Africa Outlook - Issue 68 by Outlook Publishing

www.africaoutlookmag.com

AFRICA

ISSUE 68

Life Healthcare is opening up access to quality, lifechanging medical services across the whole of South Africa and beyond thanks to investment and innovation

OCP GROUP 10 Global phosphate leader cuts sulphur dioxide emissions by 98 percent

WBHO BUILDING AFRICA 60 Emphasising quality and sound strategy delivery

ALSO FEATURING: M I N I N G

I N D A B A

DE SIMONE GROUP 70 Speaking with West Africaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s leading civil construction company

T H E T A

G O L D

PW MINING 118 A mainstay of West African mining

M I N E S

N E W Q U I P

BUSINESS TRAVEL GUIDES

S E Y C H E L L E S

A complete guide to Africa’s leading business travel destinations

AFRICA

SEYCHELLES Made up of dozens of islands scattered in the Indian Ocean, the Seychelles experience is summed up by beautiful beaches, amazing aquatic life and luxurious living Writer: Tom Wadlow | Project Manager: Jordan Levey

THE SEYCHELLES – 115 tropical landmasses that to its visitors are the embodiment of paradise. Lying 1,600 kilometres east of Kenya and 1,100 kilometres northeast of Madagascar, the Indian Ocean island republic is one of the world’s smallest countries, with fewer than 100,000 residents. However, it is fair to say Seychelles occupies a much larger presence on the global tourism scene, revered around the world as the home of golden beaches, healthy coral reefs and luxury resorts. The country is split into two major island groups: the Mahé group of around 40 largely mountainous islands and home to capital city Victoria, and an outer group of more than 70 flatter islands. Discovery of Seychelles can be attributed to the great Portuguese explorer Vasco de Gama, who in 1502 made a sighting on his voyage

from India to Africa. The first settlers Today the country serves as did not arrive until 1770, the French a stunning backdrop for visiting colonising the islands before the businesspeople and leisure British seized control in 1811 following a travellers alike, one of relatively few period of brief post-French Revolution undisturbed tropical wildernesses independence. that is drawing in increasing numbers of tourists every year.

FACTS & FIGURES Capital city: Languages: Area: Population (2017): GDP (2015): Currency: Time zone: Dialling code: Internet TLD: Climate:

Victoria Creole, English, and French 455km² (Approx. 115 islands) 95,900 US$1.486 billion Seychelles rupee GMT+4 +248 .sc Tropical

WWW.AFRICAOUTLOOKMAG.COM

Our Business Travel section not only gives executives the complete guide to the world’s most popular and populous locations, but also gives said locations the perfect opportunity to showcase their own businesses, events, venues and services to a truly international audience and readership of more than 185,000 each month. To share in this unrivalled exposure and to put your own offering on our map, then please contact our Sales Managers; Joe Palliser, Ryan Gray or Jordan Levey to find out more. joe.palliser@outlookpublishing.com

+44 (0)1603 959 676

ryan.gray@outlookpublishing.com

+44 (0)1603 959 672

jordan.levey@outlookpublishing.com

+44 (0)1603 959 668

W E L C O M E EDITORIAL Editorial Director: Tom Wadlow tom.wadlow@outlookpublishing.com Deputy Editor: Jonathan Dyble jonathan.dyble@outlookpublishing.com

PRODUCTION Production Manager: Daniel George daniel.george@outlookpublishing.com Art Director: Stephen Giles steve.giles@outlookpublishing.com Advert Designer: Devon Collins devon.collins@outlookpublishing.com

BUSINESS Sales Director: Nick Norris nick.norris@outlookpublishing.com Operations Director: James Mitchell james.mitchell@outlookpublishing.com PROJECT DIRECTORS Joshua Mann joshua.mann@outlookpublishing.com Tom Cullum tom.cullum@outlookpublishing.com HEAD OF PROJECTS Joe Palliser (Business Travel) joe.palliser@outlookpublishing.com Kane Weller kane.weller@outlookpublishing.com TRAINING & DEVELOPMENT MANAGER Eddie Clinton eddie.clinton@outlookpublishing.com SALES MANAGERS Jordan Levey (Business Travel) jordan.levey@outlookpublishing.com Ryan Gray (Business Travel) ryan.gray@outlookpublishing.com PROJECT MANAGERS Callam Waller callam.waller@outlookpublishing.com Donovan Smith donovan.smith@outlookpublishing.com Josh Hyland josh.hyland@outlookpublishing.com Lewis Bush lewis.bush@outlookpublishing.com Matt Cole-Wilkin matt.cole-wilkin@outlookpublishing.com Vivek Valmiki vivek.valmiki@outlookpublishing.com

ADMINISTRATION Finance Director: Suzanne Welsh suzanne.welsh@outlookpublishing.com Administrative Assistant: Sophia Curran sophia.curran@outlookpublishing.com Office Manager: Karla Doyle karla.doyle@outlookpublishing.com Digital & IT: Hamit Saka Helpdesk: James Le-May

AFRICA

In Good Health The state of healthcare provision in South Africa has been subject to much debate and scrutiny in recent years. The unequal nature of access to medical services is under the spotlight, with World Bank research showing that in 2015 more than a third of South Africa’s poorest decile lived at least 20 kilometres from a hospital, 27 percentage points higher than the wealthiest segment of the population. Companies like Life Healthcare are doing their utmost to bridge this gap, working closely with the South African government as it looks to implement its National Health Insurance (NHI) scheme, designed to make sure all citizens and long-term residents of South Africa are provided with essential healthcare, regardless of their employment status and ability to pay. Our cover story this issue arrows in on Life Healthcare’s ever-expanding business, with CEO Shrey Viranna discussing how the Company is championing international standards and supporting the government’s vision. Staying in the healthcare domain, we also hear from Ghana’s Kinapharma, a company which started off as a one-man band and is now operating in multiple countries, producing more than 150 different brands of products. Construction and mining sectors form another area of focus for this busy edition, with exclusive interviews coming from WBHO Building Africa, PW Mining and Theta Gold Mines, the latter looking to reopen the Gold Rush which saw the establishment of South Africa’s mining industry in the 1880s. With rights to mine the Traansvaal Gold Mining Estate, the firm is making promising progress at the Theta Hill mine, the focus of recent drilling activity. In February, Mining Indaba will showcase the best of what Africa has to offer. Hoping to build on the success of last year’s event, Harry Chapman, Director of Content, tells us what’s in store for 2019’s show in Cape Town. Further north, in Morocco, OCP is making headway in the realm of sustainability. The world’s most prolific producer of phosphate

OUTLOOK PUBLISHING

products, the Group has just introduced a new

Managing Director: Ben Weaver ben.weaver@outlookpublishing.com CONTACT Africa Outlook 69-75 Thorpe Road, Norwich, Norfolk, NR1 1UA, United Kingdom. Sales: +44 (0) 1603 959 652 Editorial: +44 (0) 1603 959 657 SUBSCRIPTIONS Tel: +44 (0) 1603 959 657 Email: tom.wadlow@outlookpublishing.com

process which cuts sulphur emissions by as much as 98 percent. We gained exclusive insight from Hanane Mourchid, OCP’s Head of Circular Economy. Rounding off the final issue of the year are

www.africaoutlookmag.com Like us on Facebook - facebook.com/africaoutlook Follow us on Twitter - @Africa_Outlook

articles delving into the technology, logistics, Tom Wadlow Editorial Director, Outlook Publishing

agriculture, oil & gas and manufacturing sectors. We wish you all a great end to 2018!

WWW.AFRICAOUTLOOKMAG.COM

In this issue...

6 8 F

NEWS

Around Africa in seven stories

EXPERT EYE

Connecting the continent: The role of mobile in Africa

A T

AGRICULTURE Phosphate’s Push for Sulphuric Sustainability How OCP Group is cutting sulphur dioxide emissions by 98 percent

MINING Africa’s Premier Mining Industry Showcase Mining Indaba prepares for a milestone 25th anniversary event

S E C TO R

WWW.AFRICAOUTLOOKMAG.COM

F O C U S

FINANCE Futureproofing Finance The ICC Banking Commission on how technology can boost Africa’s banks

AFRICA 20

A G R I C U L T U R E

SHOWCASING LEADING COMPANIES

120

Tell us your story and we’ll tell the world

H E A L T H C A R E

LIFE HEALTHCARE Breathing Life into SA Healthcare and Beyond A mission to improve access to medical services

Supplying the future of African farming

MANUFACTURING

126

MOTA-ENGIL AFRICA The African Answer to African Challenges

A continental stalwart of 70-plus years

MINING & RESOURCES

94 56

NEWQUIP Newquip for a New Age

PW MINING The Partner of Choice

GABON WOOD INDUSTRIES Preserve and Prosper

Responsible forestry in the Gabon Special Economic Zone

SHIPPING & LOGISTICS

132

A mainstay of West African mining

MAKUPA TRANSIT SHADE CFS Cutting Container Congestion

Powering efficiency at the Port of Mombasa

KINAPHARMA Africa’s Premier Pharmaceutical Proponent

136

From a one-man operation to a substantiated multinational

VTTI KENYA Mombasa’s Modern Fuel Depot

Fuelling the future of Kenya’s oil transportation operations

104

E V E N T

THETA GOLD MINES The Gold Rush Reawakens

F O C U S

Transforming Traansvaal Gold Mining Estate

CONSTRUCTION

WBHO BUILDING AFRICA The Construction Custodian

Emphasising quality and sound strategy

DE SIMONE LIMITED Pushing the Boundaries of Building

T E C H N O L O G Y

110

Speaking with West Africa’s leading civil construction company

GLOBAL BROADBAND SOLUTION Transforming Telecommunications

Reconstructing connectivity in the DRC and beyond

116

AIRTEL SEYCHELLES Integrating an Island Nation

Transforming telecommunications through technological excellence

140

3RD ANNUAL POWER TECH AFRICA 2019

142

MINING INDABA

144

CIO POWER AFRICA

146

AFRICA BFSI INNOVATION SUMMIT 2019

148

5TH POWERING AFRICA: SUMMIT (PAS)

150

SEAMLESS SOUTHERN AFRICA 2019

Powering the future of subSaharan Africa Africa’s premier mining industry showcase Connecting to the digital future of the power sector

Discussing digital for African finance

A forum for American and African collaboration

Gathering the leading voices of the payments industry

WWW.AFRICAOUTLOOKMAG.COM

Around Africa in seven stories…

TRANSPORT

OIL & GAS

Tanzania in talks with Equinor over LNG project

Ethiopia overtakes Dubai as transit hub to Africa Ethiopia, the home of Africa’s largest aviation group Ethiopian Airlines, has overtaken Dubai as the top transit hub for long-haul travel to the African continent. “Our continued investment in expanding our intra-African network, which is the largest by an airline, is now paying dividends,”

stated Tewolde GebreMariam, CEO of the Ethiopian airlines, in response to the news. According to data from travel booking systems, the number of long-haul transfers to sub-Saharan Africa via Addis Ababa, the Ethiopian capital, rose 85 percent between 2013 and 2017.

FINANCE

Catalyst Principal Partners launches new $155 million East African fund Kenya-based private equity firm Catalyst Principal Partners has raised $155 million for a second fund that has been earmarked for investments into East Africa’s key growth sectors. More specifically, the fund will

Norwegian multinational energy company Equinor is reportedly set to begin holding talks with the Tanzanian government regarding the development of a liquefied natural gas (LNG) project, according to Reuters. The potential project that is under discussion will be centred around a deepwater offshore LNG discovery, with Tanzania having stated back in 2014 that a planned LNG export plant could cost as much as $30 billion. Despite speculation, it remains unseen how long these talks will take and how much a project of this scale would cost in practice.

largely be focused on Democratic Republic of Congo, Ethiopia, Kenya, Rwanda, Tanzania, Uganda and Zambia. “Catalyst largely focuses on emerging and mid-sized companies with strong growth and profitability prospects,” said CEO Paul Kavuma, giving a sense of the firm’s ambitions with this latest fund. According to the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development, East Africa accounted for 18 percent of the continent’s total foreign direct investment in 2017.

GO TO WWW.AFRICAOUTLOOKMAG.COM/NEWS FOR ALL OF THE LATEST NEWS FROM AFRICA

TRANSPORT

TECHNOLOGY

Orange, MTN launch pan-African mobile payment interoperability service

Uber, Careem both launch bus service in Egypt Global automotive ride-hailing firm Uber and its Middle East-based competitor Careem have both launched new bus booking services in Egypt. Uber announced that it would be rolling out minibus services across the country, beginning in Cairo, just one day after Careem unveiled the launch of its new bus-booking app in the capital. The city is one of the most populated across the whole continent, home to more than 22

million people. The simultaneous announcements are set to further intensify the regional rivalry between both firms that already compete across a number of African and Middle Eastern countries.

Orange Group and MTN Group, two leading telecommunications firms on the African continent, have partnered up to launch a new joint venture named Mowali. Standing for mobile wallet interoperability, Mowali will aim to facilitate interoperable mobile payments across the continent, leveraging digital infrastructure that connects financial service providers with customers. The platform will operate as an open financial utility, serving any mobile money provider, from banks to money transfer operators. The collaboration between MTN and Orange will bring together more than 100 million mobile money accounts from 22 different markets across subSaharan Africa. FINANCE

NIC Group, Commercial Bank of Africa set to merge

FINANCE

The World Bank to fuel Egypt’s private sector with $1 billion loan The World Bank is looking to facilitate growth in Egypt’s private sector with $1 billion in funding, a secondary phase of investment that will follow the $3.15 billion in loans provided to the country since 2015.

According to Reuters, having spoken to Ferid Belhaj, The World Bank’s Vice President for the Middle East and North Africa, the country is now in a much better position economically than it was a few years ago after pursuing some daring economic reforms. “The economy’s standing, now it needs to walk, and we believe that the private sector is really the driver,” Belhaj said.

Commercial Bank of Africa (CBA) and National Industrial Credit Bank (NIC) have confirmed that they are currently discussing merger talks. The potential deal could create one of the largest financial services groups on the continent, with the two companies’ customer bases expected to reach 38 million people combined. “It is the view of the two boards that a potential merger would bring together the best in class retail and corporate banks with strong potential for growth in all aspects of banking and wealth management,” a joint statement read.

GO TO WWW.AFRICAOUTLOOKMAG.COM/NEWS FOR ALL OF THE LATEST NEWS FROM AFRICA

Connecting the continent:

The role of mobile in Africa The African telecommunications market is a dynamic one which is fuelling entrepreneurship and driving socioeconomic benefits. However, the diverse landscape presents unique challenges that must be addressed to optimise service delivery Written by: Clémentine Fournier, Regional Vice President, Africa, BICS

he telecoms markets across Africa’s 54 countries offer a huge range of opportunities, both to traditional players like mobile operators, new digital service providers and businesses launching IoT propositions. But, despite these opportunities, challenges remain, ranging from political instability in regions like the Central African Republic, to the intense competition between operators for subscribers in smaller countries like Niger, Chad and Benin. Indeed, attracting and retaining customers is an issue which is perhaps particularly acute in Africa, where 78 percent of the market is pre-paid. Unlike many European and American markets, where customers sign up for lengthy subscriptions with a single operator, African subscribers have less loyalty to an individual provider. On the other hand, a large African diaspora means that a high volume of international calls are terminated into the continent, boosting revenues for local operators. Finally, Africa’s 54 countries present a major opportunity due to their sheer number alone. Mobile populations and workforces, plus travel and tourism have resulted in a high number of mobile subscribers crossing borders, all expecting a consistent level and quality of connectivity. Roaming connectivity and services are set to be major market drivers.

ABOUT THE EXPERT Clémentine Fournier has two decades of experience in the telecoms industry. She became BICS’s Vice President Sales for Africa in 2011, heading up a team to sell BICS’ broad range of telecommunication services, including international voice termination, messaging, roaming, and innovative service solutions, to more than 100 mobile operators across the continent. Fournier holds a master’s degree in Management of Telecommunications from ParisDauphine University. She has lived in several countries, including the US, the UK, France, and Belgium.

Mobilising Africa’s internet

Mobile is massive in Africa. With many regions and communities lacking affordable hardware and without broadband connectivity, the smartphone and mobile infrastructure have provided the primary means of accessing the internet. The number of mobile internet subscribers in sub-Saharan Africa has quadrupled since the start of the decade. As 2G connections wane, 3G is emerging as the dominant technology

WWW.AFRICAOUTLOOKMAG.COM

in the region, and will account for an estimated 60 percent of connections by 2025. The services and opportunities mobile internet connectivity have unlocked are perhaps more highly valued in Africa than other regions. A hugely varied physical landscape, as well as political instability and poor transport infrastructure has impeded access to essential services in many regions. Low-cost handsets and improvements in mobile infrastructure are helping to overcome this. So, while Africa has the world’s lowest bank branch penetration, for example, over half of the world’s 174 million active registered mobile money accounts are in sub-Saharan Africa, a region which also boasts a high number of mobile payments providers. Africa – as with other regions globally – is experiencing an IoT boom, supported by mobile connectivity. Areas like agriculture, mining and utilities have been identified as particular growth areas, with sensing technologies, remote monitoring and cloud-based data platforms driving efficiencies. Again, these use cases all rely on consistent, reliable connectivity which supports a high number of connected things and is unaffected by border crossings. This latter point is especially important in IoT use cases involving transport and logistics, where roaming with multiple operators in multiple regions will have to be supported.

Back to basics

As much as there is huge opportunity in Africa for a burgeoning mobile IoT, there are still swathes of the population who rely on 2G connectivity, and for whom ‘basic’ communications services like voice and SMS remain crucial. SMS can still improve access to and delivery of vital services, though. mTrac, for example, is an SMS-based technology which is being used to manage medication supplies remotely. Using a toll-free number, medical professionals can communicate via SMS to find out about stock levels of essential drugs in hospitals and care centres, without having to spend time and money to travelling between locations. Another major SMS opportunity in Africa comes in the form of A2P (application-to-person). Companies can leverage A2P SMS to quickly, securely and cost-effectively communicate with customers, even in those areas which lack advanced infrastructure. This paints an exciting picture, and helping to improve connectivity in Africa will certainly support creativity, entrepreneurship and service provision across the continent. However, while the continent is dynamic and exciting,

it can also be, from a connectivity perspective, challenging. Submarine cabling currently delivers connectivity to regions on Africa’s outer borders, yet these remain at risk of damage (both accidental and criminal), which is difficult to entirely eliminate. A lack of standardised network infrastructure across Africa has also limited the deployment of services and infrastructure upgrades in some regions.

Investing in Africa’s future

Demand for connectivity services shows no sign of slowing. In order to support data-heavy applications and a mobile IoT, continued investment in mobile infrastructure across Africa is needed. A growing mobile ecosystem also, unfortunately, means a continuation of telecoms fraud. This will only be addressed through collaboration between governments and telecoms players. Africa is not alone in experiencing voice and SMS fraud, both of which are global issues. Fraudulent traffic is estimated to cost the international wholesale

carrier industry $17 billion annually. In a continent like Africa, which is comprised of so many countries and such high levels of roaming traffic, the problem is particularly acute. Fraudsters in country A can generate fraudulent traffic that originates in country B and terminates in country C, with fraud behaving like a virus, spreading quickly and infecting network after network in succession. The ITW Global Leaders’ Forum – a network of leaders from some of the world’s largest wholesale carriers – along with non-profit i3forum, is championing a collaborative approach to reducing fraud. It launched a Code of Conduct earlier this year, setting out a number of principles which signees must adhere to, including monitoring and reporting fraudulent activity. Traditionally an issue telecoms players kept quiet about, there’s now a concerted move toward industry-wide cooperation and knowledge sharing. In addition to protecting the revenues and businesses of operators, this approach will ensure that mobile subscribers can enjoy uninterrupted, secure connectivity – be it 2G, 3G, or, in a growing number of regions, LTE – wherever they’re roaming in Africa and further afield.

WWW.AFRICAOUTLOOKMAG.COM

O C P

G R O U P

Phosphate’s Push for Sulphuric

SUSTAINABILITY M orocco, perhaps unbeknownst to some, is a massive producer and exporter of phosphate. Home to around two thirds of the world’s phosphate reserves, the North African country sits in a higher league than major competitors and economic giants like China, Russia and the USA. It is the frontrunner of a huge market, set to be worth $75 billion globally by 2021 thanks to a solid forecasted growth rate of 1.9 percent a year. By 2024, this demand will equate to some 88 million metric tonnes. OCP Group is Morocco’s 95 percent state-owned phosphate powerhouse, the largest producer and exporter of the mineral in all its forms anywhere on earth. With exclusive access to the world’s largest phosphate reserves, the Company employs 23,000 people at numerous production and distribution sites and turned over $5 billion in 2017.

OCP Group is implementing new technology at its Jorf Lasfar and Safi industrial platforms that will reduce sulphur dioxide emissions by a massive 98 percent Writer: Tom Wadlow

This revenue is derived from operations spanning the entire value chain, serving more than 160 customers across five continents. “The Group is fully integrated, from mining to processing to the sale of phosphate products,” explains Hanane Mourchid, Head of Circular Economy. “Circular Economy is the programme promoting sustainability within OCP, including water and energy strategy, waste recycling, environmental performance and resources stewardship.

WWW.AFRICAOUTLOOKMAG.COM

“OCP provides a wide range of welladapted fertiliser products to enhance soil, increase agricultural yields, and help feed the planet in a sustainable and affordable way.” Established with almost a century of expertise, OCP has been a crucial player in the development of Africa’s agriculture industry, with sustainability now sitting very much at the heart of the organisation’s strategies. In February 2016, OCP Africa was created, a subsidiary fully dedicated to the development of sustainable farming systems across the continent. The Group puts Africa at the heart of its growth plan using a personalised approach and the newly created subsidiary aims to meet the challenge of a structured, efficient and sustainable agriculture sector. OCP Africa provides farmers with all the means to succeed – access to adapted and affordable products, services and support, as well as

M I N I N G

R E S O U R C E S

logistical and financial solutions. As a world leader in the phosphate industry, OCP Group leverages all possible means to contribute to addressing the food security challenge and to meet the needs of present and future generations.

An industry leader

OCP holds a unique position in the phosphate industry thanks to its leading position in the three main segments – rock, acid and fertiliser. It is in the midst of an enormous investment plan, committing $21 billion of spend on upstream and downstream activity between 2008 and 2027 in response to a spiralling global demand for food, the ultimate aim being to double the Group’s mining capacity and triple its processing capacity by 2027. This is helping to optimise the Group’s day to day activities, which involve the extraction of a wide variety of rocks of different grades and production of a diversified product portfolio, including phosphoric acid, phosphate fertilisers and animal feeds. “OCP’s ability to alter its product mix quickly to produce different volumes and qualities of phosphate rock, acids and fertilisers, and to adapt to market volatility and seasonality represents a real competitive advantage,” adds Mourchid. “The diversification strategy with respect to the portfolio, region and client makes the Group’s industrial presence strong and allows for maximum agility and flexibility while strengthening OCP’s leadership.” Indeed, the Company holds significant market shares in Africa, North America and Latin America, supplying products all around the world that are produced from three mines and two major chemical sites in Morocco. Jorf Lasfar is the world’s largest chemical platform with a fertiliser production capacity of 11 million tonnes a year, while Safi is OCP’s first

chemical site, launched in 1965 and currently housing an annual capacity of a million tonnes of fertiliser and 1.5 million tonnes of phosphoric acid.

Saving sulphur

In October 2018, OCP announced a huge breakthrough that will contribute enormously to its environmental and sustainable mandate. This was implementation of the

Sulfacid process, an innovative solution that has cut sulphur dioxide emissions by 98 percent, from around 600 parts per million (ppm) to less than 15 ppm. Sulphuric acid is produced and used by OCP in its production of phosphate products, with the Sulfacid technology currently being installed at the Jorf Lasfar and Safi industrial platforms. The project is expected to cost around $58 million.

PHOSPHATE – A MINERAL ON THE RISE The phosphate market is growing strongly due to a number of factors. A major driver is an uptick in demand for phosphate fertilisers and feed phosphates caused by growing populations, rising food security needs and an increase in meat-based diets. This has led to intensifying competitiveness among agriculture businesses, which must boost productivity in order to deliver the price, quality and service expectations of clients. Phosphate feeds help to meet phosphorus, calcium and protein needs of animals, while phosphate fertilisers boost plants’ ability to convert nutrients into energy. Expansion of arable land in developing countries in a bid to increase food output is therefore a crucial factor behind the growth in phosphate products.

WWW.AFRICAOUTLOOKMAG.COM

O C P

G R O U P

“The Sulfacid process has been specifically adapted to the sulfuric acid production in a disruptive way for the first time worldwide,” says Mourchid. “The process involves incorporating a supplementary gas scrubbing process designed to remove SO2. “The system recovers by contacting the gas rejected and converts it into sulfuric acid using a wet catalysis process. Clean gas and water vapor are released into the atmosphere. The gas is then converted into sulfuric acid, and recycled in the production chain, complying with the circular economy principle.” This milestone is several years of research in the making, involving close collaboration with a multinational expert in the treatment of waste gases. “The resulting environmental performance far exceeds even the highest standards worldwide,” adds Mourchid. “This process marks an historical milestone in terms of a reduction in SO2 emissions, achieving results of less than 15 ppm, which is very low compared to the threshold value of 157 ppm, the world’s most restrictive standard.”

