively identifying and mitigating risks, and the sound partnerships that they build with local communities.

 Credibility Cultivating Consumer Trust  Millennials Five Myths Busted  Entrepreneurship

From a Wantrepreneur to an Entrepreneur

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Cultivating

Consumer Trust By Merilee Kern, MBA

The retail industry crisis has been well-reported, particularly with respect to dwindling foot traffic to brick-and-mortar stores. However, even as consumers turn to shopping online and via mobile devices in droves, it’s shocking to learn that fully 97% of visitors to e-commerce and other sales-minded sites bail out without purchasing on their first visit. As concerning, is that approximately 70% of shoppers who do add items to their online shopping cart do not complete the purchase. Amid improved consumer confidence, with the April 2015 confidence index of 95.2 well above April 2014’s 81.7 rating, clearly there’s a severe disconnect between vendors and the marketplaces they hope to serve—a situation resulting in some serious economic opportunity loss. These disparities are also among the biggest misperceptions that both online and offline marketers hold.

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ar too many companies are churning out traditional sales lingo laced with fluff and vague, or entirely overinflated claims, spending paltry little time and energy establishing credibility with prospective customers. And, the mission critical nature of credibility cannot be overstated, as it establishes a company or brand’s integrity, reliability, validity, soundness and a host of other imageincluding indicators of an entity’s moral and ethical code, and the standards by which it operates. At the most fundamental level, credibility translates into trust, and trust translates into sales. “Today’s consumer is quite savvy, but is often overloaded, over-committed, and overdue for a vacation and, thus, easily annoyed,” asserts Brian Greenberg, a multi-faceted serial entrepreneur who has spearheaded and oversees a variety of successful businesses. “From telemarketer calls coming in at dinnertime or, worse, before the alarm sounds in the morning; an endless stream of SPAM e-mails jamming inboxes; and mailboxes overflowing with white mail that proceeds directly to the recycle trash bin, statistics show that consumers can be bombarded with more than 300 000 messages every day. This overwhelming demand for consumer attention and rands has created a market filled with cynics, whose defences are on full alert.” This heightened emotional state is working against commonplace sales tactics that are hyper-focused on getting to the close, rather than getting to know the consumer—and vice versa. Often, brand marketers fail to realise the sale begins and ends with authentic connection on both sides. “Consumers need an advocate,” Greenberg says. “Amid all of the marketplace ‘noise,’ there is an incredible opportunity right now for customercentric brands to cut through the clutter. One way to do this is by establishing credibility with consumers. Companies that do this effectively will most certainly amass market share.” “What I’ve learned over the years is that shoppers go through different phases, such as interest, awareness and action, before transitioning to the ‘buying’ stage,” he continues. “However, the successful marketer offers multiple ways to prove the company and/or the product’s credibility through meaningful and relevant engagements that will carry a consumer through the emotional

At the most fundamental level, credibility translates into trust, and trust translates into sales. continuum of interest to final sale…and referrals and recommendations to others beyond.” Below, Greenberg offers four proven tactics he’s learned on the sales and marketing front line, which are critical to building a loyal client base and ultimately boosting revenue in kind: Righteous Reviews Studies show that, in general, people like to do what others are doing, especially in situations where they feel insecure. That fact can be emphasised by another fairly understandable statistic: Customers are more likely to make a purchase from an entity that can produce favourable reviews about their product, service or company. In fact, according to a new survey conducted by Dimensional Research, an overwhelming 90% of respondents who recalled reading online reviews claimed that positive online reviews influenced buying decisions, while 86% said buying decisions were influenced by negative online reviews. This can best be accomplished by deciphering what stage of the buying cycle the visitor is in, and then publishing or offering real and applicable reviews and testimonials allowing potential buyers to align themselves with others who have made purchase decisions. And, given the different stages of the buying process, it’s essential to showcase reviews and testimonials that touch on more than one aspect of a previous buyer’s experience. Prospects want to know that the person who wrote the review really exists so be sure to list real names (with permission of course). And, if you sell to other businesses, also list job titles and the companies they represent. It’s also advisable for marketers and business owners to take proactive steps to encourage buyers to provide written reviews, whether through a dedicated web page, a follow-up email or phone call, or a reminder next time they stop by to shop with you. The Science of Social Proof Simply put, social proof is influence created when one discovers that others are doing something. While reviews and testimonials are two of the most persuasive forms of social proof as detailed above, there are other important considerations. We now know that—with the rise of Internet sales and social media—potential buyers can amass a great deal of information even before visiting a store or certainly making a purchase. Endorsements from organisations or celebrities with a positive public image and “wisdom of the crowds,” can definitely provide the

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emotional risk relief needed to close a sale. Social media also presents tremendous image opportunity. For example, Facebook is considered the “most effective” of the social media sites. “Likes” on Facebook are positive reviews about your products or services and ultimately show potential users that your brand can be trusted. Another highly effective brand-builder is publicity! Being mentioned in the media is extraordinarily effective as having your brand or company featured, or offering expert source “thought leader” commentary, is essentially an implied endorsement from the media outlet in which it runs. Of course, it’s imperative to leverage these public relations “wins” in your sales, marketing and business development efforts. Transparency Translates The word “sales” has become synonymous with “hype.” Modern consumerism is now based on transparency. This asks that we operate with openness, clear communication and accountability. A marketer that truly cares about the prospect’s perceptions and experience will have nothing to hide. Ensure marketing speak has no hidden agendas or false promises, and that all who come in contact with your business –gain a sense of—or have unencumbered access to—the company’s mission, vision, philosophies, environment, culture and core. Potential customers consistently rank customer service as the number one factor impacting vendor trust. And, understanding that things sometimes go awry in business, I’ve found that people admire companies more when they readily admit to a mistake and address the issue directly. For me personally, the best way to adhere to full and complete transparency in business is to be mindful that businesses have a responsibility: one that fosters clear, open and meaningful exchanges with both prospects and established customers on any subject they want to explore. It’s definitely a winning path to a lucrative end, but transparency has to also be an “end” in and of itself. Take Direction from your Customers No matter what business you’re in, your most precious asset is your existing customer base. Why not intensely focus on their behaviour and commentary (whether solicited or not), as you do business with them? Ask them for honest feedback. Motivate and compel

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them to provide it. It’s the only way to gain a deeper insight into their thinking, how they feel about your business, product or approach, and what you can do to make their experience better. This can be informal discussions or “interviews,” or anonymous surveys and polls that provide anonymity and can make subjects more comfortable to express their real thoughts and feelings. What does your expressed desire to listen to your customers say about a company or brand? It tells them that it cares; that it’s serious about satisfying them; that it wants to succeed; and, most importantly, that you’re open to change. In this same vein, listening to employees can provide great value as well. They are on the front line after all. Ask them what they are hearing, what they feel is going well, and what is not working at all. Based on Greenberg’s sage advice, it’s clear that being a credibility-conscious sales operation does not take a large budget. It largely involves not telling people what they want but rather listening to, and otherwise availing, what they need. If you provide valuable information— and uncontested access to it; offer a product or service whereby the care and quality is evident; rally existing customers, partners and other constituents to get on your bandwagon through testimonials, social media and the like; and consistently demonstrate top-notch service over a sustained period of time, your reputation alone may be enough to spur that coveted sales growth.

PRETTY. DEADLY. When Chinese Lanterns, also known as Sky Lanterns, are released from beaches, they are often mistaken foremergency distress flares. NSRI volunteers then launch rescue boats and spend hours looking for people in difficulty.

Chinese Lanterns are also harmful to the environment and are a fire hazard.

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From a

Wantrepreneur to an

Entrepreneur By Raya Khashab

During my days working at corporate America, I met a lot of people who dreamed of owning their business. They were thinking that they want to call the shots and to be their own boss, but the reality is most people won’t take that step into becoming an entrepreneur. Why? The most common reason is fear. Fear of the unknown, fear of failing, fear of losing their day job and not being able to have a stable income again, fear of disappointing their loved ones, you get the idea. I would know because I was one of those people who had a good paying stable job but always wanted to start my own business. It took me years to finally overcome the fear.

ohn Lee Dumas on his daily podcast EOFire makes a great point when he says most people have this fear that if they don’t succeed in their venture, one day they might end up under a bridge homeless sitting next to a fire roasting a rat. In reality that’s not the case because you will find a way to survive and provide for your family. Still, we all have that picture or something similar in our minds. Fear is a normal human instinct, but it shouldn’t prevent you from achieving your dreams. How do you overcome fear and make the transition to a full time entrepreneur? Here are some steps which helped me in my journey:

Honesty Be honest with yourself. Is being an entrepreneur something you really want to do? Or is it one of those

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“I want what they have” when you read about successful entrepreneurs on the web? When it comes down to it are you willing to work harder than you have ever done before and put yourself in uncomfortable situations? For me, it was selling. Going out and selling was not something I did easily, yet I had to push myself to do it because I knew it was essential to the success of our business. So, be honest with yourself. Company Surround yourself with the right people, folks who are smart and ambitious, mentors that can advise you, business owners that have accomplished what you strive to do. For the longest time, my only circle of acquaintances was employees. They were smart and ambitious people, but to get my mind-set to think like a business owner I needed to change my environment. So I attended networking events

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for entrepreneurs and met with mentors. This will calm your fears down because these are people who are out there doing what you want to do. Not some headline from a news article, but rather real people who you can talk to and ask questions. Mentors are essential. If you don’t know of any mentors check out your local start-up community or small business administrator office in your city. Have a Plan Benjamin Franklin once said, “If you fail to plan, you are planning to fail.” Your plan should include how much money you need to save before starting your venture. You should have at least one year of personal expenses saved up. Ask yourself how much funding do you need for your new business? Can you build a prototype and test it out? Can you build it yourself or outsource it? Meet with a lawyer and accountant to make sure all your legal and finances are in order before you take that leap. Knowledge is Power Try to learn as much as you can, by reading books, attending webinars and classes. One of the reasons fear exists is because of self-doubt. Things like “I don’t know how to start a company”, “I haven’t run a business before”, “I’m not an expert”, are all thoughts that go through our minds. Although these might be true, they are not a reason for you to fail because you can educate yourself. One thing I wished I had done before I started my current company ezClocker is to learn SEO and how to write blogs. It wasn’t until much later that I started and there is a lot to learn. Experience Nothing beats experience so just go out and do something on the side no matter how small it is. There is so much you can read and learn from books and webinars, but not until you go out and do it that you learn the most. Some of that fear will start to fade. Create a prototype if you want to build a product, take a side job if you want to start a service company. Go out and meet customers, talk about your idea, get feedback. Starting a business is hard but fear shouldn’t be an excuse for not trying. Are you trying to transition to being an entrepreneur? How are you overcoming your fears? Raya is the CEO and co-founder of ezClocker (https:// ezclocker.com/). She is passionate about customers and building products that change the way people run their business. She is also a big supporter of the start-up community and helping people achieve their dreams.