A sustainable guardian

The Sulfacid innovation very much fits in line with OCP’s ambition to be a champion of the circular economy. It is currently developing a programme for unconventional water consumption resulting

Sulfacid plant at Jorf Lasfar

‘Further, as part of its social responsibility goals, OCP has launched its Act4community programme, designed to boost citizenship initiatives and help embed employees more in their surrounding communities’

Terminal station of the pipeline at Jorf Lasfar

WWW.AFRICAOUTLOOKMAG.COM

M I N I N G

R E S O U R C E S

Panoramic view of the Africa Fertilizer Complex at Jorf Lasfar

from desalination and wastewater treatment, a development which could help the fertiliser industry become more sustainable. The Group is also looking to clean energy, its operations at present powered by 75 percent renewables with the aim of reaching 100 percent at all mining and chemical sites. Further, as part of its social responsibility goals, OCP has launched its Act4community programme, designed to boost citizenship initiatives and help embed employees more in their surrounding communities. As a responsible and global leader, OCP has two ambitions - to meet the world’s agricultural needs in a decisive way and to protect the environment. “Aware of the central role of

the phosphate industry towards sustainable development, the Group chose to integrate environmental issues at every level of its activities,” says Mourchid. “The implementation of the Sulfacid process is in line with OCP Group’s ambition to be a leader in environmental protection and circular economy.”

WWW.AFRICAOUTLOOKMAG.COM

M I N I N G

I N D A B A

Africa’s Premier Mining Industry Showcase As Mining Indaba gears up for its 25th milestone anniversary edition, we speak with Harry Chapman, the event’s Director of Content, about what’s in store Writer: Jonathan Dyble

nvesting in African Mining Indaba is back in February for a 25th time, with next year’s event expected to be the most successful to date. Standing as Africa’s largest mining investment showcase, Mining Indaba will cover all aspects of Africa’s mining

Harry Chapman (HC): Our 2018 event saw a fresh revamp of branding and direction bringing the focus back to Mining Indaba’s role as a deal-making forum. We saw a 15 percent increase in overall attendance and 47 percent more mining executives. New elements of the event such as the Junior Mining Showcase and redeveloped Sustainable Development Day created platforms designed to value chain, welcoming hundreds of explore unique aspects of the mining investors, mining executives and other industry, which was well-received leading experts from across the globe. by attending delegates. Renewed This year’s event will both be looking positivity around commodity prices and back at the previous 25 years of prosperity the mining industry also added to an and ahead to new innovations, ideas atmosphere of excitement at the event, and movements throughout the which went on to win ‘Best large scale continent’s mining industry. event’ at the 2018 Conference Awards Speaking to Harry Chapman, last summer. Director of Content for the indaba, we Speaker highlights included a packed talk in depth, finding out how the last room during Robert Friedland’s keynote event went and what to expect from speech, an excellent discussion on the milestone edition. investment trends between Anil Agarwal and Evy Hambro, and an exciting Africa Outlook (AfO): Let’s begin conclusion to the Investment Battlefield by looking back on the previous competition resulting in Segun Lawson, Mining Indaba. What were some of the CEO of Thor Explorations, coming out highlights? victorious, to name just a few.

WWW.AFRICAOUTLOOKMAG.COM

WHAT TO EXPECT FROM MINING INDABA 2019 The 2019 programme builds on the complete revamp of the content made in 2018 to be more targeted to segmented audiences, such as junior mining companies and investors. For 2019 some of the highlights include: The Battery Metals Day where car makers, analysts and project developers will be talking about electric vehicles and what opportunities this provides for African mining. Significantly improved gender diversity throughout the event, with many more female speakers and different voices to hear from. Sustainable development day focusing on local communities and sustainability-driven innovations. New content focused on areas like resource nationalism, M&A and social licence to operate. The Leaders of Tomorrow Competition being run in partnership with Brunswick will see four young finalists pitching their innovations to win an award and two hours of mentoring from each of our prestigious judges. An improved and expanded Mining 2050 track, including the Hosted Buyers Programme which will see more COOs, project directors and CIOs coming together to talk about innovation, AI, automation and digitalisation in the industry.

AfO: Introduce us to February 2019’s event. What can we expect to see? HC: In 2019, we’re making an even greater effort to offer much more than meetings. The VIP Investor Lounge and Junior Mining Showcase have been placed together inside the Investment Pavilion to provide even easier interaction and deal-making opportunities. Our pioneering Investment Battlefield boosts junior miners’ profiles amongst investors. We’ll see analysts from banks such as Investec, Absa and other houses such as Edison taking part in the Junior Mining Forum and the newly developed Battery Metals Day will feature speakers from car manufacturing companies such as Ford. Coupled with our dedicated, personalised Investor Relations

WWW.AFRICAOUTLOOKMAG.COM

M I N I N G

I N D A B A

Service, we provide our investor delegates with access to the largest pool of mining investment opportunities in the industry and help them to maximise their time, enabling months’ worth of meetings to take place in just four days. Alongside the investment focus, you can also expect to see an enhanced agenda with a greater focus on innovation, sustainable development and gender diversity as well as hear from heads of state, with the President of Ghana currently a confirmed

speaker and more expected to come. AfO: How would you sum up the general sentiment of Africa’s mining industry at the moment? Is there optimism in the air? HC: Our team follows mining developments throughout Africa with great interest. Our role is to bring the right people together to discuss both the challenges and opportunities in a way that benefits all stakeholders. We create the space for important discussions to take place in order to

WWW.AFRICAOUTLOOKMAG.COM

ensure the greatest possible success for the industry. The sustainable economic development of Africa’s mining industry is the main theme and discussion point for Mining Indaba 2019. AfO: What are some of the challenges you face in terms of organising an industry leading event like this? How will you ensure it is the best Mining Indaba to date? HC: Our main challenges involve the complex logistics of pulling off such

“We create the space for important discussions to take place in order to ensure the greatest possible success for the industry”

a large-scale event while keeping our content fresh and relevant to all of our stakeholders. The Mining Indaba team has spent a lot of time engaging with the industry learning what it needs and wants from Mining Indaba in order to ensure the greatest possible success for the industry. In 2019, we plan on implementing new improvements based on feedback we received on our 2018 event from attendees. Along with the hype around our 25th Anniversary, we’re expecting it to be our biggest and best event yet!

WWW.AFRICAOUTLOOKMAG.COM

I C C

B A N K I N G

C O M M I S S I O N

Futureproofing

Finance

Doina Buruiana, Project Manager at ICC Banking Commission, explains how digitalisation can help alleviate some of the trade finance sector’s longstanding concerns and help banks in Africa to prosper

Written by: Doina Buruiana

he move towards paperless trade has been a longstanding objective for the trade finance sector. Results from our 10th Global Survey on Trade Finance reveal that banks are starting to make significant progress in this area, despite remaining obstacles and concerns. In Africa, banks are showing particular optimism about this shift, as well as the potential growth digitalisation can induce. The survey, which gathered responses from over 250 respondents in 91 countries, revealed that almost three quarters of banks globally are hopeful about growth in the trade finance sector. Most encouragingly, 89 percent of bank respondents in Africa believe that growth in the sector will accelerate in the next 12 months, while none of them expect a decline in growth. Yet, one area where African bankers are distinctly less optimistic, is the

future of the so-called ‘trade finance gap’. This discrepancy between the demand and supply of trade finance is currently estimated to stand at around $1.5 trillion globally, according to research by the Asian Development Bank. What’s more, results from the survey indicate that banks in Africa are twice as likely to expect the trade finance gap to widen compared to the global average, with almost 50 percent of respondents in the region believing the gap will increase over the next three years. Such findings are not surprising – the region has one of the highest rejection rates out of the seven regions surveyed. Some 17 percent of all African trade finance requests are declined. Micro, small and mediumsized enterprises (MSMEs) are the most affected, with African banks rejecting 46 percent of MSME trade finance requests in 2017. Rejections are often linked to a lack of collateral

WWW.AFRICAOUTLOOKMAG.COM

and documented history of past commercial transactions, alongside concerns relating to regulatory and compliance requirements.

The impact of regulation

Certainly, regulation and compliance are one of the most highly-cited concerns for banks, according to the survey. Some 93 percent of respondents globally and 62 percent of respondents in Africa declared such measures as a barrier to the provision of cross-border trade, as well as sector growth. While banks recognise the need for robust regulations, concerns have arisen as they try to increase efficiency and drive down costs while at the same time invest resources to ensure compliance across a range of sometimes inconsistent regulations. Regulations aimed at countering the financing of terrorist activities (CFT) are some of the most problematic,

according to the survey. In Africa, 57 percent of bank respondents indicated they were “extremely concerned” about the impact of CFT requirements on growth in the sector. Meanwhile, these concerns are actively impacting banks’ willingness to provide trade finance, especially to emerging markets and MSMEs. What’s more, as the sector increasingly shifts from the use of traditional trade finance processes – such as documentary letters of credit – towards the use of supply chain finance (SCF), which involves online trade platforms, one of banks’ major concerns has continued to be that of know-your-customer (KYC) and knowyour-customer’s-customer (KYCC)

Governments worldwide should align their policies and embrace the use of new technologies. Common rules will need to be implemented to ensure interoperability of online systems. Such issues have already caused major challenges, with some 56 percent of Digitalisation and new technologies banks based in Africa indicating the lack of interoperability and common In turn, the push for digitalisation standards as a major obstacle to the and the growing adoption of new provision of SCF solutions. technologies into trade finance Ultimately, until all component processes is expected to help alleviate parts of trade finance transactions some of the sector’s regulatory concerns, helping to increase efficiency have been digitised and made interoperable, the widespread adoption of and decrease costs. The continued new technologies is bound to be slow overhaul of the trade finance sector will allow for banks in Africa to engage and limited. Encouragingly, however, some 39 percent of bank respondents more efficiently with their clients, and allow them to process higher amounts in Africa would already class their 2016 to 2017, well above the global average of 43 percent. In addition, 38 percent saw a decrease in the use of traditional trade finance processes, further cementing the move towards paperless trade.

‘Further still, the development and deployment of technologies into trade finance processes could help bridge the trade finance gap’ regulations. Some 44 percent of banks in Africa declared these an obstacle to the implementation of SCF solutions, for instance, and they consistently rank among the top reasons for rejecting trade finance requests. Yet African banks are embracing digitalisation of the sector, despite their residual concerns over regulation. During 2017, 16 percent of their existing client base exhibited a shift from traditional trade finance solutions towards SCF processes, our survey found. And, encouragingly, almost 40 percent of new clients onboarded chose to use SCF solutions over traditional products. In total, 61 percent of banks in Africa saw an increase in SCF provision from

of trade finance than ever before. Further still, the development and deployment of technologies into trade finance processes could help bridge the trade finance gap. Digitalisation and the introduction of distributed ledger technology (DLT) can cut costs and broaden financial access to SMEs, who often find themselves excluded from traditional trade finance processes due to cumbersome levels of paperwork and bureaucracy. For example, smart contracts will enable money to transfer automatically as merchandise ships across international borders triggering predefined commercial and financial events. Yet the transition towards paperless trade will take time and effort.

implementation of technology as “mature”. In the next three to five years, 71 percent of banks in Africa have earmarked the development of new and emerging technologies, such as distributed ledgers, as a strategic priority. The survey also noted digital trade and online trade platforms are a major focus for the longterm. Priorities are shifting, although the sector will need to work collectively to ensure a smooth transition to paperless trade, which all participants can benefit from. Download the full ICC Global Survey at www.iccwbo.org/global-survey-report

WWW.AFRICAOUTLOOKMAG.COM

Tell us your story and we’ll tell the world. AFRICA OUTLOOK is a digital and print product aimed at boardroom and hands-on decision-makers across a wide range of industries on the continent. With content compiled by our experienced editorial team, complemented by an in-house design and production team ensuring delivery to the highest standards, we look to promote the latest in engaging news, industry trends and success stories from the length and breadth of Africa. We reach an audience of 185,000 people across the continent, bridging the full range of industrial sectors: agriculture, construction, energy & utilities, finance, food & drink, healthcare, manufacturing, mining & resources, oil & gas, retail, shipping & logistics, technology and travel & tourism. In joining the leading industry heavyweights already enjoying the exposure we can provide, you can benefit from FREE coverage across both digital and print platforms, a FREE marketing brochure, extensive social media saturation, enhanced B2B networking opportunities, and a readymade forum to attract new investment and to grow your business. To get involved, please contact Outlook Publishing’s Managing Director, Ben Weaver, who can provide further details on how to feature your company, for FREE, in one of our upcoming editions. www.africaout

FREE Mark

lookmag.com

AFRICA

eti

Opportu ng nity

ISSUE 68

L I F E

H E A LT H C A R E

Breathing Life into SA Healthcare and beyond Life Healthcare is opening up access to quality, life changing healthcare services across the whole of South Africa and parts of Europe. Group CEO Shrey Viranna reveals how

l services across lifechanging medica g up access to quality, ent and innovation Life Healthcare is openinAfrica and beyond thanks to investm the whole of South

uality healthcare delivery, quality patient experience and efficient operations built on strong partnerships – these are the hallmarks of the Life Healthcare Group, a market-leading, diversified and international healthcare provider. Operating with a core purpose of making life better and improving the lives of others, the Group’s mission is to improve lives through the delivery of high quality care and cost-effective services for patients. These services are underpinned by a set of core values. They include a passion for people, quality to the power of ‘e’ (ethics, excellence, empowerment, empathy and energy), performance pride, personal care and lifetime partnerships. The Life Healthcare Group believes that caring for patients stretches beyond simply healing and recovery. It also involves building empathetic relationships with the people who use its hospitals, facilities, services and products.

An ever-present business

These values and beliefs have shaped the organisation’s identity as it has

OCP GROUP 10leader cuts sulphur Global phosphate 98 percent by dioxide emissions

ALSO FEATURI

GROUP DE SIMONEWest Africa’s leading civil

AFRICA 60 WBHO BUILDING and sound strategy

Speaking with construction company

Emphasising quality delivery

G NG: M I N I N

I N D A B A

T H E T A

G O L D

118 PW MINING West African mining

A mainstay of

M I N E S

L I F E H E A LT H C A R E

A mission to improve access to medical services

Writer: Tom Wadlow | Project Manager: Callam Waller

evolved over more than three decades. As a result, the Life Healthcare Group is well-positioned to contribute to the advancement of South Africa’s wider healthcare industry as well as that of western Europe and Poland. The Group operates 65 hospitals and healthcare facilities throughout South Africa and Botswana, a presence that is complemented by a portfolio of mental health, acute rehabilitation,

Dr Shrey Viranna, Group CEO

WWW.AFRICAOUTLOOKMAG.COM

renal dialysis, oncology and employee health solutions. This comprehensive footprint was established with origins stretching back to 1983 when, what is today known as the Life Healthcare Group, was founded as the hospitals division of African Oxygen Limited (Afrox). The Group’s CEO, Dr Shrey Viranna, talks through some of the key milestones in the Life Healthcare Group’s history. “In 1997, for the first time, Life Healthcare expanded operations outside South Africa by acquiring the Gaborone Hospital in Botswana,” he says. “A year later we began our diversification into complementary health services with the acquisition of Afrox Occupational Health Care, followed by the opening of Life Healthcare’s first rehabilitation, mental health and renal dialysis units in the major centres around South Africa.” The Group’s growth continued with the acquisition of Presmed’s 38 hospitals and healthcare facilities through a merger and reverse listing on the Johannesburg Stock Exchange in 1999. This was followed by the purchase of the Amahosp Group and the acquisition of a 55 percent share in Life Esidimeni.

WWW.AFRICAOUTLOOKMAG.COM

N E W Q U I P

+44 (0) 1603 959 650 ben.weaver@outlookpublishing.com

www.africaoutlookmag.com/get-involved

L I F E

H E A LT H C A R E

An ever-present business

These values and beliefs have shaped the organisation’s identity as it has

Dr Shrey Viranna, Group CEO

WWW.AFRICAOUTLOOKMAG.COM

It’s not just a generic, it’s an Adcock Ingram Generic For more information on our brands please contact: info@adcock.com or go to www.adcock.com Adcock Ingram Limited. Reg. No. 1949/034385/06. Private Bag X69, Bryanston, 2021, South Africa. Telephone + 27 11 635 0000. www.adcock.com. 2018102410105368.

YEARS OF TRUSTED MEDICINES QUALITY& EFFICACY

AFFORDABLE

PROUDLY SOUTH AFRICAN

L I F E

H E A L T H C A R E

In 2005, the Group delisted, and was sold to a private consortium led by Brimstone and Mvelaphanda, which saw the name change from Afrox Healthcare to the Life Healthcare Group. After listing on the JSE in 2010, the Group’s diversification continued with the acquisition of Careways, an established health and wellness business. “Over the past 35 years, Life Healthcare has built a strong brand anchored in the delivery of quality healthcare and patient experience, efficient operations, strong partnerships and making a meaningful contribution began with the acquisition of a stake to society and the communities we in major Indian hospital group Max serve,” adds Dr Viranna. Healthcare in 2013. However, this shareholding has since been sold as Diversification drive an element of the strategic evolution The Life Healthcare Group further in emerging markets from delivering strengthened its expertise through acute hospital care to providing acquisitions and ventures into new integrated healthcare. markets and territories, tapping into Subsequent to the Group’s venture the likes of India, the United Kingdom into India, it also acquired Poland’s (UK) and Poland. This diversification Scanmed S.A., a private healthcare

WWW.AFRICAOUTLOOKMAG.COM

Life Healthcare operates 65 facilities across South Africa and Botswana

provider which operates in 40 locations across 23 cities, as well as UK-based Alliance Medical Group (AMG), a leading independent provider of diagnostic imaging services, with operations in 10 European countries. The acquisition of AMG has proven to be a vital component in the Life Healthcare Group’s international strategy and has a “strong, highly complementary management

It’s not just a generic. It’s an Adcock Ingram Generic. Adcock Ingram has a proud heritage which spans over more than 125 years, and strives to bring you effective, quality generic medication in a wide range of disease areas. Our product list includes treatments for the most commonly occurring diseases and disorders and we have several generics that have become leaders in the generic category.¹ Adcock Ingram Generics have been subjected to the same strict approval processes by South African medication regulatory authorities as the original medication, to ensure that the generic is as effective, safe and of the same quality as the originator medicine. This is to ensure that your generic is just as good as the originator, but with the added benefit that it is more affordable.²a,b,³a,b

What is a generic medicine? A generic medicine contains the same active ingredient/s and has the same dose strength as the original medicine.²a Because generic medicines work in the same way in the body, they are interchangeable and used in place of original brand name medicines.⁴a,³a Generic medicines are subject to the same stringent controls as original branded products. In fact branded and generic medicines are sometimes made by the same company.⁴a References: 1. IMS TPM MAT Data, December 2018. 2. Black GS. Guidelines for the responsible use of generic medicines [brochure]. Pharmaceutical Society of South Africa. 3. Generic medicines, frequently asked questions [online]. Southern African Generic Medicines Association. 2015 [cited 2018 Oct 31]; Available from: https://www.sagma.net/About-SAGMA/ faq.html. 4. Generic medicines [online]. National Association of Pharmaceutical Manufacturing. 2014 [cited 2018 Oct 31]; Available from: http://napm.co.za/generic-medicines/

Why choose a generic medicine? • Generics offer substantial cost savings without compromising on efficacy²c • Greater savings allow more efficient use of your medical aid benefits²c • Greater savings also frees up money to pay for other, more expensive treatments and services that you may need³b • Lower priced medicines encourage more healthy competition in the market²c • Generics offer you the opportunity to exercise your rights as a consumer²c It is now mandatory by law for a doctor or pharmacist to inform you if a generic medication is available for the medication prescribed to you.⁴e The power of choice of generic medication still resides with you. Adcock Ingram Generics is proud to be associated with Life Healthcare in the supply of quality generic medicines in their endeavour to making life better for patients. Life Healthcare is dedicated to compassionate care, clinical excellence, quality service and a spirit of giving to those entrusted into their care. When choosing a generic, make sure it’s not any generic, but an Adcock Ingram Generic.

T + 27 11 635 0000

www.adcock.com

INSPIRED TO INVENT, A QUEST TO CURE At MSD, we see ourselves as a company inspired to invent. We’re on a quest for cures – that’s our calling. More than a century after our founding, we are engaged in a grand undertaking built on the simple premise that great medicines can still change the world. And we believe that a research‐driven enterprise dedicated to world‐class science can succeed by creating medicines and vaccines that make a difference for patients and society again and again. In our laboratories, MSD scientists work relentlessly to discover solutions to devastating diseases like cancer, Alzheimer’s, and cardio‐metabolic disease. We prevent illness by developing and manufacturing vaccines that allow children to grow up free from the fear of diseases like measles, mumps, chickenpox and rubella. And we invent revolutionary treatments for some of the world’s greatest health challenges, including infectious diseases, HIV and hepatitis C. We push the boundaries of science with the hope and expectation that advancing human knowledge will lead to major

1987 We announced our donation of MECTIZAN® (ivermectin) for the treatment of river blindness, to all who needed it, for as long as needed 2

CERVICAL CANCER We are addressing one of the most common cancers for women in sub-Saharan Africa through sustainable access to our quadrivalent HPV vaccine and partnerships with the First Ladies of Africa 2

advances in human health. And while our commitment to life‐saving science is at the heart of MSD’s business, our scientists are not the only people at MSD who are inspired to invent. Every day, in every business, function, and country in which we operate, our colleagues are finding new ways to bring our medicines and vaccines to more people around the world than ever before. Today, every MSD employee is building on a legacy of invention that goes back more than 125 years – a legacy that extends from the isolation and largescale synthesis of vitamins; to the development of sulfa drugs, antibiotics, and hormones; to the discovery of breakthrough vaccines. As we strive to carry that legacy into the next century and beyond, our values and vision remain true to the words of our modernday founder, George W. Merck: “We try never to forget that medicine is for the people. It is not for the profits. The profits follow, and if we have remembered that, they have never failed to appear.” Guided by this philosophy, our work has changed the world in ways George

2 BILLION TREATMENTS Total global donations to address river blindness and lymphatic filariasis in Africa 2

W. Merck could never have imagined. With the help of MSD, HIV has become a manageable chronic disease rather than a death sentence. With the help of MSD, many countries and entire generations are now free from river blindness. With the help of MSD, millions of children around the world have gone on to become adults, with children of their own. The world with MSD is a very different place than it might otherwise have been. It’s a healthier and more hopeful world – and one we aspire to make healthier and more hopeful still. And so, in our determination to discover, develop, and deliver medicines and vaccines that will improve the lives of more people in more places around the world, we see MSD as more than one of the world’s premier biopharmaceutical companies. Our scientists are pioneers on the frontier of medical progress. Our people are inspired to invent and innovate. We are parents and siblings, partners and spouses, patients and caretakers. And we’re on a quest to cure.1

INNOVATIVE PARTNERSHIPS In support of the Global Strategy for Women’s, Children’s and Adolescents’ health and Kenya’s Beyond Zero campaign. MSD and its partners launched a innovative public-private partnership in September 2015 to harness private-sector collective action in six counties in Kenya 2

1960

30 YEARS

50 %

Our first local production facility opened in Johannesburg 1960 2

How long MSD has been researching solutions to address HIV/AIDS 2

Reduction of the cost of our reversible contraceptive implants for women in 70 of the world’s poorest countries through 2023 2

EBOLA VACCINE Research from the World Health Organization (WHO), the Norwegian Institute of Public Health and the Health Ministry of Guinea found our vaccines candidate is the only candidate showing efﬁcacy in an interim analysis of data from an ongoing Phase III trial in Guinea. At the World Economic Forum 2016 in Davos, Switzerland, MSD announced an advance purchase commitment of the vaccine with Gavi to protect against future deadly Ebola outbreaks 2,3

MSD INVENTING FOR LIFE MSD VISION To make a difference in the lives of people globally through our innovative medicines, vaccines, and animal health products. We are committed to being the premier, researchintensive biopharmaceutical company and are dedicated to providing leading innovations and solutions for today and the future 4

ANAESTHESIA

ANTIINFECTIVES

CARDIOLOGY

ENDOCRINOLOGY E NDOCRINOLOGY

MSD MISSION To discover, develop and provide innovative products and services that save and improve lives around the world 4

HIV

ONCOLOGY

PAIN

REFERENCES: 1. MSD Corporate Narrative 2016. 2. Access to Health in Africa Brochure 2016. 3. http://www.who.int/ csr/resources/publications/ebola/sage-vaccines-2017/en/. 4. https://www.merck.com/about/home.html.