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Embracing by Merilee Kern, MBA

Cause-Conscious

Consumerism If you think philanthropy and corporate social responsibility are optional, think again. Now more than ever, how social-minded your company is has become a deciding factor for many consumers. According to EngageForGood.com, “33% of consumers are now choosing to buy from brands they believe are doing social or environmental good.” What’s more, a whopping 84% of Americans surveyed revealed the belief that businesses “have a responsibility to bring social change on important issues.” If your business isn’t delivering in these areas, not only will your brand reputation suffer but so will your bottom line.

f socialpreneurship isn’t already part of your business model, you may be wondering how your small business can incorporate it. The good news is, it doesn’t have to be difficult or expensive. Check out these simple and painless ways your business can embrace cause-consciousness, resulting in a win-win all around. Break the Mould Daniel Galle and Anna Hjoellund, inventors and founders of the mindful mattress company, Nolah Sleep, have managed to disrupt the mattress industry while helping protect the environment and wildlife. How? By doing things differently. When this dynamic duo realised that no real innovation had occurred in the mattress industry for 40 years, they developed the Nolah AirFoam mattress that’s made without the heat-sensitive viscoelastic chemicals found in all memory foam mattresses, with or without cooling gels. Not only does the Nolah mattress provide a more comfortable sleep, it’s also easier on the environment in a multitude of ways. Next, Galle and Hjoellund discovered retailers were marking up their product as much as 3 000%. In order to cut out the middlemen and make their mattresses more affordable to a wider market, the business partners developed an online business model with free delivery

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Individuals, teams or an entire company can post and participate in campaigns which can support nearly anything from social and environmental causes to education and lifestyle. and a full 120-night trial period with money back guarantee. Not only that, but their mattresses are shipped in 80% less packaging than is used in traditional mattress shipping. Even beyond these economic and environmental efforts, the Nolah ups the ante through its strategic partnership with the Defenders of Wildlife organisation. Nolah’s, “One Nolah Sold Equals One Wildlife Adopted” promise allows customers to choose wildlife to adopt from more than 20 endangered animals including bald eagles, snowy owls and dolphins. Customers are then sent an official wildlife adoption certificate. The best part? All this is done quickly and easily for customers at checkout on Nolah’s website. Make a Game Out of It Gamification has taken the world by storm but xocial (pronounced soh-shuhl) has taken gamification to the next level with the concept of ‘competitive kindness.’ xocial bills itself as a “community that connects people and organisations to causes they care about, then inspires them to take action.” The platform works by featuring ‘campaigns’ in which people can participate. Participation in campaigns earns people points which then build toward a cumulative “XO score.”

Individuals, teams or an entire company can post and participate in campaigns which can support nearly anything from social and environmental causes to education and lifestyle. For example, if your company wants to help improve community health and well-being, campaign challenges might include bringing a healthy lunch to work or participating in a 5km fun run in support of a local charity. In the case of activities like the fun run, both employees and customers can be invited to join in. Participation in xocial campaigns benefits small businesses by demonstrating social responsibility as well as giving their customers a chance to help support local philanthropic efforts. Change Your Mindset Often it’s your mindset that makes all the difference, as proven by entrepreneur and cancer survivor, Scott Petinga. Petinga’s recently released book, “No One Ever Drowned in Sweat” details how G.R.I.T. - Guts, Resilience, Initiative, and Tenacity - are ‘Action Mindsets’ that can help anyone overcome life’s obstacles and challenges. A proponent of public benefit corporations (B-Corps) and socialpreneurship, 100% of proceeds from Petinga’s book go to support his Th!nk Different Foundation, a humanitarian organisation providing grants and other programme support designed to spark innovative ideas in underserved areas of housing and healthcare within the U. S. Recently, the foundation awarded USD500 000 to programmes embracing a unique approach to treating young adults with cancer. Petinga is able to support the causes closest to his heart by conducting philanthropy as a sustainable business model so both profits and his contributions can continue to grow. No matter the size of your business, approaching cause consciousness via partnerships, gamification or through socialpreneurship benefits everyone.

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Millennial Myths Busted

When it comes to understanding, identifying and sharing knowledge about the millennial market, who better than a Millennial himself to tell it like it is? George Bourdos, the Future Business Division head of VBN Consultants, knows the market inside out and agrees that in this day and age millennials are ruling the business world.

ive millennial myths have been busted and Bourdos goes on to explain.

Your Nephew is Not the Average Millennial Both in businesses and as individuals we tend to group millennials into one large set. Our go-to comparison is to compare them to someone we know such as our children, nephews, cousins, friends and the like. Businesses are starting to realise however, that it is no longer good enough to simply ‘target millennials’, but that they need to mine deeper and segment this group much further. The generation that we refer to as the millennials are individuals aged between 23 to 34 years and are those born from 1983 to 1994. If, for example, a brand is trying to communicate with, and target a 25 year old female, who is single, very social and just starting her corporate career, the marketing team would have to use a completely different approach and strategy to the one being used to target a 33 year old male, who is married with two young kids. Regardless, however, in both cases these people are and behave like, ‘millennials’ but are worlds apart. Not All Millennials Want To Move To Big Cities And the stereotype continues and yes, some millennials do seek the rush and excitement of big cities such as New York and London, yet a large majority would prefer to live in quieter, more peaceful spaces. With the natural environment so close to the hearts of most millennials, they seek to enjoy experiences within it. The Specific Cause Doesn’t Matter On the contrary, millennials are the generation that really cares! Philanthropy matters to

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them but it must be authentic and real. They are not fooled by CSR programmes of the past, where a company would perform well for a year and then donate a once off payment to a random charity. No, they want to see that the brands that they support are showing a genuine interest in a specific cause. Millennials are more likely to buy from, and be loyal to, a brand that cares about a worthy cause or a principle. They Still Want to Be Told What to Do Yes, they might be the ‘know it all’ generation with Google at their fingertips but they also want simplicity. Too much choice can be paralysing for millennials. For example, they would much prefer going to a bespoke burger joint and have a choice of five distinctive and fresh top-quality, ‘Instagram-worthy’ burgers to choose from, than a smorgasbord selection of 20 burgers, five hotdogs, six sandwiches, and a breakfast offering just in case. Stop trying to give them everything. Just give them quality and innovation, and they will love you for it. Young People Still Do Stuff Offline Some of the most common phrases from older people and parents nowadays include; “Kids these days are always

With the natural environment so close to the hearts of most millennials, they seek to enjoy experiences within it. glued to their phones,” or “When we were younger we used to go out and do things”. Yes, it is true….our smart devices such as phones, tablets and watches have become an extension of our bodies. Good or bad, they are here to stay and we love them! So agreed, we have this generation of people who depend on their electronic devices as much as the air that they breathe, but the fact remains, they still live and experience things with other people. The only difference is that they are simultaneously sharing their experiences with everyone else online! Millennials crave new experiences which they love to share, so brands that can tap into both their online and offline worlds and create genuine, memorable experiences, will win over this generation. “If businesses want to continue on a trajectory of growth they need to start understanding what this large, youthful market wants, needs and aspires to,” says Bourdos.

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As our always ld ou h s s view under n e k be ta ent advisem

what’sHOTorNOT

We share brief perspectives with you on items that we think are worthy of your consideration.

Aya What? Ayahuasca is a psychedelic drug that induces mind-boggling hallucinations, and it’s Silicon Valley’s latest obsession. The hallucinations are said to be “so life-altering that some users compare it to having a near-death experience.”

Deadly Smartphones Pedestrian deaths in the US over the past two years have skyrocketed by more than 22% according to a recent report from the Governors Highway Safety Association. While the exact reason for the increase isn’t known, one contributor is the rapidly growing use of smartphones while walking or driving. The association estimates that there were 5 997 pedestrian fatalities in 2016 compared to just 5 376 a year earlier and 4 910 in 2014.

Rethinking Email

Exits Venture Capitalism

Collaborative tools like Slack are replacing email for internal communication. Started in 2013, Slack surpassed four million daily users in October 2016. Though this does not mean that companies will abandon email all together, it does change how you need to think of email.

When you think of crowdfunding, you might envision films or artisan leather wallets. To the surprise of many, globally crowdfunding is trending to surpass venture capital by the end of this year. According to crowdfunding and marketing expert Clay Hebert, “Smart companies are using crowdfunding to not only raise capital, but to validate products before making substantial investments in product development.”

THIS ADVERT IS NOT ABOUT THE PLANTS. Well…it is. But mainly it’s about our dedicated fieldworkers who work tirelessly to protect southern Africa’s environmental surroundings and who need your support. Visit www.ewt.org.za to find out how you can help to protect another precious resource – our people.

INTHEKNOW

Empowering Leadership through Visibility, Measurement, and Training by David Harouche

Leadership is being transformed. Once upon a time, management thought their role was to exert power over others as leaders. Today, this is changing and no longer the case. C-level executives understand that leadership is most effective when others are empowered, leveraging the span of control. The new generation of Gen X and Millennials workers expect a level of support and transparency to reach their career goals. Mobile technology is making this new type of leadership possible, ultimately leading to greater performance.

ow are business leaders working with employees who are looking for ways to make themselves stand out? In a nutshell: visibility drives performance. When aware that management is empowered with realtime data about their progress and results, associates become more motivated and engaged in communications and training. Associates’ increased participation creates a more involved, accountable and knowledgeable workforce, which ultimately impacts store results. Cloud-based access enables managers to view live data from any location with a laptop or smartphone – hourly, daily and weekly. Managers can identify and recognise top performers, as well as top-performing offices, regions and districts. Trackable communications helps employees show they care about becoming a valuable member of their company’s team and is a predictive metric for performance. In addition, when managers are able to see their employees’ results and compare them to employees across their company, an environment of friendly competition is encouraged. Why does this drive performance? Because it shows a level of importance communicated by top leadership. If management says something is important but doesn’t measures response, staff will assume that the importance level is low. But when compliance and subsequent results are regularly assessed,

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employees clearly understand there is a relationship between their engagement behaviour and overall performance. As mentioned earlier, technology is fuelling the empowerment of leadership to a large extent. From financial services, consulting, manufacturing and healthcare to government, education, transportation, hospitality and beyond, mobile technology is ideal for effective communication and training remote talent across the enterprise on a global basis. A trend has emerged: mACP (mobile associate communications platform) which is improving how companies educate, inform, evaluate, and ultimately empower associates. Let’s take the retail industry as an example. Unlike traditional learning management systems (LMS)