RESPIRATORY VACCINES

MSD (Pty) Ltd (Reg. No. 1996/003791/07), Private Bag 3, Halfway House 1685 Copyright © 2018 Merck Sharp & Dohme Corp., a subsidiary of Merck & Co., Inc., Kenilworth, NJ, USA. All rights reserved. CORP-1257996-0004 11/23

WOMEN’S HEALTH

L I F E

H E A L T H C A R E

team with a wealth of healthcare experience, which is helping support our international growth strategy,” Dr Viranna says. The Group’s expansion did not end there. “Over the past year, we have continued to grow AMG through the acquisitions of Albaro Clinic, IMED and Centro Alfa in Italy, as well as Radiopharma and Piramal Imaging S.A. in other parts of Europe,” Dr Viranna continues. “We also started rolling out an outpatient diagnostic clinic model in Ireland.” Dr Viranna’s vision for the Life Healthcare Group is to increase the revenue sourced from international markets to 50 percent in the medium term, an ambition which will also deliver benefits closer to home. This consistent acquisition of knowledge will, crucially, help to better provide for the needs of the South African market. “This is our first substantial foray into the diagnostics market which, due to aging demographics and increasing demand, shows good potential for

growth both internationally and in South Africa,” comments the Group CEO.

Making life better

Dr Viranna joined the Life Healthcare Group approximately 12 months ago. “When the door opened to serve as Life Healthcare’s Group CEO, I felt that this was the logical next step on my journey,” he says. “Life Healthcare’s

WWW.AFRICAOUTLOOKMAG.COM

purpose is ‘making life better’ and our mission is ‘to improve the lives of others through the delivery of high-quality cost-effective care’ – both of which are a perfect fit with the purpose of my own life.” Dr Viranna’s career has always been rooted in healthcare, which includes a 12-year term at McKinsey & Co where he gained extensive international exposure working in East and

WWW.AFRICAOUTLOOKMAG.COM

Global healthcare company Fresenius Kabi collaborates with Life Healthcare Hospital Group to optimise sustainable waste management in a South African hospital environment.

resenius Kabi specialises in lifesaving medicines and technologies for infusion, transfusion and clinical nutrition. Fresenius Kabi South Africa celebrates its 20th anniversary milestone in March 2019¹. Through its long history, Fresenius Kabi has been driven by excellence in product quality and continues to provide essential medicines and technologies to healthcare professionals, supporting them to overcome daily challenges faced in the treatment of critically and chronically ill patients¹. Their product portfolio comprises of a comprehensive range of I.V. generic medicines, infusion therapies and clinical nutrition products as well as medical devices for administering these products¹. Operating in an age of increased environmental awareness, the pharmaceutical industry like many others is searching for ways to become more ecologically responsible¹. One being to move away from the use of PVC products due to the potentially harmful effects of DEHP (Di(2-ethylhexyl)phthalate) on patients and the environment¹. Fresenius Kabi is committed to being a responsible healthcare company and to provide effective solutions for their customers and patients. In line with this responsibility, Fresenius Kabi has pioneered the manufacturing of freeflex® intravenous fluid containers which are PVC-free and DEHP-free since 2011 in South Africa¹. Considering the extensive use of PVC-free and DEHP-free freeflex® intravenous fluid containers and its packaging in a hospital setting, Fresenius Kabi South Africa embarked on an extensive investigation

into the improvement of waste management processes and options¹. It has been with much excitement that this investigation has led to the pilot phase of a sustainable medical waste programme implemented in 2018. This programme effectively sterilises and converts the PVC-free and DEHP-free freeflex® intravenous fluid containers and its packaging to 50 percent of the original weight and 70 percent of the original volume¹. The resultant by-product is correctly disposed of according to current legislation². As the products do not contain PVC, there are substantially reduced harmful environmental effects compared to PVCcontaining waste, such as leaching of DEHP¹,³. This pilot project was made possible through Life Healthcare a leading private hospital group in South Africa. Sustainability and an emphasis on the environment forms an integral part of Life Healthcare’s values. This shared drive to optimise waste removal in the hospital setting, has created a renewed energy and passionate commitment amongst the staff partaking in the programme, as well as both companies as a whole⁴. Both companies look forward to continuing their commitment of responsibility to patients, the environment and their customers’ needs. This is envisaged through further studies into, as well as the expansion of, the sustainable waste programme. References: 1 Fresenius Kabi data on file. 2 National Environmental Management Waste Act 59 of 2008. 3 Health Care Without Harm. Why Health Care is Moving Away From Hazardous Plastic Polyvinyl Chloride (PVC). 6 April 2006. 4 https://www.lifehealthcare.co.za/about-us/ last accessed 19/11/2018.

L I F E

H E A L T H C A R E

BOSTON SCIENTIFIC About Boston Scientific Boston Scientific transforms lives through innovative medical solutions that improve the health of patients around the world. As a global medical technology leader for more than 35 years, we advance science for life by providing a broad range of high performance solutions that address unmet patient needs and reduce the cost of healthcare.

For more information, visit www.bostonscientific.com and connect on Twitter and Facebook.

Southern Africa, India and the UK. His altruistic nature stems from his family upbringing, in particular the influence of his mother. “She devoted her entire life to providing healthcare services to rural communities in KwaZulu-Natal,” he says. “I believe that is part of the reason why I have always had this deep sense of an obligation to improve society. What really excites me are the opportunities that the future of healthcare holds and, further, how we can positively impact the lives of more people and help deliver on new healthcare models to benefit the people of South Africa.” Today, Dr Viranna leads an organisation that is uniquely placed to do just this. Not only does the Life Healthcare Group provide the full spectrum of healthcare, it also operates with a single-minded focus on patients. “Patient centricity and compassion lie at the heart of everything we do,” Dr Viranna

explains, “and this is emphasised through our dedication to patient wellbeing, clinical excellence, quality service, respect and a spirit of giving to those entrusted to our care.” In support of this commitment to delivering quality care, the Life Healthcare Group is the first hospital group in South Africa to have obtained

WWW.AFRICAOUTLOOKMAG.COM

Boston Scientiﬁc In EMEA Who we are Boston Scientiﬁc (NYSE: BSX) is a leading global healthcare company.

Our mission

Have a revenue of

We employ approximately

$9 billion worldwide

29,000 employees worldwide

Boston Scientiﬁc is dedicated to transforming lives through innovative medical solutions that improve the health of patients around the world.

Our core values

Caring

High Performance

Diversity

Meaningful Innovation 0

-1

Where do we operate

Global Collaboration

Winning Spirit +8

Europe, Middle East, Africa (around EMEA) Northern Cluster Central Western Cluster Southern Cluster Eastern Cluster

European Centre of Operation: Kerkrade (Netherlands) +5

EMEA EHQ: Paris (France)

Growth Emerging Markets

We have commercial representation

+2 -1

We employ

in approximately

2,000

70 Countries

People

Eric Thépaut, Senior Vice President and President, EMEA For a complete list of the EMEA management, please refer to the www.bostonscientiﬁc.com/ en-EU/about-us/european-management.html

2017 EMEA performance

2017 sales by product category

4 in %

Northern Europe Central Western Europe Southern Europe Eastern Europe Growth Emerging Markets

in %

26 13

Cardiovascular Interventional Cardiology Peripheral Interventions Rhythm Management Cardiac Rhythm Management Electrophysiology Endoscopy MedSurg Urology and Pelvic Health Neuromodulation

Our digital presence

2$ Bn revenue (1/4 of worldwide revenue)

What we do

EMEA leadership

2017 sales by cluster

+2.5

www.bostonscientific.eu www.bostonscientific.de www.bostonscientific.es

+4.5 +6

+1 +2

Peripheral Interventions

Neuromodulation

Minimally invasive treatments for peripheral artery, venous disease and cancer.

Electronic implantable technologies that help patients manage debilitating chronic pain and neurological diseases.

Interventional Cardiology

Rhythm Management

Minimally invasive technologies for diagnosing and treating a variety of heart and vascular conditions.

Groundbreaking technologies that treat irregular heart rhythms and heart failure and help protect against sudden cardiac arrest.

Urology and pelvic health

Endoscopy

Industry-leading solutions for urological, urogynaecological and gynaecological diseases

Industry leader in less invasive devices for diagnosing and treating gastro-intestinal conditions.

Tailored service or set of promotional and commercial services delivered through multiple channels provided to healthcare professionals. intouch.bostonscientiﬁc. eu/s/login

Flexible and personalised programmes of professional educational training, aimed at increasing healthcare professionals competences on BSC technologies and implant procedures. educare.bostonscientiﬁc. eu/s/login

Set of tailored, data driven programmes that we offer to hospitals to help them address financial, clinical and operational challenges. bostonscientific.com/enEU/advantics.html

Social icon

Rounded square Only use blue and/or white. For more details check out our Brand Guidelines.

@BSC_EU_Heart @BSCNeuromodEU

@BSC_Spain @BSC_Neuromod

/company/boston-scientiﬁc

/BostonScientiﬁc

L I F E

H E A L T H C A R E

UNITED PHARMACEUTICAL DISTRIBUTORS SAVING LIVES United Pharmaceutical Distributors (UPD) is proud to enjoy a close association with Life Healthcare, sharing many values such as quality service and excellence. A division of New Clicks South Africa (Pty) Ltd, UPD is South Africa’s leading full line wholesaler and for over 30 years has played a lead and often defining role as a wholesaler and distributor. UPD has a national presence with five strategically placed distribution centres, selling over 20,000 pharmaceutical, surgical and front shop items. The Company is managed and verified to international quality standards relative to supply chain management. UPD distributes to the total healthcare universe including hospitals, independent pharmacies, public sector healthcare facilities, doctors and clinics.

ISO 9001 and ISO 14001 certifications, bringing the organisation in line with international standards. Further evidence of commitment to the patient experience and quality service delivery can be found in the real-time publishing of feedback scores on the Group’s website. Other internal performance reports are also publicly available, adding another layer of transparency. Sound environmental management is also a competitive strength identified by Dr Viranna. “Sustainability is an integral part of how we do business,” he explains. “We therefore identified and implemented four projects in support of the environment. Highlights for the year include the reduction of water usage due to two borehole projects being completed in the Western Cape, installation of solar photovoltaic panels at two of our operations, lighting technology changes and the replacement of evaporative cooling systems. We are all working together for a better, more sustainable world.”

WWW.AFRICAOUTLOOKMAG.COM

Wholesale With its significant market share, UPD is South Africa’s leading pharmaceutical, medical and healthcare wholesaler. UPD supports Life Healthcare when it comes to improving and impacting lives through our high standard quality measures. Distribution Catering for the specialised needs of manufacturers, UPD offers a full order to cash service for branded and generic pharmaceuticals to wholesalers, government institutions andxxxxxxxxx key end Xxxxxxxx xxxxxxxx xxxxxxxxxxx dispenser institutions. Export UPD services over 200 customers in subSaharan Africa, spanning throughout the SADC region. Speciality UPD speciality focuses on oncology and other key specialities requiring a just in time delivery service in the ever evolving face of speciality care.

www.upd.co.za

Xxxxxxxx xxxxxxxx xxxxxxxxxxx xxxxxxxxx

We designed our business around you.

PROFICIENT DRIVEN RESPONSIVE ACCESSIBLE ACCOUNTABLE

Talk to us now: 0860 873 542 www.upd.co.za

Head Office (Johannesburg) | 14 Tamar Avenue, Lea Glen, Roodepoort. PO Box 30128, Wibsey, 1717 | Tel: +27 (0) 11 470 1000 / 0860 873 542 Terms and conditions apply.

L I F E

H E A L T H C A R E

A FORMIDABLE FOOTPRINT

Five-point plan

It is clear that Dr Viranna leads a strong organisation grounded by efficient, patient-centric care and industryleading outcomes. The Life Healthcare Group is committed to building on this legacy and Dr Viranna identified five key focus areas that will maximise the Group’s potential. “The first area is achieving operational excellence through adapting the operating model,” he explains. “Next is driving best-in-class initiatives across the Group through a data-driven and analytical approach. Thirdly, we want to accelerate growth by repositioning our existing assets in line with future growth, expansion of the complementary business range and a global focus on diagnostic growth. The fourth area looks at driving existing quality outcomes, expanding quality initiatives and benchmarking against world-class standards. Finally, we are evolving our operating model by adopting a group-wide integration approach, driving efficiencies, standardisation and synergies.” The Life Healthcare Group is

We are evolving our operating model by adopting a group-wide integration approach, driving efficiencies, standardisation and synergies” embarking on a series of initiatives to deliver on these objectives which, once fulfilled, will see the Company leading the way as an industry standard bearer, both at home and abroad.

Investing in excellence

Several recent investments are helping realise the Group’s goals, best showcased by its research in and adoption of relevant technology. These innovations are transforming the way in which health services

WWW.AFRICAOUTLOOKMAG.COM

The physical presence of the Life Healthcare Group extends across a network of hospitals and acute facilities throughout seven South African provinces, as well as in Botswana. Most of these sites are based in major urban settlements and range from high technology, multi-disciplinary hospitals to community hospitals, sameday surgical centres and niche facilities. The acute business is complemented by nine mental health and seven acute rehabilitation facilities, as well as other services including renal dialysis, oncology and employee health solutions (employer-based occupational health and employee wellness), which currently serves 579,000 individuals. Internationally, the Life Healthcare Group owns Poland’s Scanmed S.A. and UK-based AMG, which has operations in Italy and Ireland and additional activities in Spain, the Netherlands, Germany, Finland, Bulgaria, Austria, France, Norway and Poland.

L I F E

H E A L T H C A R E

are delivered. Globally, the medical technology market, in other words technology used in the diagnosis, monitoring, or treatment of diseases and medical conditions, was worth $405 billion in 2017, a figure estimated to rise to $594.5 billion by 2024. Stereotactic radiosurgery and robotic-assisted surgery are just two examples of the Life Healthcare Group’s most recent investments in this type of innovation. “We have invested in Novalis Tx™ Radiosurgery systems in three of our oncology units,” reveals Dr Viranna. “This technology is one of the most advanced cancer treatment options available and ‘shapes’ the radiation beam to treat the patient’s tumour precisely to deliver the most effective dose of radiation while safeguarding the surrounding healthy tissue.” In the robotics arena, Life Kingsbury Hospital in Cape Town installed the latest version of the Da Vinci surgical

robotic system, a solution which enables surgeons to perform precision surgery that minimises post-operative pain and reduces hospital stay and recovery times, making it the first hospital in Africa to use this technology.

Supplying skills

The Group’s investment in excellence also extends to its most important asset – people. Dr Viranna is acutely aware of the critical nature of South Africa’s shortage in medical skills, highlighting it as one of the greatest challenges facing both the Company and the wider industry. According to World Health Organization (WHO) statistics for 2016, South Africa employed 0.8 physicians and approximately 5.2 nurses per 1,000 citizens, an alarmingly low figure when compared with countries such as Australia, which has around four doctors and 12 nurses per 1,000 citizens.

WWW.AFRICAOUTLOOKMAG.COM

L I F E

H E A L T H C A R E

For the Life Healthcare Group, finding, training and retaining medical talent is essential to its continued success and growth. The Life College of Learning, operating in seven learning centres around the country, has been in operation for 20 years and was established to contribute to South Africa’s pool of skills, especially in the fields of nursing and health science. Last year saw 1,100 students graduate, which reflects the professionalism of the College’s clinical educators, nursing staff and hospital management, as well as the quality of students selected. The College is accredited as a Nursing Education Institution with the South African Nursing Council, the Council on Higher Education and the Department of Higher Education and Training, and is affiliated with the Nelson Mandela University. The centre offers a broad range of courses that cover basic and post-basic courses in nursing, diplomas in midwifery, operating department assistance and health sciences, as well as a variety

For the Life Healthcare Group, finding, training and retaining medical talent is essential to its continued success and growth’ of short learning courses to develop specialised nursing skills. Funding is another vital component in ensuring the country’s medical skills gap is reduced. In light of this, the Life Healthcare Group established the Nursing Education Trust, a body which awards bursaries to student nurses

WWW.AFRICAOUTLOOKMAG.COM

and, similarly, the Life Sub-Specialist Training Fund supports doctors who wish to further their studies. Furthermore, the Group provides bursaries for medical students through a partnership with the Colleges of Medicine of South Africa.

Ensuring accessible healthcare worldwide. With a long legacy of crusading care, our purpose is still to make a difference. Providing sustainable solutions that supports the health of a nation inspires all our plans and drives our actions.

CIPLA MEDPRO (PTY) LTD. Co. Reg. No. 1995/004182/07. Building 9, Parc du Cap, Mispel Street, Bellville, 7530, RSA. Website: www.cipla.co.za Customer Care: 080 222 6662. [1104204]

L I F E

H E A L T H C A R E

SUN PHARMACEUTICAL INDUSTRIES A history of pharmaceutical excellence and innovation Sun Pharmaceutical Industries Ltd is the fourth largest specialty-generic pharmaceutical company in the world. We provide high-quality, affordable medicines which are trusted by healthcare professionals and patients in more than 150 countries globally. Driven by Innovation

The Life Healthcare Group’s doctors are independent healthcare practitioners, and not employees of its hospitals. However, the Group’s doctor partnership model guides how the Company attracts and retains medical talent to build a sustainable doctor succession pipeline. “Relationship building with doctors begins while they are students and registrars at university, and we apply the same principles to attracting doctors as we do to recruiting our own employees by testing for technical skills, cultural fit and values,” explains Dr Viranna. “Once we agree to partner with doctors and provide an opportunity to establish their private practice within our facilities, we build a mutually beneficial, long-term partnership with them by creating an environment in which they enjoy practicing.” Pharmacy is another subsector supported by the Life Healthcare Group through skills development. Through its pharmacist internship programme, the Company provides opportunities for fourth-year

pharmacy students to attain valuable experience, thereby addressing the national and global shortage of pharmacy resources.

Remaining relevant

By supporting and remaining actively involved in the educational forefront of medical innovation, the Life Healthcare Group is able to stay abreast of key local and global trends and react to new developments. The Group’s capacity to research, monitor and anticipate these advances has been developed over time, feeding back into its strategic responses to these trends. Dr Viranna points to a number of current trends which are changing the face of the healthcare industry. “People are living longer,” he says. “Many are living with chronic conditions, and populations are becoming increasingly unhealthy due to sedentary lifestyles, high personal stress levels, and poor dietary habits. This is placing a greater disease burden on healthcare systems. At Life Healthcare, we are seeing increasingly

WWW.AFRICAOUTLOOKMAG.COM

SUN PHARMA invests between six and seven percent of global revenues into research and development. R&D initiatives are led by a strong team of around 2,000 scientists based at our R&D facilities around the world. Sun Pharma is ranked among the top seven generic pharmaceutical companies in South Africa and provides prescription medicines to treat disorders and diseases of the gastro intestinal tract, cardiovascular system, central nervous system as well as anti-infectives, pain products, oncology therapies, ARVs and a range of over the counter products. South Africa SUN PHARMA acquired Ranbaxy in 2014 and today SUN PHARMA South Africa employs 500 people and is made up of four entities: SUN PHARMA (PTY) Ltd, Ranbaxy SA (Pty) Ltd, Ranbaxy Pharmaceuticals (Pty) Ltd and Sonke Pharmaceuticals (Pty) Ltd – the largest supplier of ARV medicines to the South African Government, and an essential partner in controlling the AIDS epidemic. We remain committed to providing affordable pharmaceutical products of global quality standards to patients all over the world.

T +27 (0) 12 643 2000 E shailesh.somvanshi@sunpharma.com

www.sunpharma.com

Touching the lives of every South African under the Sun. GLOBAL FOOTPRINT

EMERGING MARKETS

Our global presence is supported by 42 manufacturing facilities, designed, equipped and operated to meet world class quality standards. As far as sales volumes are concerned: USA accounts for 48% of revenue, India for 26%, developing countries 13% and the rest of world, 13%.

SUN PHARMA is present in over 100 markets with a focus on high-growth emerging markets such as Brazil, Mexico, Russia, Romania, and South Africa and other markets. Our network of over 2 300 sales representatives has enabled us to develop strong relationships with medical professionals and a strong customer focus.

DIVERSIFIED SPECIALITY AND GENERICS PORTFOLIO

DELIVERING VALUE

We manufacture and market a large basket of pharmaceutical formulations covering a broad spectrum of chronic and acute therapies.

Reaching People. Touching Lives.

SUN PHARMAâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s multi-cultural workforce, comprises more than 45,000 team members of over 50 nationalities, and is highly motivated in creating additional value for all stakeholders.

L I F E

H E A L T H C A R E

TRANSPHARM

ranspharm Pty Ltd is one of South Africa’s largest pharmaceutical wholesalers and distributors. We are dedicated to providing you top quality products and a world-class service that is needed to ensure your business is a success. Our philosophy is simple – wider range, better prices and quicker deliveries. Transpharm was established by a group of retail pharmacists in 1970 and was acquired by the Shoprite group of companies in 2010. We have relationships with well over 700 suppliers and have more than 30,000 products listed; therefore you are assured that we can service your needs efficiently. We stock ranges including ethical, over the counter, toiletry, veterinary, front shop products, as well as specialist medical and surgical equipment and consumables.

complex cases, both in terms of diagnoses and treatment, and our patients require quality care, not only in acute facilities, but across the entire continuum of care.” Dr Viranna’s observations are supported by research into South Africa’s population. According to Statistics South Africa’s 2018 midyear population estimates, the proportion of people aged 60 and over is increasing – 8.5 percent of South Africans fall into this category, up from 8.1 percent in 2017. Some 24 percent of this demographic live in Gauteng alone, while the country’s overall population has risen 1.55 percent to 57.73 million. In terms of the impact on healthcare delivery, these shifting demographics are creating inevitable cost pressures. “Most global healthcare systems are looking at ways to reduce costs

and improve disease prevention in society,” Dr Viranna explains. “We pride ourselves on our operational efficiency – we work hard to ensure we remain an effective and productive healthcare provider, without ever compromising on our commitment to provide quality patient care. We are already strengthening our offering across the continuum of care to empower patients to take ownership of their health, to support prevention as well as cure in response to both trends.”

Responding to patient demand

The Life Healthcare Group continues to respond to the ever-evolving expectations of patients, who are demanding similarly modern and personalised experiences to those that they are accustomed to in the retail and banking space.

WWW.AFRICAOUTLOOKMAG.COM

In business the only thing more important than your customer is your profit, which is why all of our products are priced to give you substantial returns. As a wholesaler and distributor, we understand the importance of quick and efficient deliveries. That’s why we offer speedy deliveries that range from twice-daily routes in the metro areas of Johannesburg, Pretoria and Cape Town, to next-day deliveries for outlying towns. We service all areas in South Africa. Our deliveries are free of charge, and we do not require a minimum order. So, if you’re looking to improve your business, change to Transpharm – your customers and bottom line will thank you. GAUTENG T 012 377 9000 E clientservice@transpharm.co.za E orders@transpharm.co.za WESTERN CAPE T 021 929 2120 E infowc@transpharm.co.za

www.transpharm.co.za

ONE OF SOUTH AFRICA’S LARGEST MEDICAL WHOLESALERS & DISTRIBUTORS

WE OFFER:

Open a COD or 30 day account now & start placing orders today. Contact us today to start saving! Visit our website or contact our call centre for more information.

• Prescription & Over the Counter Medication • Surgical Equipment & Consumables • Frontshop Products • Veterinary Items • and much more! We offer speedy deliveries that range from twice-daily routes in the metro areas of Johannesburg, Pretoria and Cape Town to next-day deliveries in outlying areas.

GAUTENG:

• Wider range • Better prices • No minimum order values

WESTERN CAPE:

Change to Transpharm Today!

Tel: 012 377 9000 Email: clientservice@transpharm.co.za Email: orders@transpharm.co.za

Tel: 021 929 2120 Email: infowc@transpharm.co.za

Your customers and bottom line will thank you.

www.transpharm.co.za

L I F E

H E A L T H C A R E

FRESENIUS

tanding as a global healthcare group, Fresenius Medical FP has become a crucial player in providing products and services for dialysis, hospitals and the broad medical care of patients at home. The business focuses on enabling the operation of hospitals, whilst simultaneously providing engineering and services for hospitals and other such healthcare facilities. The Fresenius Group itself consists of four business segments, each responsible for its own operations around the world: • Fresenius Medical Care • Fresenius Kabi • Fresenius Helios • Fresenius Vamed

Fresenius Medical Care

In Europe, for example, home-based care is gaining traction, while personalised care, walk-in services and virtual queuing are also becoming popular” Digitalisation of healthcare is thus another trend being closely monitored by Dr Viranna and his team. People are also demanding convenience. “In Europe, for example, homebased care is gaining traction, while personalised care, walk-in services and virtual queuing are also becoming popular,” Dr Viranna observes. “Evaluation and measurement of patient experience has fast become international best practice and assists in ensuring patient-centred care remains a priority for Life Healthcare.” Dr Viranna also highlights how increased levels of connectivity have led to consumers becoming more knowledgeable and eager to compare

quality between healthcare providers. With medical service delivery becoming more transparent, it is more important than ever to be unrelenting in the pursuit of quality service delivery. Several research reports by recognised industry bodies like the World Health Organization point towards the positive impact technology will have on consumer experience and access to treatment. The 2018 Philips Future Healthcare Index, for example, found that technology and digital innovation, artificial intelligence, and connected care will be important enablers of healthcare access despite the impact of rising costs on affordability.

WWW.AFRICAOUTLOOKMAG.COM

Equally, Fresenius Medical Care is an alternative arm of the company and one of the world’s leading providers of products and services for patients with chronic kidney failure. For over 20 years, the firm has been operating at all levels of care, acting as a standard setter within the renal dialysis segment, operating over 3,700 centres in 50 countries across the globe. Having established such an extensive footprint, the company now provides tailor-made therapy options for roughly 320,000 patients, dedicated to improving people’s lives.

NephroCare NephroCare stands under the Fresenius Medical Care umbrella, providing services in dialysis centres in more than 30 countries throughout four continents. Having opened the doors to its first centre a quarter of a century ago, the division now serves more than 100,000 patients globally, providing roughly 13 million treatments per year. Through an emphasis on state-of-the-art centres and technologies, NephroCare’s enormous growth is expected to continue moving forward.

Creating a future worth living for patients worldwide, every day.

Fresenius Medical Care is the world’s leading provider of products and services for people with chronic kidney failure. Around 3.2 million patients with this disease worldwide regularly undergo dialysis treatment. Dialysis is a vital blood cleansing procedure that substitutes the function of the kidney in case of kidney failure. We care for more than 329,000 patients in our global network of more than 3,800 dialysis clinics. At the same time, we operate 41 production sites on all continents, to provide dialysis products such as

dialysis machines, dialyzers and related disposables. Our strategy is geared toward sustainable growth. We aim to continuously improve the quality of life of patients with kidney disease by offering innovative products and treatment concepts of the highest quality. Fresenius Medical Care’s corporate headquarters are in Bad Homburg v.d.H., Germany. The headquarters of North America are in Waltham, Massachusetts and the headquarters of Asia-Pacific are located in Hong Kong.

FRESENIUS MEDICAL CARE Else-Kröner-Str. 1 61352 Bad Homburg, Germany

www.freseniusmedicalcare.com

WWW.AFRICAOUTLOOKMAG.COM

L I F E

H E A L T H C A R E

PFIZER SOUTH AFRICA

fizer South Africa was first established in South Africa (SA) in 1953 and with its vision of “living our full potential in striving for a healthier Southern Africa”, it embraces its dream of being able to see every Southern African citizen having access to quality healthcare.

85 Bute Lane Sandton 2146 T 0860 Pfizer (734937)

www.pfizer.co.za “One area already benefitting from technological advancements at Life Healthcare, which we will continue to grow, is diagnostic imaging,” says Dr Viranna. “Making use of smarter technology like this means healthcare providers can enhance the patient experience by lowering the risk of diagnostic errors while speeding up the provision of better, more affordable treatment.”

During our partnership, to strengthen the SANCB’s vehicle fleet, which visits hospitals in rural areas, we have donated three mobile units fitted with the latest ophthalmic”

Social responsibility

While investing in cutting-edge technology enables the Life Healthcare Group to better serve patients at its facilities, the Company also recognises the importance of having a positive impact on the wider society outside of its hospitals and medical centres. The Group plays to its strengths and focuses on health and education in its community activities, complementing the work it already does to help build a healthier South African population. According to Dr Viranna, social

investment is a moral responsibility and an essential aspect of good corporate citizenship. To illustrate this, the Group CEO explains Life Healthcare’s 12-year partnership with the South African National Council

WWW.AFRICAOUTLOOKMAG.COM

for the Blind (SANCB). “During our partnership, to strengthen the SANCB’s vehicle fleet, which visits hospitals in rural areas, we have donated three mobile units fitted with the latest ophthalmic.”

At Pfizer, we apply science and our global resources to bring therapies to people that extend and significantly improve their lives. We strive to set the standard for quality, safety and value in the discovery, development and manufacture of health care products. Our global portfolio includes medicines and vaccines as well as many of the world’s best-known consumer health care products. Every day, Pfizer colleagues work across developed and emerging markets to advance wellness, prevention, treatments and cures that challenge the most feared diseases of our time. Consistent with our responsibility as one of the world’s premier innovative biopharmaceutical companies, we collaborate with health care providers, governments and local communities to support and expand access to reliable, affordable health care around the world. For more than 150 years, we have worked to make a difference for all who rely on us. For us, the patient always comes first We are committed to discovering, developing, manufacturing and delivering innovative products that may change the outcome of chronic conditions and devastating diseases. Our vast portfolio of trusted, quality medicines helps people at every stage of life – from prevention to treatment to wellness. Thanks to the breadth and depth of our global reach and capabilities, we are able to anticipate customer and patient needs and make a meaningful contribution to improving global health.

key to sustaining our growth and profitability. As such, the quest for innovative solutions invigorates the Pfizer community worldwide and we have more than 200 new R&D collaborations active worldwide. Our partnerships Pfizer works closely with stakeholders and healthcare professionals across the healthcare sector, as well as with government on key issues impacting the pharmaceutical industry. We are committed to making a difference and build partnerships in communities to strengthen health systems, increase access to our medicines, and find sustainable solutions to the health challenges of today, and tomorrow.

support our communities’ most vulnerable members, including children, women and the elderly. Pfizer’s corporate responsibility activities are focused on investing the full range of our resources - people, skills, expertise and funding - to broaden access to medicines and strengthen healthcare delivery for underserved people around the world.

Our communities At Pfizer we have a proud tradition of ensuring that the communities in which we live and work benefit from our investment through unique partnerships. Throughout the world, Pfizer contributes to local charitable programmes that provide health care in poor urban and rural areas; and we

Our Innovation Research and development (R & D) is at the heart of fulfilling our purpose to help people live healthier lives. Innovation is also the

PFIZER, DEDICATED TO HELPING SOUTH AFRICANS LIVE HEALTHIER LIVES

OrbusNeich is a global pioneer in the development of life-changing vascular solutions, offering an extensive portfolio of products that set industry benchmarks for vascular intervention. Our proprietary EPC Capturing Technology is featured on the world’s first and only dual therapy stent, COMBO™. This industryleading stent is designed to repair vessel injury and regenerate endothelium fostering natural vessel healing.

Our Products Forging new paths in the treatment of vascular diseases, our range of innovative devices include an extensive portfolio of high-performance stents and balloons.

www.orbusneich.com

WWW.AFRICAOUTLOOKMAG.COM

L I F E

H E A L T H C A R E

SAFMED

afMed has been providing key solutions to the South African healthcare industry for over 30 years with products and services that meet the market’s changing needs. We recognise the challenges facing our partners in the healthcare market. In order to provide sustainable solutions, we offer quality products and services to improve efficiencies within the operating theatre, CSSD and endoscopy environments.

Visit our website or contact us below: E info@safmed.co.za F www.facebook.com/Safmed.SA/ T https://www.twitter.com/safmedsa

www.safmed.co.za Over the past 12 years, the partnership has screened more than 56,000 patients, performed 15,000 cataract surgical procedures, dispensed more than 13,000 pairs of prescription glasses, referred 9,000 other cases for medical treatment, detected almost 1,700 cases of glaucoma, and sponsored 66 cataract surgery tours, delivering between 40 and 60 procedures per tour. The Life Healthcare Group donated a further R12 million to the SANCB Optima College, a nationallyrecognised centre of excellence which upskills visually impaired adults to assist them in finding job placements. The Optima College was established in 1985 in Pretoria, and remains one of few education institutions catering exclusively to blind and partially sighted persons. Among the courses offered are computer literacy, contact centre training and braille literacy, while daily life skills are also nurtured through specialised classes designed to enable independent living.

Contributing to NHI

One issue private organisations and governments are working hard to address is the challenge of inequality in the delivery of healthcare services. A key part of South Africa’s National Development Plan 2030 (NDP) involves the implementation of the National Health Insurance (NHI) scheme, which proposes universal healthcare for all citizens and long-term residents of South Africa, regardless of their employment status or their ability to make a direct monetary contribution to the fund. For Dr Viranna, working with public authorities in this way is a matter of duty. “Life Healthcare is acutely aware of the inequality in healthcare delivery in South Africa,” he says. “We have embraced the government’s NHI proposition which promulgates access to universal healthcare for all South Africans. Given the complex health challenges facing our country, we strongly believe South

WWW.AFRICAOUTLOOKMAG.COM

Your solutions partner for 30 YEARS

We specialise in providing solutions and products that improve the productivity and effectiveness in the CSSD, Operating Theatre & Endoscopy Unit. From expert advice on new theatre or CSSD designs to providing the latest digital operating theatre and instrument tracking technology, we have the products and experience to offer meaningful value to our customers.

Process Improvement

Track, Trace & Asset Management

Gauteng, Mpumalanga, Limpopo & North West T el: 011 201 4300

EDUCATION Digital Theatre Systems

Kwa-Zulu Natal T el: 082 464 3832

CSSD & Operating Theatre Design Advice

Online & Classroom Based Education

Western & Eastern Cape T el: 021 763 3280

In the business of saving lives

Sterility Assurance

Customized Service Programs

Decontamination

Free State & Northern Cape T el: 082 686 8075

E -mail: info@s afmed.co.za Webs ite: www.s afmed.co.za www.facebook.com/Safmed.SA/ T witter: @SafMedSA

FACE SHIELDS PURPLE NITRILE* MAX Gloves NEW

NEW

FORMERLY KIMBERLY- CLARK HEALTH CARE

OT E

C T

Plot 61127, Block 8, Gaborone, Botswana E-mail: info@medswana.co.bw Tel: (+267) 39 59930 / 3985200 Fax: (+267) 39 57911 / 3985290

www.medswana.co.bw

S EL

• conventional medicine • warehousing • herbal care • distribution • regulatory affairs • veterinary • surgical • fitness & nutrition • first aid • baby care • cosmetics

N ATIE RP

products

U YO

services

Medswana is a fully licensed pharmaceutical wholesaler and distributor that exists to facilitate access to medical products throughout Botswana, through partnerships with both the public and private sector.

E OT PR

WHAT WE DO

THE RIGHT LEVEL OF PROTECTION FOR YOUR NEEDS NEW

F NEW

QUICK CHECK INTERLEAVED* Sequential Sterilisation wrap

SMART-FOLD* Sterilisation packaging

WWW.AFRICAOUTLOOKMAG.COM

L I F E

H E A L T H C A R E

African healthcare providers have a moral obligation to work with the government to find solutions for the issues facing our country. We are committed to making our contribution towards achieving the important health objectives enshrined in our country’s NDP.” The Life Healthcare Group recognises the scale of the task ahead to reduce the healthcare gap. World Bank research demonstrates that in 2015, more than a third of South Africa’s poorest citizens lived at least 20 kilometres from a hospital, 27 percentage points higher than the wealthiest segment of the population. The NHI is designed to address this disparity, and the Company is determined to contribute towards the implementation of this policy. “We believe that the NHI will increase access to quality healthcare for all South Africans and, additionally, align South Africa with many international healthcare systems,” Dr

We believe that the NHI will increase access to quality healthcare for all South Africans and, additionally, align South Africa with many international healthcare systems” Viranna explains. “We have gained valuable experience through our international operations, where government-led healthcare systems are the norm.” The Life Healthcare Group has taken the time to understand the challenges facing healthcare in South Africa. Concerning implementation thereof, the Group has taken a long-term view of investing in the opportunities the NHI will inevitably present. “Essentially,” Dr Viranna adds, “we focus on how best Life Healthcare can support the government’s vision of achieving universal healthcare in

WWW.AFRICAOUTLOOKMAG.COM

South Africa and, therefore, we have aligned our business imperatives accordingly.”

Advancing access

Looking ahead, in addition to assisting with the implementation of NHI, Dr Viranna is looking to futureproof the business by delivering on his five key objectives in the short term. He reiterates his desire to further diversify the Life Healthcare Group into a full-spectrum healthcare services provider, both at home and across the wider region: “We will continue to expand more aggressively

Shaping the future of healthcare

At Siemens Healthineers, our purpose is to enable healthcare providers to increase value. We do this by empowering them on their journey towards expanding precision medicine, transforming care delivery and improving patient experience, all enabled by digitalizing healthcare. An estimated five million patients globally everyday benefit from our innovative technologies and services in the areas

of diagnostic and therapeutic imaging, laboratory diagnostics and molecular medicine, as well as digital health and enterprise services. We are a leading medical technology company with over 170 years of experience and 18,000 patents globally. With about 50,000 dedicated colleagues in over 70 countries, we will continue to innovate and shape the future of healthcare.

Customer Care Centre: +27 80 002 4311 www.healthcare.siemens.co.za

into complementary services and businesses to achieve our aspiration of transitioning from a predominantly hospital business to an internationally diversified healthcare provider, offering a compelling range of services.” In terms of the Life Healthcare Group’s domestic market, the focus will be on growing new services and launching products that cater to segments not currently served. For Dr Viranna, this all circles back to

contributing to the betterment of South African healthcare delivery. Indeed, the Life Healthcare Group recognises the importance of continually innovating and challenging assumptions to remain future-fit and deliver on its aspiration of improving the accessibility and affordability of quality healthcare. “From a clinical perspective, we will have realigned our business model and moved closer to achieving our

objective of becoming a clinically-led organisation,” says Dr Viranna. “This will be reflected in enhanced quality scores and patient outcomes.”

Tel: +27 11 219 9000 life.communications@lifehealthcare.co.za

www.lifehealthcare.co.za

WWW.AFRICAOUTLOOKMAG.COM

K I N A P H A R M A

Africa’s Premier Pharmaceutical Proponent

003 has gone down in history as a milestone year for the Ghanaian Premier League. Despite going unbeaten, Hearts of Oak, a side that had dominated the league table for the past six years, were pipped to the top by Asante Kotoko. Racking up 23 wins and six draws in 30 games, the Kumasi team brought an end to the Accra side’s dominance, finishing nine points ahead. The season also became a landmark one in other ways, namely through

From humble beginnings, Kofi Nsiah-Poku, CEO of Kinapharma, has led the manufacturing and distribution company to unprecedented heights

WWW.AFRICAOUTLOOKMAG.COM

Writer: Jonathan Dyble Project Manager: Callam Waller

Kinapharma becoming the first local company to sponsor the competition. “It was a strategy that I think took many people by surprise,” explains Kofi Nsiah-Poku, CEO and Founder of Kinapharma, “but it more than paid off for us in this soccer-loving part of the world.” Established two decades ago, innovative marketing techniques such as these have been fundamental in allowing the Company to flourish and establish itself as a renowned

AFRICA largest indigenous producer of high quality, affordable and reliable pharma products in West Africa. “In the past 20 years we’ve been able to establish ourselves as a market leader in Ghana, employing around 600 people from all professions, including pharmacists, chemists, microbiologists and accountants,” Nsiah-Poku adds. “When you go to medical facilities, not only in Ghana but in most West African countries as well, you will find that we are a significant supplier.”

Bolstering the brand

Ghanaian-operated pharmaceutical manufacturing and distribution firm. “We like to support sporting initiatives,” Nsiah-Poku continues. “Not only does it allow us to bolster our brand, but it also helps to promote a positive message for thousands of people.” However, aside strategic forays into the sporting sphere, Kofi’s ambitions for Kinapharma are much broader, driven by an overriding vision of becoming the

A historic photograph of Kofi Nsiah-Poku, CEO of Kinapharma, in his Kejetia shop

For Nsiah-Poku, initiatives such as the Ghanaian Premier League sponsorship have been crucial in achieving the success that Kinapharma has to date, helping to raise the firm’s profile as a one-stop pharmaceutical shop. The Company has similarly produced numerous innovative, memorable and captivating television and radio advertising campaigns and worked extensively with hospitals and pharmacies directly, emphasising the importance of the brand in more ways than one. “In Ghana, we are very well known as a reliable company,” Nsiah-Poku continues. Equally, this stellar reputation can also be attributed to the first-class products and services that it provides on a consistent basis, most recently evident through its malaria oral combination therapy offerings. Provided to children under the age of five on a four-dose course, this anti-malaria campaign has proven particularly successful in helping to curb infection in children across West Africa. “We cover anything from the anti-malaria segment to cough syrups and anti-biotics,” Nsiah-Poku reveals, “but, in my eyes, what differentiates us is the proactive way in which we formulate and market these products.

WWW.AFRICAOUTLOOKMAG.COM

K I N A P H A R M A

“Pharmaceutical businesses will thrive as long as human beings are alive. For Kinapharma, however, this is not enough. We recognise that we have to stand out from the crowd.”

A visionary ethos

This differentiated outlook is further revealed in Kinapharma’s approach to charitable causes, helping to promote economic development on a broader, more external front. Examples of this include the firm’s sponsorship of the Ghanaian Special

Olympics team, the running of soup kitchens and the hosting of health screenings in inner city neighbourhoods, setting aside more than $200,000 annually to promote these initiatives and others. “We collaborate with the Pharmaceutical Society of Ghana, the Ghana Medical Association, Ghana Midwifery Council and other leading industry organisations,” Nsiah-Poku adds. “In each of these partnerships, we work to help highlight our partners’ effectiveness, something

FROM THEN TILL NOW Kofi Nsiah-Poku founded Kinapharma on his own during his time teaching at Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology, distributing simple pharmaceutical preparations on the side of his studies. This led to the launch of a fully-fledged home-grown dispensary business following his graduation, and capitalising on this, Nsiah-Poku began to run a series of retail pharmacies with his wife and partner at work. Under his leadership, the business continued to expand, quickly becoming a key distributor for popular brands including Janseen and Aryton Saunders. In 1998 Nsiah-Poku relocated to Accra and launched his first factory under the Kinapharma banner, becoming one of the first pharmacists to venture into large scale pharmaceutical production. Today, Kinapharma produces more than 150 different brands of products including pain killers, anti-hypertensives, antidiabetics, anti-malarias, antacids and many others.

BIESTERFELD

s an international trader and distributor based in Germany, Biesterfeld has more than 112 years’ experience. We are specialised in the supply of pharmaceutical raw materials and proud to be one of the key suppliers of Kinapharma Ltd. Through our multiple purchasing offices in China and India we have close relationships with manufacturers, which allow us to offer certified quality materials at stable conditions and competitive prices. Our logistics experts and quality department monitor each operation in detail assuring the high quality and punctuality of all our deliveries.

T +49 40 32008-271 E m.naasz@biesterfeld.com

www.biesterfeld.com that helps to bolster the pharma and healthcare scene in Ghana as a whole.” Similarly, the Company’s staff are provided with a strong platform for progression and the opportunity to further their personal development skills in a multitude of different ways. Nsiah-Poku explains: “We have a fully-fledged HR department that supplies extensive in-house training, technical staff are readily sent to seminars and on training courses.” Promoting both corporate social responsibility and the development of its staff in these ways, Kinapharma is enabling progression in numerous ways across West Africa.

Maintaining momentum

Overseas projects are particularly popular

WWW.AFRICAOUTLOOKMAG.COM

With the turn of the year just around the corner, 2019 offers a number of exciting prospects for the Company looking ahead. In the aim of maintaining its expansion plan, Kinapharma has pledged to invest $20 million into a

BIG_Ad_Africa_Outlook_160x96mm_RZ.indd 1

28.11.2018 14:50:50

Kofi Nsiah-Poku and Ma Flo

new factory that will better safeguard its packaging processes, bringing much of this in-house. “Our new facility will be a great help in reducing the country’s reliance on imports and curbing future materials shortages,” adds Nsiah-Poku. “Equally, we’re going to be acquiring more sophisticated equipment that will help to bolster our productivity, improve our quality assurance, and reduce our costs long term.”

Kofi Nsiah-Poku and his family

In the eyes of the Chief Exec, not only will such funding bolster Kinapharma’s domestic operations, but they will also allow the firm to more readily access lucrative new markets, from Nigeria to Central Africa. He concludes: “Supported by our investments, we want to continue to introduce new products to new markets.” “With an eye on the likes of Equatorial Guinea, Gabon and Angola,

we want to better provide ECOWAS nations and beyond with improved healthcare solutions and medicines, all in the view of becoming a household name.”

Kinapharma Tel: +233 030 222 0390 info@kinapharma.com www.kinapharma.com

WWW.AFRICAOUTLOOKMAG.COM

W B H O

B U I L D I N G

A F R I C A

THE CONSTRUCTION

Custodian Placing its pride in a customer-first ethos, WBHO Building Africa and its Managing Director, Deon Robinson, are continuing to transform industry across the continent Writer: Jonathan Dyble | Project Manager: Eddie Clinton

WWW.AFRICAOUTLOOKMAG.COM

ccra. The capital of Ghana and the heart of the country’s booming commerce scene. In centuries gone by, markets have traditionally posed as the most viable option for shopping across the city. And while these do still exist in an abundance across the region, embodying a large part of Ghana’s national and cultural identity, the retail scene in the capital has changed dramatically, owed to the development of modern complexes.

AFRICA

Two prime examples can be found in Junction Mall, a landmark building that serves a catchment of more than 600,000 residents and thousands more tourists each year, and West Hills Mall, an alternative 290,000 square foot retail centre that, by all accounts, has transformed the shopping experience in Accra. Both standing as facilities that symbolise progression and development throughout the city, much of the successes of these buildings are owed to WBHO

Building Africa – a division of WBHO Construction and the Company that built the malls. “The Building Africa division was established in 2013 off the back of the award of the West Hills Mall and Junction Mall building contracts,” explains Deon Robinson, Managing Director of the subsidiary. “In the five years since, we have continued to focus on delivering construction projects throughout Africa, predominantly serving the sub-Saharan region with a myriad of clients and developers.”

WWW.AFRICAOUTLOOKMAG.COM

W B H O

B U I L D I N G

Emphasising quality

A F R I C A

Having achieved a great deal in his career, Robinson’s initial interest in the construction industry stemmed from a young age after watching his father work on various buildings, from developing his childhood family home to overseeing large scale projects. It was this that sparked Robinson’s initial ambitions to become educated in the construction sphere, ambitions that materialised almost exactly three decades ago. “By August 1988, I qualified for a leading bursary with a leading construction firm, an opportunity I

am still grateful for today,” explains Robinson. “During this time, I studied for four years, then working for the Company for a further three years. “Having remained in the same field of work in the years since, I am still enjoying the challenges that come across my desk just as much today as I was 30 years ago.” The Managing Director’s passion is reflected throughout WBHO Building Africa’s operations, particularly evident in the firm’s client-first mentality, ensuring that its customers’ expectations are consistently met to the highest of standards.

DEZIGN AFRICA

ezign Africa is set to be one of the leading bespoke and specialist shop fitters in Africa.

With extensive experience in Ghana, Zimbabwe, Zambia, Nigeria to name a few, Dezign Africa has the experience and expertise to offer a professional and systematic approach to project management, rollouts, bespoke interior solutions and installation to completion. The combination of a committed team of key suppliers and specialised skills, Dezign Africa is well positioned to provide high quality fit outs. The Dezign Africa team have worked throughout Africa for over 25 years. It is the Company’s vison to take its experience and to teach its skills to all local markets. It has worked alongside many reputable contractors, developers, architects and project managers. 2018 was a good year for Dezign Africa, the Company installing over 40,000 square meters of suspended ceilings, bulkheads, 3,500 metres of drywalling, 6,000 square metres of raised computer access flooring and 600 doors, frames and it’s ironmongery to various projects in West Africa. Looking ahead to the future, Dezign Africa has set out six clear goals. These include establishing new business contacts, expanding recruitment, cultivating the firm’s reputation, building client relations and coordinating efforts of numerous different departments to ensure smooth Xxxxxxxx xxxxxxxx xxxxxxxxxxx xxxxxxxxx running of the business.

WBHO prides itself on delivering customers’ expectations

WWW.AFRICAOUTLOOKMAG.COM

UK Mobile +44 7731 157557 Ghana Mobile +233 54 718 0816 E jason@dezignaafrica.co.za

www.dezignafrica.co.za Xxxxxxxx xxxxxxxx xxxxxxxxxxx xxxxxxxxx

MARKETS • Shopping complexes • Hotels • Office parks • Educational institutes • Warehouses/factories • High-rise buildings • Hospitals • Industrial & residential developments

SERVICES • • • • • •

Full time project management Planning Costing and design Site plans Site surveys Partitioning

• • • • • •

Computer-raised access flooring Acoustic ceilings and detailed bulkheads Glass and aluminium shopfronts and facades Logistics - national and international Specialised doors and frame Acoustic operable walls

UK Mobile: +44 7731 157557 | Ghana Mobile: +233 54 718 0816 | E: jason@dezignaafrica.co.za | www.dezignafrica.co.za

W B H O

B U I L D I N G

A F R I C A

Favouring this approach, the Company has continued to emphasise quality. Robinson continues: “Our view on growth has always been based on the idea that we must make sure we do not grow too fast or become greedy in trying to get a bigger bite at the construction cake. “We have made slow and steady progress and we are satisfied with our growth rate, and with this type of streamlined operation, we are definitely one step ahead of our competitors.”