INTHEKNOW

The new generation of Gen X and Millennials workers expect a level of support and transparency to reach their career goals. that track associate compliance primarily for Human Resources, new mobile brand training tools specifically are designed to support Store Operations in improving KPIs [key performance indicators]. Flexible, cloud based mobile solutions deliver custom, targeted brand training to on-floor associates, whose individual learning may be confirmed and assessed remotely. Mobile associates also receive key store-level task directives, at any time, and then confirm receipt and execution. Remote visibility into training and directives completion allows Store Operations – from field, district and regional managers to their vice president – to assess individual and group performance then correlate results to their KPIs. Managers can also measure where employees need improvement as well as refine programmes by regional, district and/or store level. Now, at the apex of in-store applications, the tablet is incomparable in its ability to unlock the true value of mobile retail training, communications and real-time visibility. Its instant-on, nonstreaming, interactive HD video apps have emerged as the smartest, fastest, most efficient way to deliver and confirm corporate and brand training and communications. Even in lowbandwidth environments,

interactive app-based videos instantly provide short training segments and quizzes – completed in-betweencustomer-time – while simultaneously providing real-time results and visibility to Store Operations. Regularly scheduled communications and training content are automatically and seamlessly distributed to employees based on geographic location and function. A highly branded – not merely a logo in the corner – experiential interface resonates with associate and allows them to engage in relevant training that reflects the company’s unique culture, while driving business goals. Video learning apps can recognise each associate and his/ her role, channel and preferred language. Employees know what comes next in their individual learning; keeping them always engaged in their own development. Personalised learning invites employee participation and achievement, and increases job satisfaction, all of which helps assure execution of company strategies. Mobile app-based communication tools have given executives and staff the unique opportunity to embrace empowerment cost effectively, based on KPIs, and measurement like never before. By reducing the cost barrier, companies can give every associate access to high impact training, leading to greater improvements in compliance, sales, customer service, and more. No matter where an associate is located, they have the opportunity for development. The benefits of empowered employees are numerous. Employees typically feel driven to work harder when they understand their goals and know that management is behind them and helping them to make adjustments along the way. This makes staff more productive in their roles and keeps a consistent message no matter where the employee is based. Customer satisfaction is increased when staff are prepared and educated on how to handle a situation and recognise signs before a problem even arises. Realistically, empowering leadership can be challenging. Mobile communications makes it easier to inform, educate and empower staff through measurable and engaging communications. By delivering the right information, at the right time, to the right associates for a fully-integrated solution, staff will learn bite-sized pieces, with real-time measurement that directly correlates to bottom-line results. Custom apps that run on mobile devices impact KPIs by enhancing company, brand and product knowledge, selling skills and communications that improve the customer experience and ultimately empower leadership.

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Alternative Currencies Are the Future By Lorenzo Fioramonti, Full Professor of Political Economy, University of Pretoria

When I began to teach in 2012, I decided to start my course with an analysis of how money affects social order. What my students found particularly fascinating was the then-nascent world of cryptocurrencies, which I described at length as a crucial feature in the future of money. Some colleagues criticised my approach. They accused me of indirectly encouraging students to invest in what they saw as a shady, crime-ridden financial underworld. But I was simply exposing young minds to a fast-evolving, complex phenomenon that, in my view, would have a major impact on power distribution in the global economy.

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ehind most cryptocurrencies is a simple technology known as “blockchain”, a system residing in multiple computers that allows for peer-to-peer financial ledger recording of all transactions occurring in a network. This results in a transparent open-access registry of monetary flows which makes the intermediation of banking authorities unnecessary. Thus it challenges the conventional belief that money can only work through central planning. As I explain in my book, Wellbeing Economy: Success in a World without Growth, money systems are undergoing an unprecedented transition from centralised authority to decentralised networks. Conventional money is managed by states and banks, with users on the receiving end of monetary policy decisions. By contrast, most alternative currencies are peer-to-peer. That means they are managed by users themselves and do not require intermediaries. Some of them have global outreach thanks to digital technology, while others are locally based. Take BitCoin, the most popular peer-to-peer currency in the world, with a market capitalisation above USD40 billion. A person buying the equivalent of USD1 in BitCoin in 2009 would now possess roughly USD25 million. One BitCoin is currently equivalent in value to two ounces of gold. Other rising stars include Ethereum, Litecoin and Ripple. Taking the World by Storm Many of these currencies remain quite volatile in the short term. Their upward and downward swings reach over 10% of the value on a weekly basis. But the long-term trend is impressive. States are warming up to them. In April 2017, Japan accepted BitCoin as a legal payment method for retail markets. After threatening digital currencies last year, the Russian government took a U-turn. President Vladimir Putin met the developers of Ethereum and committed to recognising cryptocurrencies in 2018. Following an initial freeze, the People’s Bank of China readmitted withdrawals in BitCoin in June 2017, catapulting the currency to new heights. In the US, cryptocurrencies are becoming increasingly accepted as both a method of payment and store of value. The Australian government will soon make it easier for new innovative digital currency businesses to operate, exempting traders and investors from goods and services tax. It’s clear that cryptocurrencies will, in the near future, become much more common as methods of payment for a wide range of purchases, from online shopping to the local supermarket.

Developing Countries Are Leapfrogging Developing economies, too, are opening up to cryptocurrencies. In Venezuela, BitCoin has become the leading parallel currency. It provides millions of citizens with an opportunity to perform transactions and generate livelihoods, including buying food and other basic necessities in a country where official money is worth almost zero. It also allows them to purchase goods from overseas,

overcoming ever-stricter capital controls. In East Africa, local innovators have introduced cryptocurrency systems to support cross-border transactions, as exemplified by initiatives like BitPesa. In South Africa, cryptocurrencies are becoming particularly popular. In Nigeria, local traders and activists believe this new money presents an opportunity to democratise the economy. This is propelled by the fact that people in Nigeria have been failed by conventional money. According to my colleague Verengai Mabika, founder of BitFinance in Zimbabwe, the collapse of his country’s formal financial system has made BitCoin an attractive alternative. This is especially the case for online payments, which are restricted by banks, and for remittances, which constitute the backbone of the economy. A growing number of Zimbabweans are also using cryptocurrencies as a saving mechanism (37% of all Bitfinance customers use it for that purpose), Verengai tells me. This is after the massive loss of personal savings during the hyperinflation period of 2008, which led to the collapse of the country’s banks. Decentralisation and Local Economic Development The decentralisation of money is indeed at the core of this new trend, with potential repercussions in other fields. For instance, Ethereum is designed as a smart contract platform that is a trading system completely based on peer-to-peer property rights. FairCoin was developed as the preferential currency for cooperatives, social economies and fair trade networks around the world. Cryptocurrencies are just the tip of an iceberg. According to recent estimates, there are over 6 000 complementary currencies in the world, over 50 times the number of conventional money systems. Most of these are user-controlled and are interest-free. One cannot make money by simply trading in them. Hoarding makes no sense in this new world. This is because value is not in the accumulation but in the exchange. The scope is often limited to certain territories or types of transactions (for example, personal care, sustainable mobility and local trade). This creates an incentive to support local economic development and forms of exchange that are valued by communities of users. Regiogeld, a network of local currencies which I studied when I was a researcher in Germany, has proliferated throughout the country. It has become the world’s largest system of local currencies, supporting small businesses and empowering communities. In the near future, we will have a variety of money with different qualities and different purposes. This will make economies more resilient against shocks and will support more equitable and sustainable development, by putting users in the driver seat and reinforcing local economic development. As my research demonstrates, a combination of regional, national and local currencies could also be the best way forward for the European Union, engulfed by its monolithic and unsustainable euro, and for any other process of regional integration, from Africa to other continents.

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INTHEKNOW

Marketing made easy by Amber Racer

Stop wasting time and resources with marketing. The best way to market your business is by finding out how to get more for less. You have a budget and set number of hours to use. It’s not about working more, it’s optimising the work you do. There’s a better way to advertise your business using digital marketing tools and technology. In this article, we’re looking at ways technology makes marketing so much easier and how you can take advantage of these benefits to get the upper hand.

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raditional advertising interrupts, but digital marketing sparks the conversation. The glory days of traditional advertising required you to climb atop the vendor-stand and shout out over the crowds just to get a potential customer’s attention. There was no way to narrow down a target audience and focus your time and energy on a specific group of people, besides the location where the ad was being featured. Commercials, billboards, and other traditional means of advertising must interrupt just to complete the acquisition process, but digital marketing provides a solution to the problem. With digital marketing, you can focus on a specific group of customers, whether by demographics, interests, social networks, or simply keyword searches. What makes digital marketing so simple is that your customers are literally in search of what you offer before you even begin. Mastering a means of targeting customers online helps connect you to those people inquiring about the products or services you offer via a search. This reduces the cost of customer acquisition and makes your life easy. You Can Find Apps to Do the Work for You You’d be surprised how many applications exist just to help you with the various aspects of marketing. Lead nurturing, post scheduling, email blasts, and specialised tools make marketing look easy. Pitchbox is a genius growth-hacking tool. This simple online application allows you to search and discover leads based on keywords. Once a keyword is submitted, Pitchbox scans for related websites and contacts that can now be converted into leads. After compiling a list of potential business prospects, Pitchbox even crafts a convincing sales pitch for you! This is a great way to make email lists and reach out to potential buyers or partners. Your Customers Sell Products for You (It’s Called Social Media) Building an online community of followers means that you have an army of advocates. Having an online community on social media assures you stay connected with people who are already passionate about your brand. New customers, on average, are much more likely to try a company’s

Mastering a means of targeting customers online helps connect you to those people inquiring about the products or services you offer via a search. This reduces the cost of customer acquisition and makes your life easy. product or service if it’s recommended by a trusted friend or relative. In fact, a single customer is 71% more likely to make a purchase based on a social media referral. This means that without an up-to-date social media marketing plan, you could be missing out on customer referrals. People Buy Your Stuff without Ever Leaving Home The beauty of an e-Commerce store is that you get to stay “open for business” twenty-four hours a day, seven days a week. This means more CEO 2017 Vol 16.4