WBHO BUILDINGS AFRICA’S PROJECTS INCLUDE:

Sound strategies

To date, WBHO Building Africa’s expansion plan has largely been focussed in both Mozambique and Botswana alongside its operations in Ghana. In both entering new markets and evaluating its position in consolidated regions, the firm takes a measured approach according to Robinson, evaluating a multitude of different factors to ensure that each new venture is successful. “We recognise that other countries present opportunities, but we are very cautious about settling on new projects at random,” he reveals. “We have to look at the current political climate, financial stability and who our client is, for the safety and security

RAM SHOPFITTING

reating a dynamic and harmonious presence in the market place, RAM Shopfitting is regarded as one of the top three shopfitters in South Africa, allowing for successful delivery of projects on a national and international scale for clients such as WBHO Building Africa. The Company’s production facilities in Durban, Johannesburg and Cape Town are equipped with state-of-theart machinery, with dedicated and committed staff who produce superior quality products every time, on time. We are also renowned for producing furniture of the highest quality, marketed by our associate company, Interior and Décor International.

• Achimota Retail Centre, Ghana • West Hills Mall, Ghana

T +27 31 500 9604 E sales@ramholdings.co.za

• Junction Mall, Ghana

www.ramholdings.co.za

• Takoradi Mall, Ghana • Extension to AB InBev breweries, Accra, Ghana • Game Store refurbishments (Achimota and West Hills)

WWW.AFRICAOUTLOOKMAG.COM

Delivering Superior Quality Products Every Timeâ&#x20AC;ŚOn Time! Ram Shopfitting commenced business in the spring of 2002. Since then, we have carved an enviable path in our industry to become one of the leading shopfitters in the country. Our remarkable growth can only be attributed to our sustained professionalism, our combined expertise and commitment to quality.

sales@ramholdings.co.za | www.ramholdings.co.za

Siloam Engineering Limited Post Office Box AS 238 Kumasi Ghana T: +233 509 905873 | +233 576 617697 E: godfredadomako6@gmail.com

WWW.AFRICAOUTLOOKMAG.COM

W B H O

B U I L D I N G

A F R I C A

Robinson believes more projects will be completed once infrastructure issues are resolved

WBHO continues to complete sizable projects despite difficult market conditions

Shopping malls and precincts are a core specialism of WBHO

of our personnel is of paramount importance when it comes to these types of decisions.” Often faced with hostile or uncertain environments across the continent, taking this approach has been fundamental to the success of WBHO Building Africa, allowing the firm to thrive in regions or economies where others struggle. “In my opinion, the current status of the construction industry across Africa could be considered to be a recession of some sort,” Robinson says. “Governments are currently not spending on infrastructure which makes it difficult to make any major market forecasts. “However, I do believe that once the infrastructure issues are resolved, various projects will be taken off hold and more equity will be flowing into the African countries thus triggering investment and potential construction opportunities.”

Governments are currently not spending on infrastructure which makes it difficult to make any major market forecasts”

Perfectly positioned

Despite this current climate, WBHO has continued to excel in the five years since its inception. Having begun with the West Hills and Junction malls, the Company has diversified extensively, working on the

WWW.AFRICAOUTLOOKMAG.COM

completion of a range of buildings, from complex refurbishments to the construction of new warehouses across the continent. Testament to this is the firm’s extensive range of supplier partnerships, working with both local and cross border subcontractors that help to enable the completion of each and every one of its projects. Leveraging these relationships, the firm sources many of its materials from high quality vendors throughout South Africa, ensuring that it is able to deliver the best results time and time again. “Shipping goods from RSA is a fairly painless process if you know the system,” Robinson adds. Equally, as part of the wider WBHO Group, WBHO Building Africa has access to a significant amount of resources, fuelling the division’s thirst for excellence. WBHO Building makes up just one of a number of subsidiaries that

ucts to prospective clients, either as a direct sale of an air conditioning or ventilation project.

WE DO:

ecialises in the supply, installation and ce of large-scale air conditioning and ventilation utomatic fire protection systems, as well as the used in and underlying infrastructure of sewerage ants.

Uganda: Botswana: Congo: Burundi: South Africa:

& Casino, Kariba ZPS Lugogo Mall Gaberone -The Square, Game City Extension Shoprite Kinshasa PTA Bank, Bumjumbura Goldfields Mall, Pretoria Church of Scientology, Westwood Mall

MAURITIUS: 1st floor Building B, Nautica Commercial Center, Royal Road, Black River, 90601 SOUTH AFRICA: Suite 15, 3 Flanders Drive, Mount Edgecombe, Durban 4001

AREAS OF OPERATION

Email: • graham@aduct.co.za Nigeria| Tel: +27 (0)31 539 5239 Mobile: 2775 | Website: www.aduct.co.za • +27 (0)72 425Ghana

• • • • • • • • •

aduct.co.za

Zambia Malawi Tanzania Angola Zimbabwe Uganda Botswana Congo Burundi

MAURITIUS: 1st floor Building B, Nautica Commercial Center, Royal Road, Black River, 90601 SOUTH AFRICA: Suite 15, 3 Flanders Drive, Mount Edgecombe, Durban 4001 Email: graham@aduct.co.za Tel: +27 (0)31 539 5239

CRYSTAL CRYSTAL--ROCK ROCKSERVICES SERVICESLTD. LTD. DO IT ONCE AND RIGHT P. O. Box CE 11862, Tema Tel: 0244279557 / 0244 622929 Fax: 0302 824065 P. O. Box CE 11862, Tema Tel: 0244279557 / 0244 622929 Fax: 0302 824065 Email: crystalrock.ekuban8@gmail.com Email: crystalrock.ekuban8@gmail.com

Crystal-Rock Services Limited offers a wide range of construction works services, built on solid expertise and experience in the application and supply of high quality imported household decorative and industrial materials. We also offer consultancy services in the area of painting and decoration. Crystal-Rock Services Limited is committed to providing quality service at very competitive rates, with a focus on good communication with our clients in order to give them the best possible service. We are a service company highly respected in the Construction industry for the excellent standard of work produced by our qualified trades persons in our employment.

P. O. Box CE 11862 | Tema Tel: 0244279557 / 0244 622929 Fax: 0302 824065 Email: crystalrock.ekuban8@gmail.com

WWW.AFRICAOUTLOOKMAG.COM

W B H O

B U I L D I N G

A F R I C A

WBHO GROUP’S AWARDS • Eight times recognised at Construction World’s best projects between 2011-2015. • Three awards at MBA Excellence Awards in 2011. • Won the Steel Award in 2011. • Recognised by the SA Institute of Steel Construction in the Bridge category. • Recognised at the CESA Awards in 2009. • Has achieved several Futon Awards for the outstanding use of concrete. • Consistently recognised by the Sunday Times and Financial Times. • Received two awards at the Africa Investor Awards. • Recognised at the PMR Africa Awards. • Recognised eight times at the PMR Awards.

contribute to WBHO Construction (Pty) Ltd, standing alongside WBHO Australia Probuild Construction, WBHO Roads & Earthworks and WBHO Civil. With access to a range of leading expertise throughout this network when needed, the subsidiary is able to benefit greatly from the Group’s broad and diverse footprint. Further, a similar approach is taken in regard to the firm’s employment and talent retention strategies, philosophies that have been fundamental to the businesses longterm success. Robinson continues: “Our

WWW.AFRICAOUTLOOKMAG.COM

philosophy here is to bring in senior supervision that do have long standing experience and then training the local willing people to execute the work to the correct quality and production standards. This is sometimes easier said than done but to a large extend we had success at most of our projects following this strategy.” From here, the firm then promotes open channels of communication throughout its structure, providing all of its employees with the ideal platform to both express themselves and thrive for the betterment of the business.

When Quality Counts

+27 12 662 3088 | info@qmech.co.za www.qmech.co.za

AIR CONDITIONING | ELECTRICAL | PLUMBING | SPRINKLERS VACC Technical is a building services contracting Company, operating in West Africa as a mechanical and electrical contractor for over 15 years, delivering quality products and services to international standards. Leveraging on our offshore and onshore capacities, we are able to offer a wide range of Electromechanical works which include HVAC, piped services, sprinkler systems, and electrical and ELV services for medium and large installations. With our growing reputation for excellence, VACC remains a leading mechanical and electrical contractor within the construction industry in the Sub-Saharan region. #17, La Tebu Crescent, East Cantonments, Accra, Ghana. T: +233543835742 | E: info@vacctechnical.com | www.vacctechnical.com

BUILDING SECTORS • Commerical Buildings • Shopping Centres • A-Grade Speculative Offices • Hotels • DATA Centres • Housing Facilities • Warehouses and Distribution • Industrial Control Rooms

DISCIPLINES AND SPECIALTIES OF Q-MECH • Heating, Ventilation & Air-conditioning • CFD Simulations • Energy Modelling • Energy Management • 3D Modelling & Engineering of HVAC • Platforms (Autodesk, Revit, CAD)

An eye on the future

Having achieved a substantial amount in the past five years, particularly across Ghana, WBHO Building Africa ensures that it gives back on a local level – something that is particularly evident in the firm’s refurbishment of a local prison in Accra and through the rebuilding of a school boundary wall in Kumasi, Ghana. “With continued participation in the construction industry in Africa we will further engage local communities to impart a legacy with our CSR initiatives going forward,” adds Robinson. However, looking ahead, Robinson is keen that this legacy is consolidated in more than just its corporate social responsibility efforts, hoping that the firm will become more widely renowned and celebrated as it continues to engage in new projects and uphold its high self-imposed standards. He concludes: “Our short-term goals

are to successfully complete all the projects we have currently on the go and make sure we complete them to the level that our clients expect. At the moment we are focusing on securing more work for 2019 and maintaining a steady growth in the construction industry throughout Africa. “We as WBHO Building Africa are very excited about the future and we would like to motivate subcontractors

and suppliers to join us in making our footprint larger and positively changing the landscape of the construction industry in Africa.”

WBHO Building Africa Tel: +27 11 321 7200 wbho@wbho.co.za www.wbho.co.za

WWW.AFRICAOUTLOOKMAG.COM

D E

S I M O N E

L I M I T E D

Pushing the

Boundaries of Building Employing 6,000 staff across West Africa, De Simone Limited continues to be the standard-bearer for progress when it comes to construction on the continent Writer: Jonathan Dyble | Project Manager: Donovan Smith

WWW.AFRICAOUTLOOKMAG.COM

AFRICA

eeting project deadlines and satisfying budget guidelines are two major challenges facing the construction industry in the 21st century. According to KPMG’s Ninth Global Construction Survey, fewer than one third of construction projects come within 10 percent of their planned budgets, while approximately only a quarter of these are delivered on time. A large contributor to such statistics is a lack of accurate contingency planning and estimations, often resulting in concerns for both the contractor and client. However, one firm that is looking to change this trend and preconception is De Simone Limited – a company that has grown exponentially through its emphasis on excellence. “Our main objective has always been achieving satisfaction for our clients,” explains Federico De Simone, one of the firm’s directors. “When we sign new agreements, we see it as our duty to stick to the terms of these. “Ensuring that we keep costs down and deliver projects within outlined timeframes are of paramount importance, and we are proud to say that we readily meet our customers’ requirements in the vast majority of cases.

A unique understanding

Founded in Accra by Federico’s grandfather in 1964, De Simone Ltd has expanded from its humble beginnings as a commercial residence specialist. Today, it operates in five different countries throughout West Africa, employing 6,000 workers across a multitude of different divisions and subsidiaries. Now standing as the leading building and civil construction player in the region, the Company continues to champion some of the continent’s most complex infrastructure developments, gaining both invaluable

WWW.AFRICAOUTLOOKMAG.COM

D E

S I M O N E

ALMOG ENGINEERING

ounded and built on an ethos of reliability, quality and cost effectiveness, Almog Engineering Limited has excelled in the Nigerian market. The Company specialises in mechanical, electrical and plumbing installations and facilities upgrading works, executing landmark projects across the country, from high rise offices to residential projects to industrial and commercial complexes. Equally, Almog Engineering is adept in undertaking sophisticated, technological electrical and mechanical installations with its expertly trained staff. Renowned as a preferred provider, the Company continues to meet high standards on all of its projects. T +234 1 460 5621, +234 909 0192048 E almogeng@gmail.com E info@almog-ng.com

www.ng-almog.com experience and an unrivalled reputation in the process. Such is reflected in the firm’s ability to find great success in a range of different environments, each offering its own challenges. De Simone explains: “When you’ve worked in this industry for as long

THE DE SIMONE GROUP • De Simone Limited • Monterosa Construction Limited • De Simone Burkina Faso S.A. • De Simone Liberia • Eastern Quarries Limited • Monolo Plant Limited • De Simone Mining Services • De Simone Côte d’Ivoire

as we have, you come to realise that although two countries are located in the same region, they are often completely different environments to work in, with different regulations, political climates, resources and expectations. “However, having come to understand this over the years, De Simone Ltd is now able to readily enter new markets with greater foresight and understanding.” Being established in multiple markets equally provides the firm with a competitive advantage, both through this understanding and in its ability to leverage a vast range of specialised resources from its extensive network. “Accessing a multitude of different resource pools, we are able to rotate our resources between projects across the region when needed,” De Simone continues. “Ultimately, this gives us the ability to offer costeffective services, maintain quality and reliability, and guarantee certain output levels.”

WWW.AFRICAOUTLOOKMAG.COM

TECNOMAC

ecnomac has been a distributor for construction equipment for 30 years.

Present in Italy and Switzerland, over the years Tecnomac spread its activity to the Middle East and Central and Western Africa by delivering high technical expertise on spare parts supply. Tecnomac’s international sales team is dedicated to finding the best solution for its partners when it comes to spare parts for mobile and stationary equipment, including hydraulics, electrics and engines. No matter where our partners are and what they need, we always love serving them. T +39 0342 598064 E staff@tecnomac.com

www.tecnomac.com

RELIABILITY QUALITY COST EFFECTIVNESS • ELECTRICAL INSTALLATION • MECHANICAL INSTALLATION • RENOVATION WORKS • FACILITIES MAINTENANCE

almogeng@gmail.com / info@almog-ng.com | 01-4605621 09090192048 | www.ng-almog.com

Anything, anywhere, now. No matter where, our spare parts will reach you! +39 0342 598064 | staff@tecnomac.com |

tecnomacsrl | www.tecnomac.com

WWW.AFRICAOUTLOOKMAG.COM

D E

S I M O N E

L I M I T E D

CIMBURKINA

imburkina is a leading cement company in Burkina Faso providing the highest quality products and services to customers. The Group is one of the world’s largest building materials companies: number one in aggregates production, number two in cement, and number three in ready-mixed concrete. Our products are used for the construction of houses, infrastructure, and industrial facilities, thus meeting the demands of a growing world population for housing, mobility, and economic development. Cimburkina intends to contribute sustainably to the growth of Burkina Faso by being a key player in the supply of high quality cements.

T +226 25 35 50 50 E info_cimburkina@hcafrica.com

www.heidelbergcement.com

PENETRON Raising the bar

The depth of De Simone Ltd’s capabilities are reflected in its extensive portfolio. Having worked with a vast range of companies across a variety of industries, from ECOBANK and Nestlé in Tema, to Barclays Bank and CFAO Airport in Accra, De Simone is able to cite a number of high-quality developments. Asked about the specifics, the Director reveals that recent highlights include the completion of two 20,000 square metre office complexes for Eris Properties, a South African independent fund that is backed by Momentum Africa, and two shopping centres in Abuja, Nigeria, working with an investment fund called Novare. “In undertaking each of these projects, we encountered very few

problems after putting in place a clear plan, allowing us to execute these developments both before time and on budget,” De Simone explains. Further, calling upon some more personal favourites, the Director states that the Company was heavily involved in the construction of two US embassies and in building Ghana’s first ever mall. He continues: “In undertaking a structural contract for the creation of the American embassies in Accra and Ougadougou, Burkina Faso, the use of high-quality materials allowed us to thrive. The procedures on this project were very particular – something that allowed us to excel with our coordinated approach. “Similarly, when we finished Accra’s first mall, it was a real landmark for both us and the country,” he adds.

WWW.AFRICAOUTLOOKMAG.COM

The PENETRON® system Crystalline Waterproofing Crystalline durabillity with multiple activating chemicals for effective permanent concrete permeabilityreducing system (PRAH) available. Products: • Penetron Admix® • Penetron • Penecrete Mortar • Peneplug • Penebar SW-55 • Blockseal • Peneseal FH Nigeria E info@penetron.com.ng T +234 810 543 4143 Ghana E info@penetron.com.gh T +233 20 352 8269

CMJ

PENETRON ADMIX® is the world’s most efficient and economic permeability-reducing concrete admixture. Added during batching, PENETRON ADMIX® significantly increases concrete durability and service life. In Africa PENETRON has developed a strong relationship with the De Simone Group in Ghana. The unmatched performance of both per PENETRON ADMIX® and the services offered locally helped to work with this international company on two of their most recent major developments in Accra (335 Place Offices and SU Tower Offices). In addition, PENETRON fully supports its sister company Monterosa Construction in Nigeria. PENETRON offers a broad range of concrete PENET solutions, including crystalline waterproofing, waterstops and liquid sealers. The PENETRON System of products is sold around the world in over 100 countries through qualified applicators and distributors.

Nigeria Sebenza Technical Limited Mob +234 810 543 4143 info@penetron.com.ng

Ghana Penetron Ghana Ltd Mob +233 (0)20 352 8269 info@penetron.com.gh

WWW.AFRICAOUTLOOKMAG.COM

D E

S I M O N E

L I M I T E D

Xxxx xxxxxxx Etureperibus. Su

“Not only was it the first development of its kind in Ghana, standing as a reference point for progress, it has since become one of the most successful retail centres in the region today.”

A balanced approach

Crucial to the success of these projects and countless others is the firm’s esteemed staff. Having remained a local company since its inception, De Simone Ltd remains a stalwart of Ghana’s construction industry, with 95 percent of its staff being of local origin.

WWW.AFRICAOUTLOOKMAG.COM

To this end, while we emphasise local development opportunities, we allow both local people and international expats to thrive within our business”

However, whilst its emphasis on local employment has made it a lynchpin of the national economy, De Simone is equally keen to ensure that it takes a balanced approach in providing equal opportunities throughout its operations. “When working with a range of different clients, having a multitude of different cultural backgrounds within the organisation tends to make things easier in terms of communicating,” he explains. “To this end, while we emphasise local development opportunities, we allow both local people and international expats to

“When working with a range of different clients, having a multitude of different cultural backgrounds within the organisation tends to make things easier in terms of communicating”

“Accessing a multitude of different resource pools, we are able to rotate our resources between projects across the region when needed”

thrive within our business.” Similarly, this pro-diversification model is pursued in its supply chain, evident in the fact that the Company works with a combination of local and international partners, enabling an effective balance between efficiency and quality of delivery. “In the construction sector there are a number of standard items that you need to build your core products that we source locally,” explains De Simone. “However, we are not afraid to import when needed, providing architects or clients with a satisfactory level of flexibility.

“As a contractor, we recognise that we have to be able to adapt to suit our clients’ needs.”

Reaching new heights

Built on this sound model, it seems that De Simone Ltd is set to continue to thrive into 2019 and beyond. Asked about the Company’s priorities for the coming year, De Simone reveals that whilst investment in new technologies will continue to be pursued as one avenue of progression, the firm’s true key objective will be broadening its horizons into new regions and markets.

He concludes: “Having covered most of West Africa, we’re hoping to now take the next step into Central Africa and other new regions. “Other than maintaining our standards and continuing the growth of all our operations, our primary aim for the coming years is broadening our scope.”

De Simone Tel: +233 (303) 310821 info@desimoneltd.com www.desimoneltd.com

WWW.AFRICAOUTLOOKMAG.COM

M O TA - E N G I L

A F R I C A

The African Answer to African Challenges Mota-Engil Africa has been delivering crucial infrastructure and services across a range of sectors since it began operations in Angola more than 70 years ago Writer: Tom Wadlow | Project Manager: Donovan Smith

WWW.AFRICAOUTLOOKMAG.COM

great deal of hope for Africa’s sustainable future hangs on the acceleration of infrastructure development. Every year around 12 million young people join the continent’s labour force, a figure which is only expected to rise as populations continue to grow. Indeed, if the latest United Nations medium scenario projections are proven correct, by 2050 the current populace will have doubled to 2.5 billion. If these millions of new workingage citizens are to be employed, Africa must industrialise. History has proven that a healthy stock of high-quality infrastructure in power, water, and transport is a key facilitating factor of industrialisation, creating an environment that enables organisations to thrive in their respective industries. The positive impact of infrastructure on economic growth and inclusive social development has been well documented by numerous social science disciplines and bodies like the African Development Bank (AfDB). High-quality infrastructure is essential for Africa to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) of the UN, Agenda 2063 of the African Union, and AfDB’s own High Five Goals. The latter estimates that the region’s infrastructure needs amount to somewhere in the region of $130-170 billion a year, markedly higher than the annual $93 billion published by Agence Française de Développement and the World Bank. However, this challenge also presents enormous opportunity, and there is optimism in the air from companies operating on the frontline of infrastructure development across the continent. “For many Africa is the continent of the future, but it has been our present for 72 years,” says Manuel António Mota, CEO of Mota-Engil Africa.

WWW.AFRICAOUTLOOKMAG.COM

M O T A - E N G I L

A F R I C A

“We are strong believers in the region and in its continuous development, and we are very confident about some of the recent steps taken in many African countries which will contribute to wider economic development.” This sentiment is backed up by the AfDB, which points to examples from Ethiopia, Mauritius and Rwanda as models that other African nations can follow. In its 2018 African Economic Outlook report it says: “By attracting foreign investment and firms, even the poorest African countries can improve their trade logistics, increase the knowledge and skills of local entrepreneurs, gain the confidence of international buyers, and gradually make local firms competitive.”

For many Africa is the continent of the future, but it has been our present for 72 years” Serving Sub-Saharan industry

Mota-Engil Africa is one of the largest native-born enterprises that works at the forefront of infrastructure development in the Sub-Sahara region. It has presence or interest in 16 different countries and is served by a 12,600-strong, with expertise spanning

WWW.AFRICAOUTLOOKMAG.COM

engineering and construction, waste management, mining, water and energy specialisms, among others. Mota elaborates: “We operate in engineering and construction across the entire spectrum of activities, with a big focus on all kinds of public and private infrastructure and buildings. “We are also very active as a mining contractor, and in construction works for mining companies. We have a strong presence across the continent on waste collection and treatment, where we operate in five countries already, with a big focus in Angola, Ivory Coast and Mozambique.” This presence culminates in a company which last year turned over $970 million and is currently sat on an order book worth $2.94 billion. Mota-

Engil Africa is growing steadily, shown by the fact that 2017’s revenue was 21 percent (or $171.54 million) higher than 2016’s. “We are very active on concessions, and other investments, that can or will generate construction where we invest our own equity, including airports, roads, ports, energy, real estate developments, and more,” adds Mota. “We currently have some publicprivate partnership concessions under construction, while one is already under exploration.” In terms of geographical footprint, Mota-Engil Africa is spread over 16 countries from east to south to west in the Sub-Sahara region. “We have had a solid presence in Angola since the beginning, and here we have a strong logistical base where we are able to provide support to our African operations,” Mota explains. “We are also well-established across Mozambique, Malawi, Tanzania and Zambia, with further operations in South Africa, Zimbabwe, Rwanda,

Uganda and Kenya. “On the West African side, an area where we began operating more recently, we have a presence in the Ivory Coast, Guine Conacry, Cameroon, and most recently we have opened up an office in Nigeria. For the future, we are also tendering in Senegal and Ghana, and seek to potentially establish permanent bases, though if it is the right project we will act across the whole continent.”

Mota’s personal involvement stretches back a long way. Being a member of the founding family, he has been close to the organisation from a young age, formally joining in 2009 after completing his studies. He started working in Angola in 2009, and in 2012 was appointed as a board member of Mota-Engil Angola. Mota then became CEO of Mota-Engil Central Europe in June 2013 before moving to his current role in February 2016.

WWW.AFRICAOUTLOOKMAG.COM

M O T A - E N G I L

A F R I C A

STEERING MOTA-ENGIL AFRICA IN THE RIGHT DIRECTION Manuel Mota is joined by a group of highly experience executives and industry experts who form the Company’s leadership. Board of Directors • Gonçalo Moura Martins, Chairman. With Mota-Engil since 1990. • Manuel António Mota, Chief Executive Officer. • José Carlos Nogueira, Chief Financial Officer. • David Hobley, Senior Independent Non-Executive Director. Chartered accountant, previously MD at SG Warburg and Deutsche Bank. • Francisco Seixas da Costa, Independent Non-Executive Director. Former Portuguese diplomat and politician.

Mota-Engil Africa formally emerged from a restructuring in 2012 which saw the Group organise itself into geographic business units. Further expansion came shortly with the entry into Zimbabwe, Zambia and Uganda being quickly followed by Rwanda in 2015. Current CEO Mota joined a year later, and today the entire Mota-Engil Group employs more than 30,000 people across 30-plus countries.

Mining for Africa

Of these newer business areas Mota eludes to, mining has become Executive Directors (in addition to Manuel Mota) something of a company staple. Asked • José Carlos Nogueira, Chief Financial Officer. to cite a project that instils a particular sense of pride, he points towards • Francisco Franca, Executive Director. Joined in 1998, CEO of Angola the Company’s ongoing involvement operations. with Brazilian mining giant Vale in • Anibal Leite, Executive Director. Joined in 1983. Civil engineer of more Mozambique. ` than 20 years. The work involves the execution of • Carlos Pascoal, Executive Director. Civil engineer of more than 20 years. mining services that include drilling, • Santos Pato, Executive Director. Civil engineer of more than 20 years. provision of explosives, and load and transport of sterile and coal at Moatize, in the west of the country. The mine is Vale’s single-largest investment in coal, the success of which also being dependent on two railroads that connects Moatize to the sea. Mota-Engil Africa played an Luanda International Airport, Mota-Engil Africa’s first ever project integral part in the development of the Nacala Corridor between An Angolan stalwart Malawi, Mozambique, Ghana and 2012 and 2014, working on two Angola is where the entire Mota-Engil Tunisia. “In the 90’s we also started geographically demanding sections of Group’s roots can be traced back to. our expansion into other business the 900-kilometre line in Malawi. One In 1946, Mota & Cia as it was then areas such as mining, road and bridge section involved the construction and known was founded by Manuel concessions, waste management, renovation of an existing 100-kilometre António da Mota in Portugal, with water management, port concessions, stretch of railroad, while the second operations exclusively in Angola until and energy,” Mota adds. project entailed the building of a new 1975 when the firm expanded into The turn of the millennium marked 145-kilometre line between Kachaso on Namibia and South Africa. a vital point in the organisation’s the Malawi-Mozambique border and During this early period the development, the Mota family deciding Nkaya Junction in the district of Balaka, Company worked on a number of to merge Mota & Cia with Engil, Malawi. important projects, most notably the creating the Group that exists today. Mota-Engil Africa also completed completion of Luanda International This prompted further expansion rehabilitation and expansion work Airport which was handed over in 1952. across the African continent, with the on the Sena Railroad in 2016. Now in Through the 1980s and 90s Mota markets of Benin, Chad and São Tomé operation, this 575-kilometre trainline & Cia opened up branches in Gabon, and Príncipe having been entered by connects Moatize to the Port of Beira Swaziland (renamed Eswatini in 2018), 2006. in the south of Mozambique and is

WWW.AFRICAOUTLOOKMAG.COM

alp is a global player involved in the energy mix that is indispensable to life as we know it. Cities, factories, businesses and houses throughout the world are powered by Galpâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s energy. Every day, millions of people depend on it to live and create their own energy. Galp is a global energy company that spreads and drives the energy of all of us, in Portugal, Spain, the African and South American continents, where it generates, produces and distributes energy.

The Businesses Exploration & Production E&P portfolio includes over 50 projects across seven countries at various exploration, development and production stages. In 2017, Galp reached the 100 thousand barrels per day production milestone. Refining & Marketing Galp is a leading player in Iberia, operating across the refining and marketing of oil products activities. The Company holds an integrated refining system with a total processing capacity of 330,000 barrels of oil per day and a wide distribution network for oil products in Iberia and in selected African countries. Galp aspires to be among the fastest growing companies in the oil & gas sector and is expanding its operations worldwide, maintaining a specific focus on selected African markets: in the downstream segment, Galp is currently present in Angola, Mozambique, Cape Verde, Guinea-Bissau and Kingdom of Eswatini. Gas & Power Galp is focused on the supply of natural gas in Iberia and has been consolidating its trading activity in the international markets. The Company holds a power generation portfolio

and has been expanding its presence in the Iberian electricity market, positioning itself as an integrated energy supplier. Energy transition Galp aims to play an active role in changing the energy paradigm, by anticipating new trends; by adapting its portfolio to future needs, creating synergies with the present activity whenever possible; consolidating the Companyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s knowledge and enhancing asset diversification, with the corresponding risk reduction, namely through lower carbon intensity energy, as is the case of renewables differentiated solutions. Innovation and new business models In connection to the ongoing digital transformation, a set of new capacities has arisen, with old solutions giving place to innovative products and services. Diverse areas such as mobility, decentralised energy production or domotics impact the energy sector, leading to significant gains in energy efficiency and to a wider range of options for clients. The Company will remain to promote the transition into a client-focused organisation. With operations ranging from exploration to marketing of oil products and natural gas, Galp offers efficient and environmentally sustainable energy solutions to consumers looking for the most flexible solutions for their home and mobility needs, as well as for industries looking to increase their productivity. This is the basis of the business that Galp has been developing around the world.

Galp Energia, SGPS, S.A. T +351 217 242 500

www.galp.com

M O T A - E N G I L

A F R I C A

able to transport six million tonnes of coal a year. “Our involvement on the Nacala Corridor and on the coal mines with Vale makes us all at Mota-Engil very proud,” Mota reveals. “We started on the project from a very early stage and were able to showcase our capacities to be a key partner on the mining side and on the infrastructure side, both in terms of construction and maintenance. “Naturally this is a project that keeps us all proud, as we have been able to integrate a lot of our areas of expertise, including the maintenance of infrastructure, which is a segment we also hold and carry large experience in. “The project as a whole has been key to our success in recent years and transformative for the Group and our relationship with mining clients.” Indeed, the work with Vale is just one

WWW.AFRICAOUTLOOKMAG.COM

of many examples showcasing MotaEngil Africa’s expertise in the mining sector. The firm is also a contractor on the Moatize-Macuse Railway Logistics Corridor in Mozambique, a 639-kilometre railway that will transport coal from the mines of Moatize and Chitima in Tete to a new floating coal terminal off the coast at Macuse. Mota also highlights the Company’s work with Société AngloGold Ashanti as another important project, an ongoing contract involving the provision of equipment and installations at its Siguiri gold mine in Guinea Conkary. Based 850 kilometres northeast of Conkary, the country’s capital, the mine is a vital asset and processes around 30,000 tonnes a day. “The Siguiri and Moatize developments are projects where we have invested over $170 million in equipment and facilities, and in which we are very active,” Mota continues. “We have worked across several projects on the continent, with specific focus in Angola, Mozambique and Malawi. Today we also have a presence in the sector across Zimbabwe.” This includes a five-year mining contract for the Hwange Colliery Mine, operated by Hwange Colliery Company, involving drilling works, detonation, and load and transport of coal. Situated in the remote western tip of Zimbabwe, the mine is back up and running following a two-year hiatus and is set to produce 200,000 tonnes a month. The country has an ambitious target of producing 10 million tonnes of output over the next two years, a figure which would enable it to begin exporting.

Diversified

Manuel Mota, CEO, Mota-Engil Africa

More than 70 years of continuous presence in Africa has allowed MotaEngil Africa to diversify into many other fields of expertise. Mining projects amount to around 20 percent of the Company’s current

Nacala Rail Corridor

backlog of contracts, a stream of work which amounts to more than $3 billion. Around 60 percent falls into the broad construction and engineering category, with the remaining 20 percent covering waste management and collection. “In the pipeline we have several more projects under discussion, some awaiting finance from the client or organised by us, and some which are public,” Mota says. “However, we do not disclose our pipeline, as to not induce our investors into the wrong perception, as this can be very variable across the continent and sectors. As you can imagine, though, the combined value is considerably higher than what we actually have in backlog.” Among its projects underway in Angola is a $165 million construction and resourcing of the first stage of Cabinda’s General Hospital, a

development which began in 2017 and slated for completion in July 2019. Last year the Company completed construction of a pier, seawall and wharf to the city’s port. In Malawi, Mota-Engil Africa is delivering several road infrastructure projects, including an 82-kilometre road linking Thyolo and Thekerani and 95-kilometre highway out of Lilongwe. This adds to recently completed works covering hydropower stations and rail upgrades. Further west, the firm is engaged in a seven-year contract for urban cleaning, collection and transport of solid municipal waste in Abidjan, the capital of the Ivory Coast. These operations will involve around 280 vehicles and 2,000 employees who will serve 4.6 million citizens and collect more than eight million tonnes of waste. In order to cater to clients across this diverse portfolio, Mota-Engil Africa draws on a significant pool of locallybased resources. At any one time it has around 4,500 items of heavy equipment on site, with key materials stored at a warehouse in Viana, situated in Angola’s Luanda province. In addition to this, the firm holds complimentary warehouses in South Africa and across other countries in the region. Comprising 18,200 square metres of storage, the site ensures optimal levels of supplies are maintained according to operational needs. Precast factories and project camps help to enable self-reliance in remote and challenging areas, bringing prefabrication capability and project management closer to the client. Such camps also house the workforces responsible for delivering these developments. A network of quarries and aggregate batching plants supply vital construction materials to the frontline. This is made up of 19 plants in Angola, nine in other Southern African Development Community countries

WWW.AFRICAOUTLOOKMAG.COM

M O T A - E N G I L

A F R I C A

and three in East Africa, combining to offer an installed capacity of 2,940 tonnes per hour. “Our logistical and mobilisation capacity is what stands us apart in Africa,” Mota states. “Add this to the fact we are vertically integrated, and we are a unique player on the continent. We have a strong HR and asset base, and that allows us to operate independently across the different countries, with the capability to provide all construction works with in-house capacity.”

At the moment we are in the process of tendering and identifying further opportunities, with the aim of establishing our first project in the market”

Staying ahead

Mota recognises that continual investment and a flexible approach to company development is crucial if it is to build on this formidable foundation. “Naturally we need to keep investing on our asset base and logistical areas to be able to stay ahead of the competition,” he says.

“This is crucial, as new technologies are developing quickly, and not so many of them are seen on the continent at the moment. We will try to develop them and bring them into our projects in Africa at the same

WWW.AFRICAOUTLOOKMAG.COM

time as we implement them in other regions.” Mining is a sector Mota identifies as especially ripe for technological advancement in the region. His confidence is backed by a study from Grand View Research which estimates the global mining automation market will be worth $6.2 billion by 2025, growing at an average annual rate of 7.3 percent. The need for optimising production costs, reducing human intervention, and changing the mining landscape are key growth-driving factors for mining automation. Increasing investment in digital technologies, including analytics and human-machine interactions, is also expected to be one of the key factors driving this trend. Specifically, automated drone systems are expected to become an essential technology in future mining automation and digitisation activities,

with several mining giants already adopting this to enable rapid data collection. Driverless vehicles form another lively subcategory and are already impacting African mining operations. Mali is set to become home to the world’s first fully autonomous underground mine by the end of 2018, the work of Australian gold miner Resolute Mining, which has spent $223 million rolling out automated trucks, loaders and drills at its Syama site. “Definitely on the mining side, automation of equipment is something that will occur, and which is not yet widely seen in the continent,” says Mota. “This is something we are keen to invest in, to make our operations more efficient.” Technology aside, Mota also predicts that the way in which projects are planned and executed will change over time. “The way clients approach projects will change,” he continues. “Over previous years, many projects in mining have gone over budget, so we are continuously looking for more collaborative approaches where we can become partners and not simply service providers. “This will, for sure, involve us integrating more of our range of services into proactive approaches to contracts. This will result in a reduction in capex for clients by transforming them into opex.”

Into Nigeria

Embracing the new also means expansion into previously unexplored markets. Earlier this year Mota-Engil Africa signed an agreement with independent oil producer Shoreline Group to create a new joint venture, Mota-Engil Nigeria. Not only has the creation of this division opened up access to Africa’s largest economy, but also the continent’s most prolific producer of oil.

“Nigeria is a huge opportunity that we have not embraced before,” says Mota. “Before establishing the partnership, we held regular discussions with Shoreline Group to understand how we could better pursue these opportunities and enter into the market.” In Shoreline Group the Company has found a formidable partner. Founded in 1997, with its head office in Lagos and an additional office in

London, the firm has operations across Sub-Saharan Africa. Its portfolio of 16 operating companies, with more than 3,000 employees, includes Costain West Africa, Shoreline Power, GASLAND and TAFL, as well as others in the oil & gas sector. “At the moment we are in the process of tendering and identifying further opportunities, with the aim of establishing our first project in the market,” Mota adds.

WWW.AFRICAOUTLOOKMAG.COM

M O T A - E N G I L

A F R I C A

on the previous year. The European business is the largest in terms of number of companies managed, with 154 separate businesses operating across six countries. Highway developments and waste management form a key part of the division’s annual turnover of $941 million, which largely derives from its historical home in Portugal and also from Poland, where it ranks in the country’s top 10 construction companies.

Every year we run a trainee programme within the Group that integrates young people from across all our businesses and countries into one unique platform” “People are on the ground, and we hope to materialise the first project sooner rather than later. Both MotaEngil and Shoreline believe there is space to develop a key player in the market, a player which is highly qualified and can make the difference.” Mota is right to point to the size of the opportunity in Nigeria. According to the AfDB, the country’s infrastructure deficit constitutes around $3 trillion over the next 26 years, equivalent to about $100 billion annually. This presents Mota-Engil Nigeria with a potentially enormous market in which to thrive, not only as a business but also as a key contributor to the Nigerian economy. Indeed, at the time of the joint venture announcement, Mota revealed that the value of the projects on the table could be worth as much as $1.8 billion.

Global reach

This new unit will sit under the wider Mota-Engil Africa business, which now constitutes one of three corporate divisions that are housed in the holding company Mota-Engil SGPS. Having started out exclusively in Africa in its first 30 years of existence, the organisation has since morphed into a global giant that operates far beyond the African continent. This no better reflected than by the fact that its three divisions – Africa, Europe and Latin America – operate 285 companies between them. Mota-Engil Latin America comprises 87 companies that generate more than $1 billion across eight countries, much of this coming from roads and highways projects in Mexico, Aruba, Colombia and Brazil. This has been a strong growth region for the Group, 2017’s revenue representing a 50 jump

WWW.AFRICAOUTLOOKMAG.COM

In Africa, Mota is looking to reflect the wider company’s global reach in the way it approaches its own supply chain operations. Although much of the emphasis is on maximising local supplier networks, looking further afield is certainly an option being explored with increasing interest. “We have an integrated approach to the supply chain, with bases run out of Portugal, Angola and South Africa,” Mota explains. “All procurement requests follow through not only locally, but also worldwide. We are currently working on some partnerships to establish procurement bases out of China and Dubai to strengthen our integration and supplier base.”

Investing in people

If Mota-Engil Africa is looking internationally to optimise its

procurement operation, employment strategy very much centres around providing opportunities for local people. Of the 12,600-plus employees currently on the Company’s books, some 91 percent are locals, a figure which rises to 94 percent in Malawi, 95 percent in Tanzania, 97 in Zimbabwe and 98 percent in South Africa. “This is a key factor for us,” says Mota. “We try to keep our expat base to the bare minimum, and to develop local resources. In some countries we have been more successful than others, and each time we see more local people taking more responsibility within our organisation. “Every year we run a trainee programme within the Group that integrates young people from across

all our businesses and countries into one unique platform, allowing them to have visibility and integration with our workforce across all countries and regions where we are present.” As well as developing and upskilling its own employees, MotaEngil Africa also heavily involves itself in benefitting the lives of citizens in surrounding communities. This partly derives from the spirit of philanthropy and solidarity instilled by the Group’s founder Manuel António da Mota, who championed positive and active participation in society. In December 2009, a foundation was set up in the founder’s name and forms a crucial part of Mota-Engil’s corporate social responsibility activities.

WWW.AFRICAOUTLOOKMAG.COM

M O T A - E N G I L

A F R I C A

Cabinda’s General Hospital

The primary aim of the Manuel António da Mota Foundation is to promote, develop and support social initiatives, charities and cultural programmes covering education, health, environment and the arts. Although the foundation is based in Porto, the mottos it promotes can be found across all three corporate divisions, including in Africa. “We are very active in this area,” adds Mota. “Originally, we had an individual approach, but during 2018 launched the ME African Initiatives in partnership with the Manuel António da Mota Foundation, where the programmes in Africa are fully funded by Mota-Engil Africa. “The primary focus is on education and health, and in time we will work on the basis of having one contract, one social action and/or programme, and we will dimension ourselves to achieve that objective through the course of the next period of years.”

Building a bright future

Construction of waste disposal site at Abidjan

WWW.AFRICAOUTLOOKMAG.COM

And it is over the next three to five years that Mota aims to solidify the Company’s leading status across the continent, building on the foundations built over the previous seven decades, both in terms of business and community relations. Mota-Engil Africa can also impact the bigger picture. According to AfDB’s 2018 African Economic Outlook, the continent has a compelling case for accelerating its infrastructure development. First, it is a continent of small and open economies that will rely on trade as their major source of growth, and such international trade is no longer about manufacturing in one place and selling in another, the report says. Rather, “it is about cooperating across boundaries and time zones to minimise production costs and maximise market coverage”. Infrastructure is thus vital to the smooth running of these value chains.

YOUR ELEVATION PARTNER IN AFRICA FOR OVER 10 YEARS

(+351) 263 655 651 | geral@ibergru.pt | www.ibergru.pt

Second, given Africa is a relative latecomer in its economic development, the benefits to be reaped from improved infrastructure are higher than other parts of the world. Companies like Mota-Engil Africa, therefore, have the power to push forwards economic progress, especially given the wide reach the firm already has across the SubSaharan region. Outlining his key priorities looking ahead, Mota concludes: “We aim to establish ourselves as a leader in the

continent in our areas of action. We have achieved that in many of the countries we are in, but intend to achieve this in all countries where we are present. “If, in three years’ time, we have doubled the number of countries where we are market leaders, that will be a big achievement. For that to happen, it is important to perform and make a difference in the countries we have more recently moved in to, and this is something we are doing step by step.

“On another note, it is important for us to expand in the countries where we are into diversified business areas, such as mining, waste management and treatment, and concessions. We aim to have a solidified presence across all sectors in all of the countries we are in.” Mota-Engil Africa Tel: -8.833092, 13.230582 info@ mota-engil.cv www.mota-engil.cv

WWW.AFRICAOUTLOOKMAG.COM

P W

M I N I N G

Choice The Partner of

WWW.AFRICAOUTLOOKMAG.COM

M I N I N G

R E S O U R C E S

PW Mining has built up a formidable reputation in West Africa for being a reliable contractor to some of the region’s most important projects Writer: Tom Wadlow Project Manager: Donovan Smith

hanaian mining is on the rise. Currently the secondlargest African producer of gold, the West African nation is also a prolific miner of bauxite, iron ore and manganese, minerals which have helped the sector record revenues of around $1.27 billion in the second quarter of 2018. This is the culmination of a steady, sustained growth period since the start of 2016, which saw Q1 income reach a comparatively modest $577 million. “One thing you can always say is that West Africa is an exciting place,” comments Tony O’Neill, General Manager (Contracts) at Ghana’s PW Mining. “There are a number of mining projects coming online, and we are chasing opportunities across quite a few.”

WWW.AFRICAOUTLOOKMAG.COM

P W

M I N I N G

PW is a leading general contractor, operating in contract mining, civil engineering, building construction and property development, with industrial construction representing another area of expertise. While current mining opportunities appear aplenty according to O’Neill, PW as an engineering operator can be traced back 70 years when it was incorporated as H&D Flinn in Ireland. “By 1963 the Company had undergone massive expansion, playing a major role in some of the largest, most prestigious civil engineering projects ever undertaken in the country,” O’Neill adds. “To reflect its developing status, the name was changed to Public Works Ltd and later to PW Ltd.” Indeed, the firm began operating in West Africa in the early 1970s before the Ghana subsidiary founded in 1995. In 2007, PW Mining was formed

as a business unit to address the ever-growing mining workload being undertaken, with its footprint today stretching from Sierra Leone to the Republic of Congo.

Striking gold with Teranga

In Burkina Faso, the Company has undertaken a three-pronged series of work for Teranga Gold Corporation at its Wahgnion Gold Project. Having tracked the potential of this site for several years prior to being awarded its contract, PW initially secured the site earthworks development which it began in January 2018. Thereafter it signed up for a concrete works package, and finally a contract for pit development in the Nangolo Pit on site, rounding off a project that demonstrates to prospective mining clients in the region the breadth of its capabilities.

TONY O’NEILL AND PW MINING O’Neill has been involved with the Company since 1997, having worked in several engineering and management positions in the Irish construction industry. “At that point, I felt that the time had come to make a change of location and career direction, in the overseas market,” he recalls. “Therefore, when I spotted the recruitment advertisement by PW, I applied for a position. “I liked the thought of coming to Africa and experiencing new culture and practices. I was hired and initially I thought I’d give the expat life a couple of years. 22 years later and I have still not returned, and I have enjoyed every bit of my career here. I’ve been able to gain experience, both professional and personal, which I would most likely not have encountered had I remained at home.”

CORE CONSTRUCTION

stablished in 1995, Core Construction Limited operates with a mission to focus on improving urban and rural infrastructure in general building and civil engineering in Ghana. The Company is headquartered in Accra and is able to draw on a strong pool of experience in the form of its employee base, who uphold the firm’s high standards for quality project delivery and customer service. Core Constructions services can be split into four main areas of expertise, the first being building and civil engineering, which has seen several projects realised for the likes of international companies and Ghana’s Ministry of Roads and Highways. Other service areas include asphalt processing and sales, bitumen processing and sales, and quarry services. Platinum Seal Limited Core’s subsidiary company, Platinum Seal Limited, is a specialist supplier of all grades of Polymer Modified Bitumen and Asphalt. Founded in 2007, the firm runs Ghana’s largest bitumen processing facility, which is also the biggest to be found across all of sub-Saharan Africa. Platinum Seal manages an 800 tons/ hour bitumen processing plant and asphalt plants, including a 120-tonne site located in Tema. The Company also has a very wide range of construction equipment available for rental hire to other contractors who may have urgent Xxxxxxxx xxxxxxxx xxxxxxxxxxx xxxxxxxxx need of supplementary equipment at their project sites. Both Core and Platinum operate with the following philosophies: • Gaining trust in hard work and honesty • Winning with quality works • Developing with innovations using cutting edge technology T +233 302 260112 E info@coreconstructiongh.com

www.coreconstructiongh.com

Xxxxxxxx xxxxxxxx xxxxxxxxxxx xxxxxxxxx

WWW.AFRICAOUTLOOKMAG.COM

Core Construction Limited is a leading construction company based in Accra, Ghana with a focus on improving urban and rural infrastructure in general building and civil engineering in Ghana. The company has itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s own bitumen and asphalt production facility (under the name Platinum Seal Limited) and a quarry (under the name Platinum Seal Quarries Limited). We also supply on commercial basis our products and services which ranges from general construction & civil engineering, bitumen and asphalt processing & sales, quarry aggregates and equipment rentals.

www.coreconstructiongh.com

This is a branch of Core Construction Limited which deals primarily in the bitumen production section of the company. It is located at Gomoa - Akotsi, along the Accra - Winneba road. The company is the biggest bitumen processing facility in Ghana and Sub-Sahara Africa. It is the first company to introduce Polymeric Bitumen Emulsion into the country. With sophisticated equipment and technology the faciliy produces all kinds of bitumenuous products ranging from emulsion, cut-backs, polymer modified bitumen, asphalt cements, glass beads, etc. Platinum Seal also produces asphalt of all grades. It operates a 150 tons/hour hot mix asphalt plant which is customized with its own PMB processor and a 120 tons/hour mobile hot mix asphalt plant located in Kpone, Tema. We are also located in Kumasi and Elubo.

The latest addition to the expansion drive of the group. Platinum Seal Quarries Limited was recently established to serve the companyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s high demand of quarry aggregates. The facility is located along the Shai Hills. It is equipped with a 250 tons/hour stationary line and a 150 tons/ hour mobile crushers. We produce all kinds and sizes of chippings and quarry dusts. The facility is also engaged in mining, civil engineering and water exploration.