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chances to sell, and less effort to close. An online store is an easy ticket to doing absolutely nothing in order to complete the transaction at the cash register. The whole process is automatic, besides the shipping and handling. Install your own shopping cart via website plugins to multiply your sales online. You Can Reverse Engineer Customer Referrals How often do you use your phone to find a restaurant, service, store, or product? Everyone’s ready to pull out their phones and search for the next big thing. Chances are, your audience is already online, and you just need to find them. Technology helps you do this by presenting data capturing and analysis software that’s built into the backend of your website. You can pick and choose your platforms like SEOProfiler, Google Analytics and plugins in your WordPress dashboard. When someone visits, you can reverse engineer how they got there (through social media networks, search terms/results, or direct means) to craft a more fitting marketing approach. It’s A Cinch to Stay in Touch (Nurture Those Leads!) Digital marketing tools for lead tracking offer easier ways to nurture leads. Simply choose your method of approach – email marketing, social media marketing, and inbound marketing content. If you choose to start an email marketing campaign for lead nurturing, there are options in programmes like SharpSpring that allow you to make lists and schedule regular emails. This means that you can keep in touch with customers on a monthly, weekly, or even daily basis through scheduled emails. You Can Stay Open 24/7 and Do Absolutely Nothing Ever heard of passive income? There’s nothing more passive than creating an e-Commerce website to sell your products for you. Once the thing is set in place, you’re open for business 24/7. If you wondered how many times a customer passed you up for a competitor because of your limited hours, have no fear. The solution is a website set up with a seamless automatic process that includes equipping your pages with an instant response system. You Can Upsell without Feeling Intrusive Do you already operate an e-Commerce store? Make upselling a part of your checkout process. There are ways to sell more with each transaction. You just need to download the Product Upsell Plugin. According to the developers of Product Upsell, “30% of people will add a last-minute impulse item to their purchase if offered a relevant item that compliments their purchase.” That’s almost a one in three chances to sell more with every purchase! Most customers judge your company’s website

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UX (user experience) based on industry standards. Online users are especially desensitised to upselling via shopping cart, because websites like Amazon.com have been suggesting additional products basically since the conception of ecommerce stores. Therefore, it’s up to you to monopolise on the ability to upsell to online customers (and with success!). You save Countless Wasted Hours with Marketing Automation In order to succeed with marketing online, you must establish a presence. Depending on your company or industry, this may require you to create not only a website but social media profiles and blog articles. Content marketers often suggest that consistency is the key when it comes to building a respectable online image. How can a digital marketer keep up with the daily Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, Google+, Instagram, quota to solidify a reliable brand standard? If you spent just 20 minutes on each social media network, that would still equal an hour every day! How do top companies do this without breaking the budget? They automate the marketing process. From social media to emails, there are software programmes like Buffer and Sprout Social that are made to assist you with uploading posts and scheduling content in advance. It’s a good idea to compare marketing automation software before you begin, since some come with a steep learning curve. You Can Be an Amateur and Succeed (Sort of…) When things go viral, it doesn’t matter who posted it. You don’t have to be an expert to get a response online. In fact, some of the best digital marketing tactics involve presenting yourself informally or getting on a personal level with your customers. This doesn’t require an expert. Yet it’s not always such a “hit or miss” process. Despite the fact that “virality” is such a random event, enlisting the aid of an expert digital marketer makes up for the time spent on learning what works. You can waste a lot of money if you don’t know what you’re doing. Likewise, you can save a lot of money if you do.

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Top

Meeting Ice

Breakers By Amy Linley

Getting people comfortable in a group setting before a team meeting can be the best investment of 10 to 15 minutes of time that you can make. Ice breakers get creative juices flowing, can increase the exchange of ideas, establish team identity, and create a sense of community. All of these items are important in forging top productive teams. But how do you get people to participate and not feel uncomfortable with an ice breaker?

or meetings in a business setting in which participants are professionals, ice breakers that require actions not normally associated with dayto-day behaviours in the office generally make people uncomfortable. Successful ice breakers for these type of groups generally consist of having attendees share memorable information with each other, create innovative ways to get people to introduce themselves to each other, or have group members collectively work on a problem where everyone has to contribute. We’ve selected our top ten team meeting ice breakers that are sure to get your meeting participants relaxed and ready to focus on your agenda as well as to connect with others in the group. Brainstorm! Break the meeting into teams of four or five. Give each team a topic. Pick topics that are fun and simple like, “What would you take on a trip to the desert?” or “List things that are purple”. Give your teams two minutes, no more, and tell them “This is a contest and the team with the most items on

their list wins.” Encourage the teams to write down as many things as they can and not to discuss anything, just list things as quickly as possible. At the end of two minutes, the team with the most items on their list wins! This helps people to share ideas without fearing what other people will think. Same or Different Divide the meeting into teams of three or four and give each team a large sheet of paper and then give each person a different coloured marker. Have each person draw a large oval such that each oval overlaps with the other ovals in the centre of the piece of paper. Give the group or groups, a theme that pertains to your meeting objectives. Ask the participants to write down at least five or more entries in the non-overlapping and mutually overlapping areas of their ovals. Give them five minutes, no more than that, to talk about their similarities and differences and write them in their own ovals on the paper. If there is more than one group, compare results and identify common themes in both parts of the diagrams and what light these similarities and differences shed on

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the purpose of the meeting. This helps team members develop an understanding of shared objectives and in a non-confrontational way learn how their views differ from others in the group. Fact or Fiction Have everyone write down three surprising things about themselves, two of which are true, and one of which is made up. Each person, in turn, reads their list and then the rest of the group votes on which “fact” they feel is the “false” one. If the group does not correctly pick a person’s made up “fact”, then that person wins. A group can have more than one winner. At the end, the whole group votes on which of the “winners” of the final round, had the most deceiving “fact”. This helps people get to know and remember their colleagues. Free Association The object of this ice breaker is to have small groups generate as many words or phrases as they can that are related to a particular topic that focuses on the objective of your meeting. Give the group or groups a key word you want them to associate with and then give them two minutes to list, as quickly as possible, as many words or thoughts that pop into their heads. For example, if your

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company is trying to decide on whether to reduce travel and increase the use of teleconferencing, you might use the word “teleconferencing” and have people list as many words or phrases they can that they associate with the key word. For example they might say: “saves money”, “saves time”, “impersonal”, “need to see other people”, “get distracted”, “sound quality”…. This reveals what people are thinking, similarities in viewpoints, and possibly even problem areas or topics that need addressing or further discussion. Nametags Prepare nametags for each person and put them in a box. As people walk into the room, each person picks a nametag (not their own). When everyone is present, participants are told to find the person whose nametag they drew and introduce and say a few interesting things about themselves. When everyone has their own nametag, each person in the group will introduce the person whose nametag they were initially given and mention something of interest about that person. This helps participants get to know and remember each other. Desert Island Group people in teams of five or six and tell them they will be marooned on a desert island. Give them 30 seconds

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to list all the things they think they should take and each person has to contribute at least three items. At the end of 30 seconds, tell the teams they can only take three things. Have the person who suggested each item on the list tell why they suggested it and defend why their item should be one of the chosen three. This helps the team learn about how each of them thinks, get to know each otherâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s values, and how they solve problems. Commonality Plus Group your meeting participants at tables. At each table ask the group to list 10 ways that everyone in that group is similar. Let them know that they cannot list body parts or clothing and that what they select cannot have anything to do with work. One person at the table should be tasked to make their list. At the end of your time limit have the group share their list with all meeting members. This is a great opportunity for your meeting attendees to learn about each otherâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s hobbies, families, and common interests. Line Up As people enter your meeting hand each one a piece of paper with a different number written on it. Ask the group to arrange themselves in numeric order without using their voices, hands, or showing their number. This helps

the team to think of other ways to communicate with each other and to work together to achieve a common goal. Meet and Greet Shoe Pile This works great in large groups and is a variation of the name tag ice breaker. Have everyone take off one of their shoes and throw it into a pile. Have each group member pick up a shoe and walk around the meeting room greeting other people as they try to match their selected shoe to the one another team member is wearing. This is a great way for new people to meet several members in a group. First or Worst Have each member tell the group their first or worst job in turn. This easy to use ice breaker works great with teleconferences too and allows team members to spark conversation with each other and to have some fun commenting on the jobs that they have each done. Many of our top 10 ice breakers can be used for on-site meetings and teleconferences alike. The nature of ice breakers is to get the group to talk, to share, and to get to know each other in a casual exchange. The best and most successful teams start with a little bit of fun; learning how to value what each member brings into the group. Ice breakers can help facilitate this exchange of information and comfort in doing so at the very start of the team forging process.

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INTHEKNOW

Africa’s

Go-Getting Cities Offer an Entrepreneurial Launchpad by Florence Karaba, PhD Researcher, University of Bath and Christian Stadler, Professor of Strategic Management, Warwick Business School, Warwick Business School, University of Warwick

Ask 10 people what they think about Africa’s rising cities and you get 10 different opinions. The only thing they will agree on is that traffic is awful. In truth, 52 cities with more than a million inhabitants are becoming a magnet for innovation which has echoes in the industrial revolution. Take a look at sub-Saharan Africa, the region with the highest number of people involved in earlystage entrepreneurial activity. According to the Global Entrepreneurship Monitor 39.9% of Nigerian and Zambian adults are either starting a business or have run one for less than 3.5 years. M-Kopa, Ushahidi, Helvetic Solar Contractors, Headboy Industries, and Jobberman are just a few examples of start-ups you should watch out for in Africa’s urban centres.

ne problem is that the figures to describe what is happening in the midst of this fast-paced urbanisation are often missing, disparate or sparse. But our experience in Nairobi, whose population has surged from 350 000 in 1963 to more than 3 million at the last census in 2009, can help us tell the story of what the rise of these urban centres means for those living and working there. Coming Home Western-educated returnees thrive in Africa’s cities and we have met people whose American education has kept opening doors. Savings brought back can give workers the means to buy a house, while their new-found expertise

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can give them a foot in the door at the biggest African companies. One woman returnee we spoke to had found work at a major mobile operator and was then savvy enough to join executives who left to set up a venture using M-Pesa, a mobile payment system through which 25% of Kenya’s GNP flows. Her education and ability to get things done quickly got her promoted to become head of administration. Consider that mobile penetration in Africa is up to 80% and growing fast, and it is easy to see this avenue for growth and opportunity repeated through the continent. As Jonathan Berman notes in Success in Africa, both the corridors of government and corporate Africa buzz with graduates from the world’s top universities.

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hunting for and finding domestic work. Employment stability isn’t great though and a sudden sacking soon followed, but crucially, opportunities are many. A new job followed, with new connections and more domestic work on top of that, and money flows back to the family. In Ghana, the urban population is predicted to grow to 63% by 2025 from 43.8% in 2000; and much of this is due to domestic work for women and girls. Progress is not as smooth as it is for well-educated returnees but opportunities still exist. In Welcome to Lagos, a three-part mini-series, the BBC portraits their resourcefulness and determination. On the Olusosun rubbish dump, for example, Eric makes a living collecting plastic, bottles and metals. Saving up some money he records a song which is later heard on the radio. As people move from agricultural work into urban jobs, productivity increases. A recent McKinsey report estimates that labour productivity growth in Africa added 2.7% to GDP growth in the period 2000-2008. It is a progress that is closely tied to the big urban centres.

In South Africa, an estimated 359 000 highly-skilled workers have returned in the past seven years. They are able to overcome three of the biggest obstacles: access to property, capital, and global networks. Loans are notoriously expensive in Africa. A 20% interest rate is not an exception. Property prices, on the other hand, have skyrocketed in Africa’s cities. So coming back with some savings gives returnees a head-start – and there is evidence that the willingness to return is real. Angel investors and venture capitalists are also rare creatures (though increasing in number). Here, returnees are able to connect to the diaspora and Western investors more easily. Their ability to build bridges between the different worlds is key. In recent years, not just individuals but entire companies have relocated – coming with the same advantages. Look at iRoko, a sort of Netflix for Nollywood movies, which moved from London to Lagos recently. Moving Up Our research in Nairobi found plenty of examples of the age-old migration away from rural areas. One woman we met mirrored the experience of many by leaving a poor lakeside fishing family after her education came to a close with the end of primary school (which is free). Families need money, and so a Matatu minibus ride into the city saw her

Progress And then there are the hustlers, often Nairobi-born and bred and always looking for the next chance to move a step up the ladder. They might sell cigarettes while they’re at school and move on to run a barber shop or repair cars to make ends meet. In short, the city breeds fast-thinking sales people. And when structural changes help nurture their talents, good things can happen. We encountered one man whose hustling combined well with a friend who returned from the west with a computer science degree. They started to develop their own software and win contracts from local councils and small businesses, allowing them to start hiring and growing. One thing that helped inspire that progress was a new constitution in 2010 which partially devolved power and control of budgets to counties, eliminated the red tape of centralised government and granting more autonomy over growth strategies. At the most basic level, this results in local government contracts and creates new business opportunities. Africa’s urban centres may mean different things to different people, but they are at the heart of Africa’s dynamism and progress. Nairobi itself gets some negative press in the west, but a new generation of entrepreneurs has been created, which is forming a fundamental part of Africa’s growth. Franz Mathis, a historian, argues that urbanisation was a necessary condition for industrialisation. Only in big cities did entrepreneurs gain access to capital, a qualified labour force, new technology and an infrastructure that allowed them to access a sizeable market. This is exactly what is happening in African cities today as the continent experiences urbanisation at a faster rate than any other. Source: The Conversation

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FORD

EVEREST2.2 litre

by Carl Wepener

At last the wait is over and the Ford Everest 2.2 litre arrived and we could put them through their paces.

ABLE AND CAPABLE 54

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lthough the 2.2 litre 4 cylinder 118 kW and 385Nm turbocharged diesel engine sounds small against its 3.2 litre five cylinder turbodiesel bigger brother, the Everest still remains a macho SUV that is able and capable when tackling serious off road conditions. Although the new 2.2 litre Everest is lowered specked and with the smaller engine it is still a phenomenal vehicle. Spec levels still include seven seats along with specification levels and trim that ensures that the Everest is a serious contender against its competitors. There is now 8 versions in the line up to choose from and trim levels are, XLS, XLT and limited. Available power plants are the proven 2.2 litre and 3.2 litre units. One of the areas that needed to be looked at was the availability of drivetrains and transmissions. Manual as well as automatic transmissions are available for 4x2 as well as for 4x4 drivetrains. The question always is, how comfortable is a serious off road SUV driven off road and on the road? I enjoyed the open road driving as the Everest is very quiet due to the new white noise reduction technology used and it is fuel efficient. The SYNC3 offers a cleaner and fuss-free interface, the info sound system is excellent and is easy to navigate while the quietness makes for great listening. The airconditioning unit also complies and ensures that the whole vehicle is quickly cooled down on a hot day. During a long highway drive I have wandered off course to test the manners on our more dilapidated roads and also sandy roads. I was pleasantly surprised as the Everest makes it an enjoyable ride as it is quiet and seating gives you all the support needed when the going gets rough. Road manners are very good for an SUV and the performance of the 2.2 litre engine was very good. Both the manual and automatic transmissions are excellent on and off road but, I must say, I prefer the automatic transmission as it makes things so much easier. Gearing through acceleration is smooth and the automatic does not hunt for an appropriate gear when going uphill. The engine really delivers for a 2.2 litre unit and fuel consumption on the open road came to 8.1 litre per 100kms, which is excellent for a vehicle of this size. Off road the Everest features a number of electronically controlled off road aids that are easily accessed and is excellent for any given off road condition. Ground clearance is 225 mm with wading depth being 800 mm. An active transfer case with differential lock ensures that you can tackle serious obstacles in low range without being stressed. The Terrain Management System is user friendly and the settings are: Normal, Mud, Sand and Rock Crawl. It is also extremely easy to change between the settings as the terrain changes. A rutted road is taken in its stride and it does not dance around like the previous model of the

Everest. Now only if we can have the six speed automatic for the 4x4 (2.2 litre) model. Safety features have not been left in abeyance and Ford claims that the Everest is one of the safest SUV’s in its sector but this differs as per the model chosen. Essential safety things like Electronic Stability Programme (ESP) with Traction Control, Hill Launch Assist and Trailer Sway Control are all standard. Dual front, side and curtain airbags are fitted, with a driver’s knee airbags being standard on XLT and Limited models, and optional for the XLS. I am glad to say that all Everests have rear parking sensors. Navigation and reverse cameras will be available as part of optional equipment. Prices at the time of the launch 2.2 TDCi XLS 6MT 4×2 R453 900 2.2 TDCi XLS 6AT 4×2 R470 900 2.2 TDCi XLT 6MT 4×2 R478 900 2.2 TDCi XLT 6AT 4×2 R495 900 2.2 TDCi XLS 6MT 4×4 R529 900 3.2 TDCi XLT 6AT 4×2: R554 900 3.2 TDCi XLT 6AT 4×4: R634 900 3.2 TDCi Limited 6AT 4×4 R698 900 All models come standard with Ford Protect, including a 4-year/120 000 km comprehensive warranty, 5-year/100 000 km service plan, 3-year/unlimited km roadside assistance and 5-year/unlimited km corrosion warranty. Service intervals are every 20 000 km, while 4x4 models include free 4x4 training. I am certain that the Ford Everest in its 2.2 litre guise will be a great competitor for the likes of the Toyota Fortuner and other contenders in the segment. Ford already has the 2.2 litre 4x4 vehicle in the Ranger so it should not be a problem to have it in the Everest and thereby become an even greater contender in its sector.

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LIFESTYLE

Innovation at its best

BMW

BMW i enjoys ever increasing success and market share. The BMW i3 wins World Urban Car Award 2017. World leader in alternative drive systems in the premium segment - Munich / New York. Most recently, the all-electric BMW i3 (94 Ah) was crowned the winner of the World Urban Car Award 2017 presented at the New York International Auto Show.

by Carl Wepener

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he above mentioned statements, summarises it all. While, I was personally was not impressed when I attended the launch of the BMW i3, as it did not measure up to my preconceived expectations. I now have a totally different opinion after living with the BMW i3 for a whole week. None of the launch niggles experienced manifested in the test car and I really got to use the car for its real purpose, travelling between office and meetings and even from Pretoria to Johannesburg and back. It is amazing how, when making use of all of the options available, one’s view of a car can change. The exterior of the i3 is modern, lightweight and strong. I like the modern look and I enjoy getting in and out of the vehicle as it is higher off the ground than the normal sedan. The ‘semi suicide doors’ are a blessing when you have a grandchild like me that wants to open and close everything while travelling with grandpa. The interior takes a bit of getting used to but I love the alternative material used and found the i3 to be much cooler in hot weather. I also enjoyed the view around the car and the usable space was an added bonus. Although the i3 is higher than sedans its road holding abilities around corners are very good and the ride comfort is also to my liking. I have surprised many a vehicle next to me when I accelerated, without sound and then cruised without any interference of engine noise. Let’s go to what the BMW i3 is all about. The i3 combines a vehicle concept developed from day one to provide pure-electric mobility in urban areas – featuring a passenger cell made from carbon fibre-reinforced plastic (CFRP) – and powerful BMW eDrive technology with an extremely powerful high-voltage battery to increase the car’s range by around 50%. The BMW i3 (94 Ah) fuel consumption in the NEDC combined cycle is: 0.0 l/100 km; electric power consumption combined: 13.1 – 12.6 kWh/100 km; CO2 emissions combined: 0 g/km.

The BMW i3 complies to the specific demands on personal mobility in urban environments as well as the restricted availability of road and parking space, plans to reduce the emissions generated by road traffic present vehicle manufacturers with challenges that only innovative vehicle concepts can hope to address. World Car Vice-Chairman Mike Rutherford noted how the BMW i3 had demonstrated that such models can be classy and attractive, and also very enjoyable to drive. With its compact exterior dimensions and 125 kW/170 hp electric motor, he described the BMW i3 as “among the best value-for-money products on the market”. Since it was launched some three-and-a-half years ago, the BMW i3 – with its steadily rising registration figures – has been a constant presence at the top of the sales charts for premium compact electric vehicles both in Europe and around the world. Evidence of the i3’s leading role in the development of electric mobility can be found not least in the fact that, in many markets, it now has a significantly higher share of the electric vehicle market than its parent brand BMW can claim in segments for conventionally powered models. In Germany, for instance, the i3 now has a 22% share of the market (BMW overall: 8%), in Norway it tops the statistics with 27% and Europe-wide the figure is 17%. The BMW i8 plug-in hybrid sports car has also contributed to the international success of the BMW i brand. With its unique and enthralling blend of driving pleasure and sustainability, it has risen to become the world’s most successful hybrid sports car. Through the extensive transfer of technology to the other BMW Group brands, BMW i has also been a significant factor in the company’s outstanding market success in the field of sustainable mobility. Since March 2017, the BMW eDrive drivesystem technology originally developed for BMW i models has found its way into six BMW model ranges and been introduced for the first time in a MINI. Since the start of 2017, BMW has led the way in the premium segment not only in Germany, but also across Europe and around the world with its BMW iPerformance Automobiles. In Germany, it has a 28% share of the plug-in hybrid market, and BMW iPerformance Automobiles have a worldwide market share of 20%.