T +233 302 260112 E info@coreconstructiongh.com

P W

M I N I N G

Commenting on its upcoming pipeline of work, O’Neill adds: “We have numerous opportunities but each one will be hard fought for by ourselves and our competitors. This is a very competitive period for contractors such as us. “The most exciting project right now is the move into the Esaase operations for Asanko Gold in Ghana. This opens up a new phase on the Obotan gold mine and all contract parties involved, and the local communities and other stakeholders share our excitement, recognising the benefits this new mining front will bring to Ghana.”

all contract mining at the Obotan Gold Mine for the complete lifecycle for Resolute Mining from Australia. “This project demonstrated that we had made the jump from a wellknown and respected civil engineering contractor into a fully-fledged mining contractor.” From here, the Company routinely broke into new markets and built up a formidable track record of completing milestone projects. “North Mara in Tanzania (2002), Youga in Burkina Faso (2007) and Syama in Mali (2008) were landmark projects for us, clear stepping stones which have taken PW Mining to its Back to the beginning current position in the African mining The Obotan mine also represents an sector,” adds O’Neill. important historical milestone for PW. More recently the firm secured “Our first venture into open pit mining contract mining work at Obotan from remains a precious memory,” recalls Asanko Gold, a happy return for PW O’Neill. “Starting in 1997, we performed after the mine was reopened.

E.O. QUICK-FIX

.O. Quick-Fix Enterprise was established by a team of engineers who have been in the mining sector for the past 15 years in Ghana. Their vision is to become one of the best maintenance teams in Ghana and Africa at large when it comes to shut down and preventive maintenance. The Company also supplies welding consumables and personal protective equipment to mining companies and industries in Ghana. The vision of the Company therefore is to extend its supplies and services throughout West Africa and Africa at large.

T +233 20 9893418, +233 2766 22599, +233 5457 89622 E e.o.quickfix@gmail.com

www.quicksolutionsgh.com

DICKO DEE COMPANY. LTD.

icko Dee Company Limited’s primary focus is to provide its customers within the oil and gas industry with a dedicated and professional service, as well as advice on the correct lubricants for various engines and machinery.

“One thing you can always say is that West Africa is an exciting place... There are a number of mining projects coming online, and we are chasing opportunities across quite a few”

Since being established in 2003, the Company has expanded and has three branches within Ghana and has become one of the top dealers in Shell lubricants. Its independence affords the flexibility to be able to tailor services best suited to a fast paced and ever ready market. The Company also provides its products and services to the shipping, manufacturing and industrial sectors.

T +233 20 817 5726 E dickodee2003@yahoo.com

www.dickodee.com.gh

WWW.AFRICAOUTLOOKMAG.COM

M I N I N G

R E S O U R C E S

E.O. QUICK-FIX ENTERPRISE Home of quality products and services

T: +233 20 9893418 | +233 2766 22599 | +233 5457 89622 E: e.o.quickfix@gmail.com | www.quicksolutionsgh.com

Protect your engine and your business The demand for a wide variety and choice of fuels, especially in the development of low sulphur fuel oil, is increasing and DDCL is committed to ensuring that product integrity is maintained to the very highest levels. At Dicko Dee Company Limited, We sell and provide a very wide range of shell lubricants to suit your everyday lubrication needs. We assist individual groups or persons in identifying the right Shell Lubricant product for your vehicles and machinery.

Help Lines +233 030 281 4193 +233 020 817 5726

+233 027 744 3387 +233 020 843 8726 +233 024 456 2222

dickodee2003@yahoo.com

www.dickodee.com.gh

WWW.AFRICAOUTLOOKMAG.COM

P W

M I N I N G

Standing out

For O’Neill, a key factor in PW’s successful track record is its ability to respond flexibly and make decisions quickly thanks to its relatively flat organisational structure and private ownership.

100

“One of our key objectives as a company is to deliver top class value and service to our clients by providing cost effective, quality workmanship which is executed with due regard to all HSE parameters, and to deliver completion of our contracts on agreed timelines,” he explains. “These points

WWW.AFRICAOUTLOOKMAG.COM

are critical to us, and we strive to achieve all of them on all projects.” This value and service proposition has been boosted by the opening of a new centralised equipment maintenance workshop in Tema. Around 4,000 square metres in size, the facility consolidates operations for heavy equipment and transport

M I N I N G

R E S O U R C E S

and caters for in-house component rebuilding. The site also has a purposebuilt customs bonded area to improve clearing times from the port. “During 2018 we imported additional dozers, and articulated and rigid dumptrucks to support our load and haul operations,” says O’Neill. “These purchases not only serve to replace

equipment reaching the end of effective service, but also to grow our fleet to enable readiness for a quick start up on newly secured projects. “In that vein, a new CAT 6030 excavator arrived in Ghana in Q4 2018 and throughout the year the production fleet has been supplemented by further procurement of support equipment.”

People and partners

While investment in state-of-the-art equipment and facilities has been crucial to PW’s ability to serve clients, the firm is also reliant on its team of boundary-pushing employees. To ensure the Company has the best chance of attracting and retaining the requisite talent, it provides generous compensation and benefits packages, industry-leading working conditions

WWW.AFRICAOUTLOOKMAG.COM

101

P W

M I N I N G

PW Mining is aiming to become a go-to contractor

and opportunities for training and professional development. For O’Neill, the latter is especially important. “We have always believed in encouragement of innovation and initiative,” he says. “If staff are up for a challenge, we will recognise that and will certainly provide the opportunity to confront it. “Many of our staff recognise that PW will encourage them towards levels of performance that previously they may not have attained. By offering these opportunities we build up a loyal team of employees.” PW can also draw on a loyal base of partners that make up its procurement and supply chain network. These companies specialise in sourcing, inspecting, shipping and clearing goods across West Africa, facilitating a seamless operation, while major suppliers of equipment and materials are utilised locally where possible. “Partnerships are vital,” says O’Neill.

102

I want us to strengthen our reputation to the point that our mining clients consider us to be a strategic partner – they believe that we are the best contract mining company in Africa” “They should be based on all facets of the business relationship, and while cost is vitally important, we feel it is equally important not to become blinkered by this single parameter. “Time and again we observe the good-fast-cheap triangle at play. You can get any two but not all three. We have built up solid relationships with key partners, reaching the optimum position with them in terms of value, quality and expediency.” And it is this threefold value that O’Neill hopes and expects to continue delivering to its own clients in the future.

WWW.AFRICAOUTLOOKMAG.COM

He concludes: “I want us to strengthen our reputation to the point that our mining clients consider us to be a strategic partner – they believe that we are the best contract mining company in Africa, they wish to partner with us on a repeat basis and they know us for our integrity, excellence, and quality of delivery.” PW Mining Tel: +233 30518112 pwm@pwmil.com www.pwmil.com

M I N I N G

R E S O U R C E S

Ardent fire is a well-known brand in Sales and after sales Services of fire protection equipment for heavy duty and sensitive installations. The company is now an established player in the Mining, Oil & Gas and allied industries in Ghana and West Africa known for its delivery of up-to-the minute fire protection solutions. Ardent Fire Protection Ghana Limited

T +233(0)30 700 2401 M +233(0)24 438 3943 E info@ardentghana.com

Our Services Sales, Installation & Services of: • Fire Suppression Systems • Fire Detection & Alarm Systems • Portable Fire Extinguishers • Fire Risk Assessment

VOTRE PARTENAIRE DE RÉFÉRENCE POUR TOUS VOS PROJETS MINIERS.

www.ardentghana.com

WWW.AFRICAOUTLOOKMAG.COM

103

T H E TA

104

G O L D

M I N E S

WWW.AFRICAOUTLOOKMAG.COM

M I N I N G

AFRICA

R E S O U R C E S

The Gold Rush Reawakens Theta Gold Mines is reviving a giant goldfield that sparked South Africa’s mining industry into life more than 130 years ago Writer: Tom Wadlow | Project Manager: Donovan Smith

ummer, 1886 – two prospectors arrive at a farm in Transvaal, South Africa, and discover gold. An ordinary event at first glance. Natives had been mining gold for centuries with varying degrees of success, with small mining towns popping up and closing down as and when gold was found and exhausted. The gold sighted at Pilgrims Rest, however, was different. It ran for miles underground and was considered an endless treasure, a discovery which would change the face of Transvaal and jumpstart what was known as the Gold Rush. Within a decade, South Africa’s first incorporated gold mining company was formed. Traansvaal Gold Mining Estate (TGME) came into being in 1895 and to this day continues to hold mining claims to the gold field at Pilgrims Rest. “TGME has been owned by a number of public and private companies,” explains Bill Guy, Chairman of Theta Gold Mines, formerly known as Stonewall Resources. “These included Rand Mines, who acquired TGME in 1968, operating it until 1998 when it was sold to Simmer and Jack, a private company which held TGME until 2010, when it was sold to Stonewall. Stonewall listed in 2012 to focus on the underground mining potential.”

Now listed on the Australian Stock Exchange, Theta Gold Mines is progressing the open pit resources of the goldfield which contains 43 historical mines across a prospective area of 62,000 hectares. The development involves refurbishing the processing plant which has not produced commercial volumes since 2015. “While our corporate head office is in Sydney, Australia, in South Africa we have two teams that are active all year round,” continues Guy. “The environmental and legal teams actively manage and progress the permits of the 620-square-kilometre mining tenure, ensuring compliance with South African legislation and mining regulations. “At the mine site itself and the TGME plant, approximately 22 staff and contractors maintain the offices, machinery sheds, work areas and large infrastructure storage facility at Sabie, a few kilometres south of Pilgrims Rest.”

for the expansion of the 2012 JORC gold resource as we are aggressively updating geological data base and drilling holes. “The historical mine plans and drill data have been put into GIS packages and digitised into 3D. The reef is projected to the surface and is targeted for exploration. This large historical gold field has experienced very little modern exploration, but we have made over two million ounces of gold discovery this year.” The most significant project underway is at the Theta Hill mine. The development is immediately adjacent to the Company’s carbon in leach plant at Pilgrims Rest and has been the focus of recent drilling activity.

Exploration and expansion

In bringing TGME back to life, Theta Gold Mines is busy developing a number of exploration and expansion projects. “This year the Company has developed a strong exploration culture,” says Guy. “This has allowed

Theta Hill Mine

WWW.AFRICAOUTLOOKMAG.COM

105

T H E T A

G O L D

M I N E S

“Theta Hill Mine expects to release its first feasibility study in the first quarter of 2019,” Guy continues. “As the Company begins its steady conversion of this large 5.75-millionounce gold resource and resource gold ounces are pushed up the value chain from inferred to indicated to probable, confidence will grow.” The feasibility study will prove vital, providing timelines and costing for production at the site.

MINING MAGNATES Theta Gold Mines boasts a leadership team with formidable industry experience. Here is some background on Bill Guy and Managing Director Rob Thomson: BILL GUY Bill Guy is a professional mining executive and geologist with over 25 years’ experience in exploration and resource development in Asia, Australia and Europe, most recently as the Managing Director of Longford Resources. In previous executive and geology roles he has been involved in all aspects of the mining industry inclusive of capital raisings, project acquisition, development, and discovery with Jupiter Mines.

The Company also plans to make Theta Hill something of a flagship regarding its minimal environmental impact. Using a technique called contour haul-back, often used by the coal industry for mining shallow thin seams, Theta Gold Mines will be able to reduce earth works and leave the natural contours of the hill intact. This, creation of local jobs and the restoration of a 130-year legacy will all help build a strong case to support the rehabilitation of mining in the local area.

Setting a new standard

Indeed, this sustainable approach is a key differentiator for Guy. “Theta Gold Mines is an upcoming sustainable gold producer out of Africa,” he says. “We also have low capital requirements in comparison to our peers regarding reaching production, helped by our existing permitted gold plant, tailing dams, roads, water, grid power and remnant staff from gold production in 2015.”

ROB THOMSON Rob Thomson commenced his mining engineering career in underground gold mining in Southern Africa. In multiple roles as executive director, CEO and hands-on site project director and general manager, he has progressed eight exploration projects through late stage exploration, studies, permitting, financing, construction and mining operations.

106

WWW.AFRICAOUTLOOKMAG.COM

TORQUE AFRICA EXPLORATION

orque Africa Exploration is a South African based specialist drilling company with extensive knowledge and experience in ALL TYPES of drilling. The Company’s head office and workshop is located in Rayton, Gauteng, with further branches in the Western and Northern Cape. Torque Africa Exploration has worked as far afield as Pakistan, Mauritania, Ethiopia and Tajikistan (Central Asia). We are sought after for our knowledge and experience, giving affordable and personal services for any type of drilling. Torque Africa, the drilling masters.

T +27 82 829 6016 E info@torqueafrica.co.za E quotes@torqueafrica.co.za

www.torqueafrica.co.za

M I N I N G

R E S O U R C E S

BENTLEY GEOLOGY GEOLOGICAL AND SCIENTIFIC SERVICES CONSULTANT Bentley Geology offers expert mineral resource management, mineral exploration planning & management, studies & fatal flaw analyses, stock exchange reporting & strategic planning. Phil Bentley (Principal) has over 30 years multi commodity international exploration and mining experience. Bentley Geology (Pty) Ltd 9A Trilby Street, Oaklands Johannesburg 2192 South Africa T: +27 11 728 6745, T: +27 83 603 7126 E: pnbentley@gmail.com

www.bgeology.com

WWW.AFRICAOUTLOOKMAG.COM

107

T H E T A

G O L D

M I N E S

The Company is also championing a new perception of South African mining. Its move away from underground operations has been driven by capital requirements, strong surface exploration potential and cost structure, and Guy wants this to drive surface mining as a viable option nationwide. “South Africa is perceived as a place with deep mines which have high costs,” he explains. “The company goal was to break away from that perception and present a new lowcost open pit model, even though our underground projects are low cost in nature. “Very recently companies like Pan Africa, a company with a large market cap and our nearest neighbour, is going open cut after a long history of underground mining.”

Corporate citizen

Beyond its core activities in the mining domain, Theta Gold Mines is actively involved in a number of social projects

108

Very recently companies like Pan Africa, a company with a large market cap and our nearest neighbour, is going open cut after a long history of underground mining” in its surrounding communities. A flagship scheme is the ongoing support for a local school in the form of funding for three teachers and admin staff, and providing teaching materials. The Company also sponsors a meal programme, helping children fulfil nutritional requirements which in turn boost capacity to learn during the school day. Further, the school buildings are regularly maintained by Theta employees. “The staff also cut firewood for the local community and provide general assistance around town,” adds Guy. “This year we also sponsored the South African Gold Panning Championships,

WWW.AFRICAOUTLOOKMAG.COM

which have been held on the Company’s mining claims each year at Pilgrims Rest for the last 21 years. “The event attracts a large number of tourists, as it is also a family day with races and events and has had a very positive affect on the local economy. One our drillers won the men’s professional event and will be attending the World Gold Panning Championships in Tankavaara Gold Village in Finland in August 2019.” Ensuring the firm adheres to the highest CSR standards is a full-time compliance officer, while the Company itself is 26 percent owned by local South Africans through a system of

M I N I N G

R E S O U R C E S

“The Company will be in a very strong position in the new year with one of the largest resource bases on the ASX”

“South Africa is perceived as a place with deep mines which have high costs... The company goal was to break away from that perception”

trusts which has been in place for almost a decade. Looking ahead, Guy is optimistic for 2019 for many reasons, including the impending feasibility study, ongoing plant refurbishment and further exploration potential to be uncovered. He concludes: “The Company will be in a very strong position in the new year with one of the largest resource bases on the ASX. “South Africa is the historical home of gold, and still today one of the top 10 gold producers in the world. We believe as the new President implements his new policies the world’s attention will once again turn to this great resource-rich nation.”

Theta Gold Mines Tel: +27 13 768 1271 admin@stonewallmining.com www.stonewallresources.com

WWW.AFRICAOUTLOOKMAG.COM

109

G LO B A L

110

B R O A D B A N D

WWW.AFRICAOUTLOOKMAG.COM

S O LU T I O N

AFRICA

oined in 1989, the World Wide Web has already gone down as one of the most transformative developments of mankind in the modern era, enabling unrivalled exponential progress. Nevertheless, while the internet’s endless canopy has continued to bear fruits, recent reports have suggested that only half of the world’s population currently have access to it, with many in less developed regions, including a number of African nations, still awaiting its arrival. While 4G was commercially deployed in Oslo, Norway and Stockholm, Sweden in 2009, only roughly three quarters of African countries are expected to have launched their own 4G LTE networks by the beginning of 2019, a whole decade later. However, this is not to say that the African market is not ripe with telecommunication-centric opportunity. The continent has seen the fastest growth rates in internet penetration across the world throughout 2018, up 20 percent compared to 2017, and many companies, like Global Broadband Solution (GBS), are relishing the task of bringing the region up to speed.

TRANSFORMING

Telecommunications From fibre optic to satellite, Global Broadband Solution is helping to reconstruct connectivity around Africa Writer: Jonathan Dyble | Project Manager: Kane Weller

“For me, the telecommunications market in Europe was getting a bit boring,” states Peter Deneyer, the Company’s Commercial Director. “Meanwhile, Africa offers a fantastic challenge. It is still early days for telecom developments in many countries across the continent, and with internet it’s much of the same.”

WWW.AFRICAOUTLOOKMAG.COM

111

G L O B A L

B R O A D B A N D

S O L U T I O N

have since expanded into a range of new segments, now looking to become a champion of fibre optic developments. GBS has built a strong reputation over the years, providing nationwide internet and intranet solutions to the likes of Central Bank and SEP (the national petrol distribution company). In order to achieve this, it has used a mixture off all the available technologies, including Vsat, WiMAX, Upping the ante Operating out of Democratic Republic microwave and fibre optics. “Satellite is still running at low of Congo, GBS has experienced speeds and proving to be very rapid growth in the 14 years since its expensive, and this is what we are inception, largely facilitated by its commitment to maintaining its revered aiming to address through the creation corporate values. of our own fibre optic network,” says Deneyer. From its data centre services to its Emphasising quality over quantity, fibre optic network developments to this reputation can largely be its continued use of VSAT technologies, attributed to the Company’s strategy, the firm has established and retained a reputation of excellence throughout its raising the bar by providing adaptable broadband solutions. relatively short but illustrious history. “Our main differentiator is our “We are considered to be one of commitment to quality, consistency, the early players in African internet customer service and tailor-made solutions,” explains Deneyer. “Having solutions,” Deneyer continues. started with our Wimax license we For GBS and Deneyer, the aim is to channel its industry expertise into both creating and deploying innovative telecommunication solutions that will continue to revolutionise the African market. “Internet is like water or electricity in the modern day,” he adds. “It’s not only considered to be a basic necessity, but also a key indicator of progress.”

PETER DENEYER As Commercial Director of Global Broadband Solution, Deneyer is responsible for all things commercial at the Company, from its customer service operations to its international outlook. He studied as a telecommunications engineer in Belgium, beginning his career at Bell Telephone (now known as Alcatel). Since then, Deneyer has worked for a number of leading global telecommunications firms including Ericsson, Motorola and Siemens. At Siemens, he was inspired to direct his career towards African telecommunications development, helping to oversee the implementation of key infrastructure for mobile operators during his time in Johannesburg. From here, Deneyer began to become more readily involved in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), now having been stationed in the country for six years while working for Global Broadband Solution.

112

WWW.AFRICAOUTLOOKMAG.COM

SOTRAD Sotrad’s primary activity is import-export. Thanks to its experience in this area and a solid network of international contacts, its purchasing and logistics departments can also satisfy all needs in terms of trade, such as furniture and equipment, electronic and computer equipment, spare parts and tools. The Company’s two Belgian logistics platforms located at Brussels airport and the port of Antwerp enable export of goods to anywhere in Africa within extremely short deadlines.

T +32 2 379 30 42, +32 2 379 30 45 E sales@sotrad.be

www.sotrad.be “Other providers and those in the mobile segment are not always as flexible, concentrating more on the mass market rather than the individual needs of large corporations. This is where we excel and specialise, meeting the expectations of each and every one of our customers.”

A sound ethos

Through this approach, GBS has become a one-stop internet solutions shop for many large corporations and governmental bodies, renowned for its esteemed services throughout DRC. Further, positioning itself as a quality vendor within the telecommunications space, the Company has been able to cultivate a number of strategic partnerships that have broadened its reach, working with the biggest international telecom players. “It’s difficult to penetrate new markets if you don’t have existing customers, particularly when large mobile providers are equally expanding

their services more substantially to the mass market,” Deneyer continues. “To this end, we have recognised that it is important that we offer bespoke services to large corporations, and our international partnerships enable us to enter lucrative markets through these offerings. “Further, in order to continue our international expansion, GBS will open soon a new point of presence in Lagos, Nigeria.” Meanwhile, within DRC itself, the firm has taken a similarly strategic approach to its local expansion, with its offices located in key regions across the country. “We’re headquartered in Kinshasa, the capital, but we’re also based in Lubumbashi, a key mining region; in Kisangani in the centre of the country; in Goma, close to Rwanda and where many diamond mines can be found; in Matadi, the port town; and in Brazzaville, the capital of the Republic

Providing a platform

Renowned as a technological enabler and innovator, GBS’s role extends We offer special broadly outside of the corporate packages to telecommunications sphere, evident startup companies, in its extensive involvement in local communities and initiatives. providing them Recognising the need for education, with things the Company partners with a number of universities throughout like responsive DRC, providing free and specialised communication broadband packages, whilst also sponsoring competitions that allow platforms and innovative students to showcase their cloud space...” talents. “Alongside our work with universities, we also participate in of Congo,” adds Deneyer. startup incubators,” explains Deneyer. Logically expanding its presence “Efforts are being made to get DRC on all frontiers in this way, GBS has into the digital world, and in the aim allowed all aspects of its telco portfolio of playing our part in this we offer to flourish, bringing leading fibre optic special packages to startup companies, networks to corporations on a global providing them with things like scale and providing rural areas with responsive communication platforms alternative yet reliable connections. and cloud space, for example.”

WWW.AFRICAOUTLOOKMAG.COM

113

G L O B A L

B R O A D B A N D

S O L U T I O N

This programme extends to B2B events across the country where GBS often partners with both organisers and attendees, providing anything from its own expertise and advice to free wi-fi hotspots.

Empowering the people

These attitudes to facilitating local development are reflected within GBS’s staffing strategies where the firm employs local people as often as possible. Paying its workers well above the minimum wage threshold and offering medical aid to both its employees and their families, GBS readily provides its people with the platform to learn,

114

WWW.AFRICAOUTLOOKMAG.COM

grow and progress with a good quality of life and extensive development opportunities. “We like to say that our CSR is extended to our own staff,” Deneyer reveals. “Unemployment is very high in DRC, so by offering market-leading welfare and ensuring our staff earn a reasonable living, we can ensure that multiple families and communities benefit from the work that our Company is doing.” What’s more, the firm played a key role in helping to combat the Ebola crisis. Providing NGOs with reliable internet connections, GBS was able

to play a crucial role in curbing the expect to see a telecommunications endemic, ensuring that it could be boom in 2019 in line with this.” combatted as effectively and efficiently GBS is launching its own highas possible. speed satellite service with a high throughput satellite to provide high New projects, same approach speed at much lower costs. This will be As we move towards 2019, for GBS, it is used to provide remote communities expected to be a defining year. with better internet connections at Inter-city fibre optic connections are extremely competitive prices. currently not in place in the DRC, However, as GBS continues to but the coming months will see this push the boundaries with exciting becoming a reality – something that new projects, Deneyer hopes that Deneyer has recognised that the firm it continues to excel by remaining must ready itself for. committed to its overriding strategy “We are expecting such that has been so crucial in helping it to developments to happen soon,” achieve the success that it has done he explains. “There is a lot of focus to date. surrounding inter-city fibre and we can He concludes: “I have to reiterate

that our vision is to be the preferred supplier in DRC. We don’t want to be the biggest, this is not our focus. Ultimately, we want to maintain our emphasis on quality and build on our consistency, transforming telecommunications throughout both the DRC and the wider world.”

Global Broadband Solution Tel: +243 808 808 800 sales@gbs.cd www.gbs.cd

WWW.AFRICAOUTLOOKMAG.COM

115

A I R T E L

S E Y C H E L L E S

Integrating an Island Nation Leveraging the latest technologies, Airtel Seychelles is bringing Seychelles into the modern age with unrivalled telecommunication solutions Writer: Jonathan Dyble | Project Manager: Donovan Smith

elecommunications is truly an industry under the spotlight in Africa. According to recent reports, the sub-Saharan region of the continent is expecting to house more than one billion mobile connections

116

that combined will contribute to a total service revenue of $46 billion within the next five years. Recent developments to this end include a growth in the number of African undersea fibre optic cables, with the likes of DARE on the east coast

WWW.AFRICAOUTLOOKMAG.COM

and EllaLink on the west coast offering regional-record speeds of up to 72 terabits per second of bandwidth. The Seychelles, on the other hand, is a different story, but still a prime example of progression. According to statistics from the

International Telecommunications Union, last year saw approximately 177 mobile-cellular subscriptions per 100 inhabitants and 76 mobile-broadband subscriptions per 100 inhabitants. Comparing the current situation to 1995 when the internet hadnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t

AFRICA

even been introduced across the archipelago, it is clear to see that the country has made substantial progress, with a significant proportion of its population now having access to not only cellular communications, but also mobile broadband.