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LIFESTYLE

Fuelled by the burgeoning popularity of its BMW i and BMW iPerformance Automobiles, the BMW Group has spearheaded progress in the field of sustainable mobility. The overall picture of market segment coverage and sales figures shows that the company is now the leading provider worldwide of vehicles with electrified drive systems. Offering models in nine different vehicle classes, the diversity of the BMW Group’s vehicle line-up is beyond that of any rival, and the company currently stands third for new registrations in the global electric and plug-in hybrid vehicle market overall. In 2017 alone, the BMW Group is on course to sell more than 100,000 cars with all-electric or plugin hybrid drive systems. Based on its constant increase in sales, BMW Group is expecting around 15-25% of its worldwide sales in 2025 to be powered by an all-electric or plug-in hybrid drive system. * Source: Polk/HIS Report, 13 April 2017 issue. As well as enjoying continuing sales success, the BMW i brand has also been an increasingly prolific accumulator of awards for its products and all-encompassing approach to sustainable mobility. Among the highlights of recent months have been winning the ‘Goldene Lenkrad 2016’ award in the ‘Alternative Drive Systems’ category. Back in 2013, the BMW i3 won the ‘Grüne Lenkrad’ award in the same competition, making it the first model to earn the distinction – presented by ‘Auto Bild’ and ‘Bild am Sonntag’ in recognition of exceptional environmental performance – for the second time. A few weeks later, the BMW i brand was presented with the ‘Premium Pionier Elektromobilität’ international editor’s award in ‘Auto Zeitung’ magazine’s ‘Auto Trophy’ competition. The BMW i3 (94 Ah) also won over the ‘Car of the Year’ jury in Great Britain at the start of 2017. The i3 topped the poll organised by ‘What Car?’ magazine in the category for electric vehicles priced between £20,000 and £40,000. And not long afterwards, the BMW i8 plug-in hybrid sports car (fuel consumption in the NEDC combined cycle: 2.1 l/100 km [134.5 mpg imp]; electric power consumption combined: 11.9 kWh/100 km; CO2 emissions combined: 49 g/km) added another trophy to its collection, winning the ‘Auto Bild Allrad’ magazine readers’ poll in the all-wheel-drive hybrid car category.

About BMW i and BMW iPerformance BMW i is a BMW Group brand focusing on connected mobility services, visionary vehicle concepts and a new understanding of premium strongly defined by sustainability. BMW i is represented in 54 countries with the BMW i3 electric car for urban areas, BMW i8 plug-in hybrid sports car and plug-in hybrid BMW iPerformance Automobiles. BMW i is also associated with enterprises including DriveNow (car sharing), ReachNow (car sharing 2.0), ChargeNow (easy access to the world’s largest network of charging points), ParkNow (straightforward location, reservation and payment of parking spaces), BMW i Ventures (investment in start-up companies), BMW Energy Services and the Centre of Competence for Urban Mobility (consultancy for cities). Although it is still not possible to travel with ease between Gauteng and other provinces or without waiting a bit longer to charge than to fill your vehicle with petrol the BMW i3 is unbeatable in the urban environment as its cost per km is minimal. Will I drive from Gauteng to Cape Town? Yes, I will, as the ride is comfortable, ‘filling stations’ are being established on all major routes and as the ‘filling time at such stations will be around 20 minutes, I will be able to relax around every two hours ensuring that I will not be stressed or tired. Looking at the figures quoted it will not be expensive to charge your i3 at home. Yes, the purpose made home charger is expensive, but it is still worth the cost. The BMWi3 is one of the most innovative vehicles available to the broader public and the advances made by BMW in the i market will reflect in the future models. The BMW i3 is available in two models being the i3 94Ah at R606 800 and the i3 94 Ah REX at R638 600 at time of writing. 5 Year/100 000 km Motorplan, non-contributing service and maintenance contract BMW On Call (outside South Africa, On Call is supported in Botswana, Namibia and Swaziland) 8 Year/100 000 km High voltage battery warranty.

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LIFESTYLE

Sandton Mile…

Worth Its Weight in Gold Conveniently situated in the heart of Johannesburg’s economic capital, Tsogo Sun’s Sandton Mile is the richest square mile in Africa and home to four Tsogo Sun properties: Sandton Sun, InterContinental Johannesburg Sandton Towers, Sandton Convention Centre and Garden Court Sandton City.

hese four Tsogo Sun properties meet the needs of every segment of the market with fine dining restaurants and over 1 000 hotel rooms available between the hotels. Add to that unlimited potential over 22 000m² of state-ofthe-art meeting, exhibition and special event space at the 12 storey Sandton Convention Centre. The award-winning Sandton Sun hotel offers a choice of 326 spacious and superbly appointed en-suite rooms and suites. The hotel’s San Restaurant is a grand café-style eatery where guests can experience fine dining in a relaxed atmosphere with superbly attentive service. The restaurant leads onto the sophisticated San Deck which boasts some of the most spectacular sunset views in the area. San Deck is the perfect place for anything from after work drinks to a romantic proposal or bachelorette party. In addition to a number of in-room amenities, Sandton Sun’s guests also enjoy access to the Sandton Sun Spa, located within the hotel, which offers a host of rejuvenating and refreshing treatments; a business centre, a well-equipped fitness centre and a complimentary Gautrain shuttle service.

The Sandton Mile truly does meet the needs of both local and international travellers.

Purpose-built to international standards, the convention centre is able to host meetings, conferences, exhibitions and special events of virtually any size and nature.

Across the Skywalk Bridge, another 231 stylish, luxury award-winning rooms await at Intercontinental Johannesburg Sandton Towers. The hotel’s full range of services and amenities include a Club Floor which is a full service business suite ensuring that the requirements of business visitors are met. Hotel amenities include the elegant Atrium restaurant, an outdoor pool, fully-equipped gym, valet parking and concierge services. The Sandton Convention Centre offers unlimited potential with over 22 000m² of state-of-the-art meeting, exhibition and special event space. Purpose-built to international standards, the convention centre is able to host meetings, conferences, exhibitions and special events of virtually any size and nature. It offers some of the most advanced technology available for convention and exhibition centres anywhere in the world. Multiple events can be staged simultaneously on four main levels, and 10 000 visitors can be accommodated at any one time. A team of highly trained staff is on hand to provide support services. Urban design meets affordability at Garden Court Sandton City, ideally suited to the needs of business and leisure guests. Functional urban design, affordable rates and technology combine to create a 444–room city hotel that is informal and relaxed, yet [which] offers outstanding service and convenience in central Sandton. Guests can enjoy meals at Riffs Bar and Grill, or relax around the sparkling outdoor swimming pool surrounded by a tranquil garden area and patio - restful surroundings which are rare in the heart of the city. The hotel’s two conference rooms can accommodate up to 16 people each. The Sandton Mile truly does meet the needs of both local and international travellers. It is easily accessible in 15 minutes via the rapid rail link Gautrain from OR Tambo International Airport and offers access to over 11 500 parking bays, as well as a myriad of world-class shopping and entertainment options – Sandton City ‘s Diamond Walk is directly accessible from Sandton Sun. For more information please contact Adriaan Liebetrau on (011) 779 0000 or visit www.tsogosun.com.

LIFESTYLE

The

â&#x20AC;&#x153;O sosporty coolâ&#x20AC;? new CLA Compact cars normally have a very young niche market. The new face lifted CLA fits into this market but what is very interesting is that even more mature people also love the concept. Although compact you never feel boxed in. The interior highlights features a much slimmer-looking freestanding 20.3 cm (8-inch) media display with a new-style glass cover, an optional feature for the Audio 20 CD system. The new-style dials and red needles in the instrument cluster make it easier to read the instruments.

by Carl Wepener

LIFESTYLE

eticulous attention to detail is also evident from the silver chrome finish to the controls and to the fascia and switches in the doors for the comfortable electrically adjustable seats, as well as from the chrome surround to the stowage compartment in the centre console. New trim elements really puts the CLA in another class with its sail-look finish, matt black ash wood (in conjunction with Exclusive package), black Dinamica microfiber (optional in conjunction with AMG Line) or aluminium with honeycomb grain, serve to liven up the interior. Customers opting for black can choose between designs with grey or blue topstitches. The sporty, expressive design of the CLA is now involving new bumpers, a diamond radiator grille in black as standard and new light-alloy wheels. The interior also benefits from numerous enhancements, among them new seat covers and trim parts, as well as chrome-plated controls. LED High Performance headlamps, Hands-free access and further possibilities for integrating smartphones into the control system are all options that serve to enhance safety and comfort. The new addition to the range is the efficient CLA 200 d with an output of 100 kW, and CO2 emissions from as low as 114 g/km. The Mercedes-AMG CLA 45 4MATIC CoupĂŠ now features even more dynamic styling and a further upgraded interior. With a peak performance of 280 kW and maximum torque of 475 Nm, this AMG model is amongst the most powerful vehicle in its segment. The sporty proportions and powerful, dynamic design language, characterised by sensuously rounded contours, makes the CLA quite unmistakable. I am glad to report that all models now have a diamond radiator grille in black as standard, plus a new front bumper with a silver, black or chrome trim strip. The rear bumper is optionally available with a panel incorporating a trim strip in chrome or black (Night package) between the tailpipes. The tailpipe trim panels themselves are now integrated flush into the bumper. There is a new paintwork shade, cavansite blue metallic. There is now a choice of five 45.7 cm (18-inch) light-alloy wheels, all in all, including one in a new 5-twin-spoke design in conjunction with the AMG Line. The CLA had already previously included the latest generation of assistance and safety systems that are, in some cases, only now gradually being introduced in the other model series. Among these are, for example, Active Brake Assist as standard (known until now as Collision prevention assist plus),

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which is able to trigger autonomous braking as a means of reducing the danger of rear-end collisions, as well as the transmission mode selection function Dynamic select. With this system the vehicle characteristics can be adjusted at the touch of a button, as the system modifies the engine, transmission and steering at the driver’s request. The ambient lighting system, which can be individualised by setting any one of twelve colour moods, has been part of the specification since the start. The CLA is optionally fitted with LED High Performance headlamps (standard on the CLA 250 Sport and the CLA 45). The 34-watt LED low-beam headlamps also have very low energy consumption – around 60 percent less than xenon and around 70 percent less than halogen. Direction indicators, daytime running lamps and position lights are in the form of multifunctional fibre-optic cables, which are also used for the Coming Home function. As all lights use LED technology, there is never a need to change a bulb over the entire service life of the vehicle. The optional LED High Performance headlamps are combined here with tail lights with automatic intensity control. These reduce the dazzling effect for vehicles following. The multi-level functionality regulates the brightness of the brake lights and direction indicators in three stages (Day/Night-time driving/Night-time stationary). Loading becomes easier with the hands-free access option. This system allows the boot lid to be opened without any physical contact. hands-free access is now included as part of the keyless-go Comfort package. A trailer coupling is now available in conjunction with the AMG Line, too. The CLA now also features a coat hook on the grab handle above each rear side window.

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New to the CLA range is the efficient CLA 200 d with an output of 100 kW of power and 300 Nm torque, which is available with manual transmission as standard. A series of consumption-reducing measures and the vehicle’s exemplary aerodynamics mean that its fuel consumption according to New european driving cycle is a mere 4.4 l/100 km. CO2 emissions stands at 114 g/km. I have been amazed at the brisk power delivery of the CLA 200d here on the Highveld. Overview of the current diesel models: CLA 200 d2 CLA 220 d1,2 Number of cylinders /arrangement Displacement (cc) Rated output (kW atr/min) Rated torque (Nm at r/min) NEDC fuel consumption (/100 km) urban/extraurban/combined Combined CO2 emissions (g/km) Acceleration 0-100 km/h (s) Top speed (km/h)

4/in-line 2143 100 at 3200-4000 300 at 1400-3000

4/in-line 2143 130 at 3600-3800 350 at 1400-3400

5.2/3.3/4.0

4.9/3.5/4.0

114 9.5 220

111 7.7 232

Figures for versions with manual transmission (CLA 200 d only). 1 With 7G-DCT as standard;

Overview of the current petrol models: Number of cylinders /arrangement Displacement (cc) Rated output (kW at r/min) Rated torque (Nm at r/min)

CLA 200 4/in-line 1595 115 at 5300 250 at 1250-4000

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Combined CO2 emissions (g/km) 133 Acceleration 0-100 km/h (s) 8.2 Top speed (km/h) 230 Figures for versions with manual transmission. 1 With 7G-DCT as standard. CLA 250 Sport 4MATIC2, 3 CLA 45 4MATIC1

Number of cylinders /arrangement Displacement (cc) Rated output (kW at r/min) Rated torque (Nm at r/min) Combined CO2 emissions (g/km) Acceleration 0-100 km/h (s) Top speed (km/h)

4/in-line 1991 155 at 5500 350 at 1200-4000

4/in-line 1991 280 at 6000 475 at 2250-5000

156 6.5 240

171 4.3 250

With 7G-DCT as standard; 2 also available with 4MATIC.

Avant-garde meets Driving Performance is the motto for the Mercedes-AMG models CLA 45 4MATIC. This model offers a unique combination of a fascinatingly sporty driving experience as can be confirmed by me, as we had again had the opportunity to really put the AMG models through its paces at Swartkops race track. Extravagant design and maximum individuality is part and parcel of the AMG. Some items that were previously options, such as the LED High Performance headlamps, now come as standard. The aerodynamics have been further improved and the Cd value reduced, all to the benefit of the driving dynamics and stability. In the case of the CoupĂŠ for example, the design of the AMG spoiler lip on the boot lid is new. Further exterior features of the facelift include the AMG front apron in a new A-wing design with front splitter inserts in matt titanium grey and highgloss black flics. The new design of the diffuser insert at the rear looks awesome, with its four vertical fins. The upgraded instrument panel is upholstered in ARTICO man-made leather, as are the beltlines. Both are given an exclusive finishing touch of red contrasting topstitching. The trim element represents a further highlight: this features a matt printed finish, although the essential structure still has a polished surface that bears the AMG logo. Also new

is the optional AMG DINAMICA Cockpit package with a trim element in DINAMICA and a DINAMICA Performance steering wheel. The ignition key and the E-Select selector lever each bear an AMG emblem. With a peak performance of 280 kW and maximum torque of 475 Nm, the Mercedes-AMG CLA 45 4MATIC CoupĂŠ is amongst the most beautiful and powerful vehicles in its segment, accelerating from rest to 100 km/h in just 4.2 seconds. Along with the more powerful engine, the new features included the AMG DYNAMIC SELECT transmission modes as standard, plus the shorter gear ratios of the AMG SPEEDSHIFT DCT 7-speed sports transmission. The four-cylinder turbo engine has already received the renowned Engine of the Year Award twice. The AMG unit won the award in the category for engines with a displacement of 1.8 - 2.0 litres in both 2014 and 2015. The independent experts were impressed by the trailblazing engineering and outstanding characteristics of this high-end four-cylinder unit. As a more mature gentleman I thoroughly enjoyed the CLA in all of its derivatives and I will be happy with the CLA 200 or 200d in my garage. Fuel consumption on all models is excellent and the CLA 45 4Matic is a real jewel that is taking compact performance cars to the next level.

Pricing: CLA 200 CLA 200 d CLA 220 d CLA 250 Sport 4MATIC Mercedes-AMG CLA 45 4MATIC

R472 400 R506 000 R545,900 R663 500 R874 500

CEO 2017 Vol 16.4

The Rise of

Naked Tourism by Freya Higgins-Desbiolles, Senior Lecturer in Tourism, University of South Australia

In my American youth, there was a rude phrase describing kids acting up: “showing your butt”. It seems some tourists are now taking this literally. Recently, tourists have been stripping down and photographing themselves at the world’s iconic locations to the bewilderment of some and the disgust of others. Social media is abuzz as tourists get snaps of their uncovered backsides at national parks, on top of mountains, and at World Heritage sites.

he desire to reveal one’s naked glory is not a new thing, as streakers at sporting events and the devotees of nude beaches and nudist camps demonstrate. But this trend of “naked tourism” reveals something more than just bare bottoms – and it may call for some active interventions. Exposing the Reasons for Baring It All In 2010, a French-born exotic dancer filmed herself stripping on the sacred monolith Uluru in central Australia. Some labelled this a “publicity grab”. In early 2015, three young Frenchmen were charged with public exposure and pornography, given suspended sentences, fined, deported and banned from visiting Cambodia for four years after stripping down at Angkor Wat.

CEO 2017 Vol 16.4

Lest we think this is a French thing, North Americans and Australians have bared their backsides at Machu Picchu in Peru. This led CNN to warn tourists to “watch out for bare butts”. In the selfie era, attention-seeking and shock value are clear individual motivations. But perhaps there is more to it. Social media is certainly encouraging the practice. A good example of this is the Naked At Monuments Facebook page, which describes its purpose as “we get naked around the world”. There is also the My Naked Trip blog. Together, these indicate naked tourism may be an emerging trend rather than an oddity. Insulting the Host Community Some travellers may forget that where they travel is not their home, and that cultural sensitivities may differ greatly. While some cultures view revealing the body and its parts

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“We are a proud race like every race in the world. We have sacred sites and we have deep beliefs that if people cross that line, they’re really almost spitting in your face, or slapping you in the face and saying ‘I can live my life the way I want to’.”

as an act of appreciation, others have quite different views. When tourists insist on imposing their values against their hosts’ wishes, profound emotions can be sparked. These may include anger, dismay and hurt. In response to the stripping performance on Uluru, Aboriginal performer Jimmy Little communicated the hurt such a disrespectful act can inflict: “We are a proud race like every race in the world. We have sacred sites and we have deep beliefs that if people cross that line, they’re really almost spitting in your face, or slapping you in the face and saying ‘I can live my life the way I want to’.” In the Angkor Wat case, local authorities acted with some anger at the insult to the ancient, sacred temple complex. A spokeswoman for the Apsara Authority, the agency that manages Angkor Wat, said: “The temple is a worship site and their behaviour is inappropriate. They were nude.”

How To (Ad)Dress This Issue The first line of defence is regulations with penalties that are enforced. In the Angkor Wat case, the governing authorities enforced strong penalties on the young men for their actions. But for countries dependent on tourism, it takes considerable will to go down this path. The ongoing tolerance of bikinis on beaches in Muslim countries – albeit sometimes on restricted sites such as gated resorts or islands – attests to this. Tourism between cultures is a moral space as much as it is a commercial one. The question is: in a time of creeping commercialism, individualism and me-oriented cultures, how can we ensure the cross-cultural encounters of tourism are respectful of the host’s cultures and values? Codes of conduct are one tool for consumer education of travellers. The authority governing Angkor Wat responded to the naked tourists by updating visitor protocols in multiple languages. Few know a Global Code of Ethics for Tourism exists. It claims: “Tourists have the responsibility to acquaint themselves, even before their departure, with the characteristics of the countries they are preparing to visit.” Tourism is based on hospitality, and this requires respect for hosts. They want visitors to voluntarily display respect. Climbing Uluru is a great example of this. The Anangu traditional owners do not want visitors to climb this sacred place, but still do not ban it outright. One reason is deeply spiritual: the Anangu want visitors to respect their values and choose not to climb. Such an approach has much to teach us about the meaning of travel between cultures. While today’s tourists travel freely to enjoy the world’s treasures, it does not mean such travel should be completely uninhibited. Different cultures hold different values, and the joy of travel should come from engaging with these differences and learning from them. Responsible tourism built on respect ensures a warm welcome. Source: The Conversation

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Born to Kojo Hammond Sekyiamah and Henrietta Yaa Darkoa Sekyiamah in Accra, Ghana, Awurabena Okrah is the Executive Director of Winglow Clothes and Textiles Limited. She is the fifth of three older brothers and two sisters. Awurabena holds a Bachelor of Arts Degree from the University of Ghana and a Post Graduate Certificate in Education from the University of Cape Coast. She started her career as a teacher at Mfantsiman Girls Secondary School and later at the Presbyterian Boys Secondary School (PRESEC) Legon. After teaching for 10 years, she joined OIC as a Student Services Manager, leaving after five years as programme manager.

he founded Winglow Clothes and Textiles Limited in 1985 and has since been the Chief Executive Officer. Her business was expanded to include the production of digitised embroidery in fabrics to innovate a unique product for the market using Ghanaian cultural symbols. In 2016, Awurabena opened [the] Winglow Fashion Academy using innovation once more to design a syllabus to provide sewing skills in modular forms within a shorter time than traditional programmes.

A Disciplined Life for by Andrew Ngozo

Success

Awurabena Okrah Executive Director of Winglow Clothes and Textiles Limited

A Passion for Grooming Due to her hard work and commitment to duty she has served on various boards including the Association of Ghana Industries (AGI), Chartered Institute of Marketing, Ghana, Accra Technical Training Centre (ATTC), International Needs Ghana (INGH) and Opportunities Industrialisation Centre Ghana (OIC), among others. Awurabena is also a consultant for the fashion industry. She has provided capacity building support to Ghana Association of Fashion Designers and Exporters, polytechnic

2016/2017 training institutions and Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology to name a few. She has a passion for grooming and mentoring the underprivileged in society. She has also featured in several articles in the Daily Graphic, Business and Financial Times, radio and television on women in entrepreneurship as well as on SME issues. Awurabena has received several awards including the Business Initiatives International Award for Quality and Commitment, Ministry of Trade and Industry award for Friday Wear, TV Africa Award for Enterprising Woman and Association of Ghana Industries’ Garment, Textiles and Leather sector excellence award for 2015. She has led several trade delegations to represent Ghana and promote Made-in-Ghana products in the international arena. Now on the verge of retiring from direct production and management of all her business concerns, her focus is on succession and the sustainability of Winglow as a thriving business managed by the next generation of competent, skilled staff and management. Awurabena loves technology and innovation. This led her start to taking courses in Internet Technology as early as the 1990s. Currently, she is taking online courses in Sustainable Fashion and Innovation from Leeds University in the United Kingdom. Her simple philosophy of life is that a disciplined life ensures progress, success, peace and a happy enjoyable life. Awurabena is very religious, a leader in the Methodist Church. Customer First, Quality Always For Awurabena, entrepreneurship is at the core of her being. She is especially passionate about bringing in and nurturing more female entrepreneurs into industry. “I want to become a recognised world leader in the designing and production of quality clothing and embroidered fabrics for the export market. This, I believe, is entirely possible through team work and good management. In the process it will mean providing jobs and economic opportunities for our people and excellent service to clients while generating attractive returns for all stakeholders; all the while bearing in mind our tag words: customer first and quality always,” she points out. It is no surprise, then, that at Winglow Clothes and Textiles Limited “our mission is to deliver comfort, style and

confidence to people in what they wear by designing and producing clothes, for all sexes, and fabrics depicting African culture, for the local and export markets”. Winglow has won many awards both internationally and nationally. She was part of West African entrepreneurs who participated in a USAID-EcoBank Access to Finance programme. She says thanks to the programme, she was able to improve her accounting skills as she received licensed copies of QuickBooks accounting software, used by small businesses in the United States of America. The workshop was the second in a series of four training programmes to give small and medium enterprises the tools needed to obtain bank credit, while educating bank personnel on the constraints and conditions faced by small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs). Taught by volunteer experts recruited by International Executive Service Corps (IESC), on behalf of Volunteers for Economic Growth Alliance (VEGA), the sessions worked to help entrepreneurs understand as well as strengthen financial management, covering such topics as strategic management and business plan preparation, marketing and sales, risk management, corporate governance and a comprehensive loan review process to ensure successful access to finance. The workshop, conducted by Abe Mirza, owner of a firm in California, USA, showed how a properly constructed spreadsheet programme – such as Microsoft Excel – can show much more than profit and loss. For instance, by tracking details like monthly loan interest payments, you can determine if you’re over-borrowing or under-borrowing, she says. Awurabena was among more than 50 entrepreneurs from Benin, Burkina Faso and Ghana, involved in sectors such as aluminium, apparel, handicrafts, textiles and shear butter, as well as EcoBank representatives from Benin, Burkina Faso, Cameroon, Ghana, Nigeria and Senegal. The West Africa Trade Hub, the Financial Service Volunteer Corps (FSVC), International Senior Lawyers Project and the Institute of International Education also supported the programme. Concludes Awurabena: “Given that my company was still relatively new, the workshop was a real eye opener. It not only opened up new horizons but it expanded my skills such that my company would not be what it is today were it not for the programme.”

CEO 2017 Vol 16.4

2016/17

Dr Isaac Kamamia Wa Murichu, the Chief Executive Officer of the Kenya Pharmaceuticals Distributors Association

Many may seriously argue with the following assertion but the fact is that it is fact and very far from fiction. Over the last 10 years, prices of medicines in Kenya have actually come down. This is as a result of the competition and availability of choices offered by parallel and alternatively sourced medicines. This is thanks to the efforts of one man, Dr Isaac Kamamia Wa Murichu, the chief executive officer of the Kenya Pharmaceuticals Distributors Association (KPDA). Dr Murichu regards this as one of his greatest achievements because, “when a patient urgently requires an important drug, within a matter of one to two days, we make it available at a price they can comfortably afford. Kenyans have come to understand that health care is accessible and affordable. We are able to save lives and allow our people to use their extra savings for other purposes. My professional colleagues and hospitals are now, more than ever, using our products”.

Selfless Service to the Community D

r Murichu studied for his Advanced Levels at the Alliance High School, and later enrolled at the University of Nairobi for a Bachelor’s Degree in Pharmacy. Due to his passion for country and community, he owns a private college and chemists in Kenya. He states that: “I am also the secretary general of the East African Health Platform (EAHP), an umbrella body of the private sector, faith based organisations and civil society that advocates for health and health rights within the whole of the East African Community. I am also the chairman of the Kenya Pharmaceuticals Distributors

CEO 2017 Vol 16.4

by Andrew Ngozo

Association.” As the KPDA chair, his main responsibility is to source for global markets which are highly regulated and prices affordable for medicines which their members can import from. He also ensures that all necessary importation documents such as import permits from the Kenyan drug regulator are available. Strong to Serve From a very young age, during his days at high school, Dr Murichu says that he was taught the importance of selfless service to the community. The school’s motto was Strong to Serve. “I have always drawn inspiration from that hence I have very strong

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leadership skills, focus and unflattering will. I believe that when I focus on anything that benefits mankind, nothing should ever come between me and my goals,” he points out. Indeed here is a strong willed man who oozes energy and travels at least 200km on a daily basis, “using my meagre resources to ensure that the Kenyan patient lives comfortably for another day... I don’t believe in losing any challenge and I am a go getter,” he is quick to add. A Man Driven By Passion The push by Kenya’s pharmaceutical firms to claw back more share of regional market from the tight grip of cheap Asian drugs has been waning amid multiple charges, conflicting regulations and high costs of running factories, Dr Murichu points out. While the Kenyan government does not charge duty on drugs, the two per cent that the Kenya Revenue Authority levies as import declaration fee remains a burden, says Dr Murichu. In addition, the Kenya Pharmacies and Poisons Board (PPB) introduced quite a number of levies, among them, 0.75% as retention charges. “To local firms which have limited control on most of their operation costs, these regulatory levies only pile more pressure on retail prices of

becomes clear that passion is what drives this man. He has been at the forefront of an integrated East African pharmaceutical industry for many years. Dr Murichu says improving access to quality medicine is one area where regional integration has recorded tremendous success. Previously, patients from other East African Community countries used to travel all the way to Kenya’s health facilities. With many European firms established in Kenya it has been way ahead in producing latest molecules of essential drugs for cancer, HIV, etc. “As a result of regional integration, a number of these firms have set up units in member states, taking with them quality medicine, expertise and equipment that used to cause patients to travel long distances,” he clarifies. Africa Produces Better Drugs Dr Murichu is of the notion that Kenya and African pharmaceutical companies can produce better drugs than their Asian counterparts, thus he is an advocate for producing, buying and using local products regardless of one’s geographical location in Africa. “Compared to most of products that we import from countries such as

From a very young age, during his days at high school Dr Murichu says that he was taught the importance of selfless service to the community. drugs they produce. The firms have to import equipment and active ingredients, something that limits their ability to compete with Asian counterparts on the fronts of speed and cost. Beset by high costs, industry players are now rooting for increased uptake of their products by public health facilities. Unlike imports, it is easier for regulators to inspect conditions under which local medicine is produced and guarantee the public of its quality and safety,” Dr Murichu maintains. The local manufacturers, he notes, understand environmental conditions of various sale points and therefore provide appropriate packaging for each area of the region to ensure medicine remains in good conditions on shelves. “Generally, I prefer local medicines not only because they are working but also due to their pocket-friendliness,” says Dr Murichu who also serves as Secretary of the East African Health Platform. It

India and China, drugs produced in Kenya are far ahead in terms of better quality. Today, in Kenya, we already have a company which has a World Health Organisation (WHO) prequalification for anti-retroviral production. In any case, unlike imports, regulators can easily inspect conditions under which local medicine is produced.” Does this then mean that Dr Murichu and his family take medicines produced in the local Kenyan market? “Yes we do. Not only do we find them working but they are also pocket-friendly. One advantage of locally produced medicine is that the manufacturer understands environmental conditions of various markets and, therefore, provides appropriate packaging for each area of the region to ensure drugs stay longer on the shelves,” he shares. Additional information extracted from www.feapm.com

CEO 2017 Vol 16.4

InConversationWith Alan Wilcocks is the Chief Executive Officer and co– founder of Interwaste. Over the past 26 years Wilcocks has acquired an in-depth knowledge of the waste management sector. He is renowned for innovative waste management solutions and his drive to continually provide better service levels to customers. Wilcocks involves himself daily in the operation of the business from customer relations right through to the development of new facilities and innovative service offerings.

AW Alan Wilcocks What is the value of assets under your control? R 1 billion

What three things would you take with you to a deserted island? A bottle of Johnny Walker, tall glass and ice

What is the number of employees in your organisation? 2 200 full time staff; our first person was employed in 1989 by the company and is still here

What are you reading? Board reports, management reports, financial reports, SHEQ Reports etc.

What does a typical working day entail? I start work at 5am and attend back to back meetings/ engagements before finishing up at around 6pm. I usually drive over 100km per day to work and back

What can’t you live without? My grandson

What occupies your time outside work? Family and Interwaste Where did you study and what? I resigned from school at 15 years old, and learnt all the other skills along the way. Today, we employ great people and have over 140 professional people in our employee base Favourite music? Anything from the 80’s

Three words to describe your leadership style? Engaging, empowering and values-driven What led you to your current career path? I must have been really bad in a past life! What’s the worst decision you ever made? Missing key mile stones in my children’s life for work matters What’s the best decision you ever made? Marrying my wife

Favourite food? Steak on the braai

What advice would you give to someone aspiring to your position? You can start tomorrow

What would you be if you weren’t in your current position? Very lucky and retired

Business person you most admire? My late father

CEO 2017 Vol 16.4

You can bank on us...

...as one of the most trusted medical schemes in South Africa! Bankmed has been caring for its members since

Bankmed offers members excellent benefits,

1914 and we currently cover 216 000 lives

going far beyond the basics of covering Prescribed

In 2016 Alexander Forbes rated Bankmed as

Minimum Benefits on all Plans.

one of the top seven closed medical schemes

The range of Plans allows members to choose

in the country

an option that fits their pockets and suits their

Bankmed received an AA+ Global Credit Rating

healthcare needs

in 2017, the highest rating in the industry and the

We help our members understand their health

only closed Scheme in South Africa to do so

as we know this is the first step to good health.

The Scheme has a solvency ratio of 40%, well exceeding the statutory requirement of 25%

0800 BANKMED (0800 226 5633)

enquiries@bankmed.co.za

This is why we offer Preventative Care and Wellness initiatives to our members

www.bankmed.co.za

Bankmed Medical Scheme. Registration number 1279. Administered by Discovery Health (Pty) Ltd, registration number 1997/013480/07, an authorised financial services provider.

GM_48006DIH_28/08/2017_V1

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