A bond of togetherness

Much of these advancements can be attributed to the continual developments that have been facilitated by Airtel Seychelles. Launched in 1998, the firm has continued to introduce a range of firsts

WWW.AFRICAOUTLOOKMAG.COM

117

A I R T E L

S E Y C H E L L E S

across the nation’s telecommunications sector, including pre-paid plans, dedicated customer care, call ring back tunes, video calling, mobile top up, missed call alerts, MMS and 3G data services. “At Airtel Seychelles we strive to meet our customers’ needs, and continuously improve our service delivery through innovative technology with successful global partnerships,” the Company states on its website. This customer-centric business model has materialised in a multitude of different ways, from the launch of a customer service contact line that is up and running seven days a week between 8am and 11pm, to a network of branches spread throughout the country’s three main islands; Mahe, Praslin and La Digue. Abiding by this ethos, reflected in its slogan ‘a bond of togetherness’, Airtel Seychelles ensures that it provides a personal and tailored service to each and every one of its customers,

providing them with unrivalled telecommunication solutions.

Connectivity on the go

Mobile internet is a staple of Airtel Seychelles’ leading solutions, providing both extensive 3G and 4G services to its clientele. An archipelago made up of 115 islands off the east coast of Africa, the pure geographical make up of Seychelles presents great challenges in the way of providing reliable fixed-line connectivity to its inhabitants. As a result, mobile technology has thrived – a segment where Airtel has focused much of its efforts. In maintaining a competitive advantage, the Company runs an extensive prepaid promotion plan on 3G and 4G mobile data by providing its customers with a selection of ‘Data Boosters’. Ranging from 25 megabytes to 10 gigabytes, these offer attractive usage bonuses of up to 300 percent.

BHARTI AIRTEL LIMITED

Over the years, HMRG has diversified its business activities to become a pioneering leader in the fields of ICT, mobile telecommunications, IT hardware and software solutions, lighting and cabling solutions, mobile applications, kitchen and bakery industrial equipment, luxury furniture, elegant kitchen appliances and luxury cars. Established in the mobile devices market in Mauritius and in the Indian Ocean Islands in 1999, followed by Dubai in 2004 and Central African Countries in 2012, HMRG, being involved in both import and export of mobile devices, has enjoyed exponential growth with an increased portfolio of activities.

Since 2006, under Luxury Automobile Ltd, the Group has brought to Mauritius the epitome of power, beauty and soul with Aston Martin. Luxury Automobile is now also supplying the best of Italian excellence – Maserati.

Headquartered in New Delhi, India, the firm ranks in the top three mobile service providers globally in terms of subscribers, offering anything from 4G to high speed home broadband to wireless services.

With a mission to bring world-class quality of life to the people of Africa, HMRG currently distributes more than 20 world-renowned branded products across a number of African countries. HMRG looks to further strengthen and expand its technological devices business in Seychelles as well as the whole continent.

According to statistics taken at the end of March 2018, Bharti Airtel had over 413 million customers across its global portfolio.

T +230 405 99 99 E info@hmrawat.com Overseas projects are particularly popular

WWW.AFRICAOUTLOOKMAG.COM

or decades, the HM RAWAT Group of companies (HMRG) has been rated among the best performing business groups in Mauritius. Founded in 1959, the group is a 100 percent owned and self-financed family business headquartered at the HASSAM MOUSSA RAWAT BUSINESS CENTRE, a landmark facility in Beau Bassin, Mauritius. HMRG is driven by Mr. Mohamad Ali H. Rawat. and Mr. Mohamad Ameen H. Rawat.

In 2018, the group has also become an Apple authorised reseller, enlarging the Group’s portfolio of activity in the mobile devices sector. The Group has also become the official distributor of globally recognised corporation Havells to provide the best electrical and lighting solutions.

The wider Airtel Group, known as Bharti Airtel Limited, is a leading global telecommunications company that has operations in 16 countries across Asia and Africa.

118

HM RAWAT GROUP

www.hmrawat.com

The vision goes beyond the frame

HM RAWAT Business Centre, 227-229 Royal Road Beau-Bassin, Mauritius E: info@hmrawat.com , W: www.hmrawat.com T: +230 405 99 99,F: +230 465 99 90

Connectivity on the up

Two decades on from its inception, Airtel Seychelles has been fundamental to the national connectivity revolution. According to the World Economic Forum’s Network Readiness Index, through a pursuit of a well-coordinated telecommunications strategy, internet penetration across the country increased from 41 percent in 2010 to 58 percent in 2015. Further, in the three years since, this number has continued to rise, designed to enhance the performance largely owed to the expansive Coupling this with its substantial of your smartphone,” the firm states efforts of Airtel Seychelles that now product listings, selling the latest on its website. serves approximately 65,000 mobile phones from leading global brands “You can make video calls, access subscribers across the country, such as Samsung, Nokia, Huawei and emails from just about anywhere, concatering to the majority of island others, Airtel Seychelles is not only nation’s 95,000 inhabitants. supporting, but transforming the lives nect to high-speed Internet, download Looking ahead, leveraging the of people across the country, providing music, participate in video blogs, do your internet banking, and much more. Just continual evolution and adaptation secure and reliable access to mobile of technologies, Airtel Seychelles will broadband anytime, anywhere with its about anything you can do on an internet-connected computer, you can now likely continue to thrive in this same complete coverage promise. do on the go from your phone.” manor. “Our IP-based network is specially

WWW.AFRICAOUTLOOKMAG.COM

119

N E W Q U I P

NEWQUIP FOR A

New Age South African agricultural supplier Newquip is providing farmers with the innovative products and services they need to boost production and address the continent’s food security conundrum Writer: Tom Wadlow | Project Manager: Lewis Bush

120

WWW.AFRICAOUTLOOKMAG.COM

obody has ever swum the length of Lake Malawi. Stretching some 581 kilometres from north to south, it is one of the longest inland bodies of water in the world and borders or enters three different East African countries. A monumental prospect, and one which is facing Martin Hobbs, General Manager of South African farming supplier Newquip. “On February 20 I will be attempting to set what would be a world record,” he says. “It will mean I’m out of action

AFRICA

for three months, but I am confident of being able to fully depart from the Company and leave it to my team.” For Hobbs, such a prolonged and complete detachment from the business he grew up with as boy would have been inconceivable only a few years ago. However, a change in approach to his own leadership style has seen his team flourish with added responsibility, responsibility that means he can break a world record in the knowledge that Newquip is in safe hands.

Indeed, the Company has come a long way since Hobbs’s father Stephen decided to go it alone in 1998 after emigrating to South Africa from the UK 15 years earlier. Starting with just R60,000 (around $4,300) and a team of two, Newquip has exponentially grown into a one-stop-shop supplier of products for intensive farmers of poultry, dairy, pigs and sheep, backed up by an unrivalled aftersales service comprising Newquip’s 50 staff members and an additional 50 in joint ventures and investments.

WWW.AFRICAOUTLOOKMAG.COM

121

N E W Q U I P

“This is grounded in a philosophy my father imparted on me and the Company, which is that we’re dealing with live animals that are in the hands of the farmer,” says Hobbs. “He said the only way you can imagine the service we need to provide is thinking about a person in a hospital reliant on equipment. Animals need feed, water, ventilation, and without that the farmer cannot look after them.”

AN INTRODUCTION TO NEWQUIP Set up in 1998, Newquip’s mission today is the same as it was when it first started: ‘To deliver quality products to our customers, whilst seamlessly providing an efficient and effective customer experience.’ Such products cover four main segments – poultry, pig, dairy and sheep – and include solutions for feeding, drinking, flooring, temperature control, penning, ventilation, cooling, cages, heating, tankers, manure solutions and consumables to mention but a few.

Buoyant beyond the border

While South Africa represents a mature market with a number of sizable farming enterprises producing high volumes of food, Hobbs identifies business outside of Newquip’s home country as particularly promising. The Company has seen recent growth of around 50 percent in business with farmers in nearby nations, operations that will be vital in ensuring the continent is able to produce enough food to provide for rapidly rising populations. “We deal with companies from Nigeria all the way down Africa and have found that a few large producers have everything at their disposal and massive potential to grow even further,” says Hobbs. “It is slightly different in South Africa, where more companies are operating on large scales with financial backing. “Food security around the world is huge issue, and people are looking to Africa to increase its food production. Our volumes into countries outside of South Africa are showing promise, and we want to continue contributing. If you have a bit of finance, knowledge in this field or someone to mentor you, and go in with some guts, you can be successful.”

To date, the firm has successfully supplied clients in Botswana, Namibia, Zambia, Swaziland, Malawi, Mozambique, Zimbabwe, Cameroon, Nigeria, Kenya and Lesotho, as well as home nation South Africa.

ocated in the Netherlands, HATO Agricultural Lighting is one of the world’s major producers of agricultural lighting solutions since 1974. The Company owes this position to its customer service, its innovations, its knowledge of the latest technologies and its strong commitment to the agricultural sector. HATO’s goal is to optimise animal welfare and performance with a satisfied farmer as a result. A correct light climate is an essential aspect of proper housing equipment to stimulate this. HATO realises a correct light climate in several ways: • HATO takes every aspect of light and its effects on animals into account when developing and selling products. • HATO gives advice and they set up tailor-made light plans to fit the needs of both the animals and the house. By doing so, poultry behaviour can be directly influenced. It can increase and decrease activity, minimise the risk of undesirable behaviour and optimise animal performance. Newquip and HATO Agricultural Lighting Since starting to do business a few years ago, Newquip and HATO have developed into great partners. This is caused by a match on multiple areas: • As family companies, they both strive for outstanding customer service. Custom light plans, Xxxxxxxx xxxxxxxx xxxxxxxxxxx xxxxxxxxx outstanding after-sales and more lead to highly satisfied customers. • As high quality suppliers, they both aim for high quality products that contribute to optimal results. Improved performances and satisfied customers – that’s what we aim for.

Hobbs’s involvement as an employee began around 15 years ago, this having completed national service and acquired industry experience elsewhere. New commercial layer project

122

HATO LIGHTING

WWW.AFRICAOUTLOOKMAG.COM

www.hato.lighting

N E W Q U I P

For Hobbs it is a key differentiator. “As well as offering the best equipment possible at a cost-effective price, we listen to our clients to find out what they are looking for,” he explains. “We recently took 14 of our farmers over to an agricultural show in Germany and let them walk around and see what innovations and products would meet their needs. “Another important thing we do is have an extensive amount of spare parts in stock, meaning our turnaround time for sending replacements is lower than our competitors. This is then backed up by our technical knowhow.” This attention to detail has resulted in swathes of successfully completed, large scale expansion projects for clients. Among its recent examples is a large-scale development for Butt Farming, based in Kamburg, which has seen its 2,000-capacity sow unit expand to 3,000. This also involved building a sow-friendly, crate-free environment as well as state-of-the-art weaner and grower facilities. Other recent work in South Africa includes multiple sheep feedlots installations ranging from 200 to 2,000 sheep in the Free State and Karoo, and an 180,000 commercial layer upgrade It is this geographic expansion that Hobbs is prioritising in the coming years, largely because Newquip’s product portfolio is already substantial enough to cover all customer bases and needs. The Company is looking to increase business or enter for the first time into several markets, including Angola, Uganda, Rwanda, the DRC, Kenya and Tanzania, with deals already in place in some cases.

Standing out

Newquip has been able to extend significantly out of South Africa thanks to not only its comprehensive product range, but also the customer service surrounding it.

124

WWW.AFRICAOUTLOOKMAG.COM

As well as offering the best equipment possible at a cost-effective price, we listen to our clients to find out what they are looking for” Martin Hobbs

at Wilco in the North West. Newquip also just completed a new hatchery development in Parys for Hy-Line, installing 30 single stage setters and 12 hatchers, giving a capacity of 648,000 day old chicks per week, of which around 260,000 are saleable females.

Supplier strength

Central to Newquip’s ability to provision its clients is a formidable supplier base rooted in Europe. The Company relies on a network of around 50 suppliers, with around half of its shipments coming from the Netherlands and the rest spread between the likes of Italy, France, Spain, the UK, Germany and USA. This supply chain operation is a welloiled machine, built up over time and based on personal relationships that have been subject to rigorous scrutiny. Hobbs explains: “Having good

suppliers is crucial. We only partner with genuine manufacturers whose facilities we’ve walked around and checked out – this is so important as we can get direct answers and have a sense of visibility. “We look at how products are made, how quality control is carried out, how products are distributed and how records are kept. It is about making sure we have strong, positive relations with both commercial and technical people at these companies.”

Transformed by technology

Both Newquip and its suppliers are having to innovate and understand increasingly complex, technologydriven solutions. As farmers across Africa (South Africa especially) increase the scale of their production, the need for digital solutions to automate and analyse

operations has grown with it. For Hobbs and Newquip therefore, it is vital the Company stays abreast of the latest developments. “The smartphone has changed farming drastically,” Hobbs says. “Farmers want the latest apps to control, for example, their barns and irrigation systems etc., and these are becoming more and more necessary as farms become bigger. “This monitoring and operational software I used to think was a gimmick, which was a common view some years ago. However, when used properly and data analysed thoroughly, these tools really do help boost productivity. “We’ve got to be on top of our game, as have our suppliers who also have 24-hour help desks if we encounter any problems we can’t resolve or attend to timeously.” This in turn has impacted Newquip’s own customer service team, who now are able to carry out complex installations involving software as well as physical products. Armed with the technology, knowledge and responsibility needed to take the business to the next level, Hobbs has reaped tremendous benefit from granting more freedom for his team to implement ideas and lead from the front. Indeed, with his gargantuan swim on the horizon, the General Manager is confident of both himself and the business breaking new ground in the coming year. He concludes: “I’d like to see us open up another branch in South Africa, building on the one we recently opened in Cape Town. I’d also like to raise the flag with an office in another country and use it as a proper springboard into Africa.” Newquip Tel: +27 11 472 2201 reception@newquip.co.za www.newquip.co.za

WWW.AFRICAOUTLOOKMAG.COM

125

G A B O N

W O O D

I N D U S T R I E S

Preserve and

Prosper Since 2012 Gabon Wood Industries has been responsibly operating a 400,000-hectare area of forest, combining economic stimulus with environmental stewardship Writer: Tom Wadlow | Project Manager: Vivek Valmiki

abon – a central African enclave rich in natural resources and blanketed by forest. With just 1.9 million people spread over an area of 268,000 square kilometres, it is a sparsely populated country with 59 percent of its people living in either Libreville, the capital, or Port Gentil, the economic epicentre. Africa’s fifth largest oil exporter, Gabon is rated by the World Bank as an upper-middle-income nation thanks to a decade of strong economic growth. However, with oil reserves declining, the government has recognised the need to diversify and industries such as forestry are an obvious place to look – after all, forests cover 85 percent of the country’s land. This is where organisations like Gabon Wood Industries (GWI) will have a crucial role to play. Founded in 2012, it owns 400,000 hectares of forest in the Gabon Special Economic Zone (GSEZ) in the south of the country, responsibly producing around 400,000 square metres of round logs a year. Eric van Mierlo is the Company’s Assistant Managing Director and a true industry veteran. “My timber career started in 1964

126

with, at that time, Holland’s biggest timber company FYNHOUT, which does not exist anymore due to mismanagement,” he recalls. “In 1966 I moved as an expat to Cameroon, and after that to the Ivory Coast, Liberia and Congo Brazzaville. Then, from London, I was commercialising and purchasing lumber from these African countries to Europe.

WWW.AFRICAOUTLOOKMAG.COM

GWI’S SIX OBJECTIVES Since establishing in 2012, GWI has operated with six core goals in mind: To participate actively in the economic, social and provincial development in Gabon by setting up downstream wood-based industries like veneer, moulding and plywood production. To increase job opportunities, business opportunities and generate income for the people of Gabon. To cooperate with the government in its national effort on forest management development and to promote investment and business ventures between the Gabon and Malaysia. To help our customers to be more successful and to create value for our shareholders, customers, employees and the Gabonese Republic. To promote the export market development and local market distribution of timber related products. To provide reliable and long-term quality timber products to the timber processing industries.

“In 1995, I moved to South Gabon/Mayumba where about 40,000 cubic metres of logs were blocked by authorities, again due to mismanagement. I have stayed in Gabon ever since.”

On the growth trail

Under the leadership of the PCA, Norman Chng, van Mierlo has also been at the helm of GWI’s steady

AFRICA

growth trajectory. Today the firm provides four key services – container handling and stuffing services, kiln drying, warehousing, and manufacturing of doors, mouldings, finger-joints and furniture. Construction of the first kiln dry rooms began in 2013, with 20 having been completed by the following year, each with a capacity of 100 cubic metres. The rooms are fully powered

by biofuel, helping GWI to minimise its fossil fuel emissions impact. “In 2015 the installation of a furniture and door factory was completed and is producing doors as well as school benches,” van Mierlo adds. “In 2018, 10 more kiln dry rooms were successfully built, each again with a capacity of 100 cubic metres, bringing the total capacity to 3,000 cubic metres.

WWW.AFRICAOUTLOOKMAG.COM

127

Re-imagining global agriculture

We are a leading agri-business supplying food, ingredients and raw materials to over 22,000 customers. Established in 1989, and now listed on the Singapore Exchange, our team of 72,000 full-time, seasonal, and contract employees have built a global leadership position in many of our businesses such as Cocoa, Coffee, Cotton, Edible Nuts and Spices. We also provide extensive support services from product development to risk management and agri-logistics. In Africa only, through our Packaged Foods Business, we market our own brands directly to consumers.

We are farmers In orchards, plantations and farms, we grow an array of crops, such as almonds, coffee and rubber, so we have an acute understanding of the pressures facing farmers.

Our scale and insight means we share learnings from one crop to another, driving efficiencies for Olam and customers. Coupled with investments in processing, we have clear line of sight across these supply chains. We are also firm believers in the ability of large-scale and small-scale farmers to work hand in hand, increasing volumes and stimulating opportunity around our operations through smallholder â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;outgrowerâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; programmes.

We are suppliers We connect customers to farmers. Our sourcing and buying network extends to around 4.7 million farmers, either directly or through intermediaries. While we source from thousands of large-scale farmers, the vast majority are smallholders in emerging markets so our teams are based on the ground, all year round, in as many production areas as

possible. This means we can help to improve yields, quality and environmental practices. Our digital team is also helping us to overcome physical limitations and reach farmers directly with advice and payments, even in the remotest of regions with limited infrastructure.

We are processors With over 200 processing facilities across the world, we transform raw materials into bespoke ingredients, textiles, manufacturing blocks and even furniture. Safety, quality, efficiency and environment are cornerstones throughout the process. We have invested in facilities both close to production and close to customer markets, facilitating trade, creating employment and reducing our carbon footprint.

We are experts Our teams include agronomists, analysts, coffee cuppers, ginners, quality assurers, traders and many more besides. We pride ourselves on finding solutions that work for everyone involved. But as thereâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s always room for improvement, our experts strive to innovate throughout the supply chain.

E: gabon@olamnet.com T: +241 02 00 01 61

www.olamgroup.com

G A B O N

W O O D

I N D U S T R I E S

“We also have a sawmill under construction, all in the GSEZ which is 27 kilometres from Libreville along National Road 1.” This busy activity is showing no signs of letting up, van Mierlo going on to explain what lies ahead for the next year in terms of expansion. Indeed, GWI will install a second sawmill with a capacity of 2,000 cubic metres a month, alongside a peeling veneer mill all inside the

GABON’S FOREST RICHES With 85 percent of Gabon being covered by forest, it is no surprise that the country is home to an enormous variety of wood species that can cater to a great many needs of industries around the world. It is estimated that more than 400 species of trees reside here, around 100 being suitable for industrial use. Around two thirds of Gabon’s forest is classified as primary forest, the most biodiverse and carbon-dense form to be found, with 2.7 billion tonnes of carbon living in its biomass. GWI alone exports dozens of wood varieties, including Keva, Beli, Ebiara, Ovangkol, Dibetou, Padouk, Doussie, Bilinga, Azobe, Acajou, Bosse, Dabema, Iroko, Izombe, Movingui, Niangon, Okoume,Omvong, Ekoune, Okan, Pachyloba, Paorosa, Sapelli, Sipo, Tali, Tiama, Wenge, Gheombi, Andoung and others. The Company’s major markets include South Africa, Europe, the Middle East and China.

130

A sustainable core

Passing on knowledge to local workers is not the only way GWI is acting responsibly. Environmental sustainability is also a major priority, and the fact that all logging operations are carried out by GWI employees means the Company has total control over its working standards. All logging machines, vehicles and road maintenance machines are also owned and operated by GWI. The forest is managed under a Sustainable Forest Management Convention (CFAD), something which 400,000-hectare site in GSEZ. This is has been obtained after three years of preparation through a provisional being conducted in partnership with a Chinese firm, and will signal the forest management plan. GWI is also completion of an investment plan seeking further certification in the form of Forest Stewardship Council created in 2014. and Pan African Forestry Certification By the time the work is finished, labels. GWI will be operating with a monthly output capacity of around 3,000 cubic “Beyond this, we are operating metres of sawn timber, which will pass fully on bioenergy with waste wood fuelling our boilers,” says van Mierlo. through the kilns on site. “The waste wood comes from not only It is this downstream connection our own operations, but from other to the kiln operation which, for van Mierlo, stands the firm apart from its sawmills that we collect from around competitors. the Gabon Special Economic Zone.” By continuing to commercialise “There are not many, perhaps one or two more companies, operating in the Gabon’s most abundant resource in a socially and environmentally same way,” he says. “Further, we are a Malaysian company with Malaysian responsible way, GWI looks set to play expats, highly schooled technicians its part in the country’s continued growth path and diversification away who are teaching our Gabonese from an oil economy. employees.”

WWW.AFRICAOUTLOOKMAG.COM

stablished in 1989, Olam Group has risen to become one of the world’s leading agri-businesses, supplying food, ingredients and raw materials to more than 22,000 business customers around the world.

private sector employer in the country, generating major employment opportunities throughout rural communities that substantially aid economic development.

Globally, the Company employs over 72,000 people on both full-time and seasonal contracts, a network that has helped it to establish unrivalled positions in a multitude of different segments, from cocoa to cotton to coffee.

Olam Palm Gabon Ownership: Olam 60 percent, Republic of Gabon 40 percent We have planted 64,000 hectares of oil palm and we are protecting 72,000 hectares of High Conservation Value forest and other areas such as buffer zones. Two plantation lots have already been RSPO certified and we are on track for 100 percent certification by 2021. We have three processing facilities.

This presence spans a number of continents, evident in its extensive operations in West and Central Africa that have been ongoing since 1999.

Gabonese operations Providing 15,000 jobs across the region, today the firm relies on a number of strategic partnerships with the Gabonese Republic. These span the markets of palm oil, rubber, fertiliser and port logistics, with Olam Group playing a fundamental role in the development and maintenance of a key Gabonese special economic zone (SEZ). “We chose to invest in Gabon due to its political stability, logistical potential, its favourable agri-climate, thriving economy and the synergy of Olam’s objectives with those of the Republic’s ‘Emerging Gabon’ strategy, in particular their commitment to sustainable development,” Olam Group states on its website. “In turn, the Republic of Gabon was keen to develop an agricultural economy of which it has very little (around 60 percent of food is imported), diversify from fossil fuel exports, create employment and reduce poverty – approximately 33 percent of people live at or below the poverty line.” Providing jobs to 9,000 Gabonese people, Olam Group now stands as Gabon’s largest

Operations overview

Olam Rubber Gabon Ownership: Olam 60 percent, Republic of Gabon 40 percent We have planted 11,000 hectares of rubber trees and are protecting around 25,000 hectares of high conservation value areas. We have one processing facility. Gabon Special Economic Zone Ownership: Olam 40.5 percent, Republic of Gabon 38.5 percent, AFC 21 percent 1,126-hectare multi-product Nkok SEZ with over 80 investors from 18 different nationalities and 15 producing industries. Gabon SEZ has also undertaken ports and infrastructure projects. Gabon Fertiliser Company Ownership: Olam 80 percent, Republic of Gabon 20 percent A urea-ammonia fertiliser plant of 1.3 million tonnes per annum capacity.

T +241 02 00 01 61 E gabon@olamnet.com

www.olamgroup.com

M A K U PA

T R A N S I T

S H A D E

C F S

CUTTING CONTAINER

CONGESTION Makupa Transit Shade Container Freight Station continues to boost efficiency at the Port of Mombasa after a decade in operation Writer: Tom Wadlow | Project Manager: Josh Mann

132

WWW.AFRICAOUTLOOKMAG.COM

S H I P P I N G

he Port of Mombasa – East Africa’s shipping gateway to the world nestled in a harbour on Kenya’s southern coast. For centuries it has served as a trading outpost for Arabian and later Portuguese settlers, and today it continues to welcome cargo of all shapes and sizes from all around the globe. Indeed, the first half of 2018 has been a record-breaking one. January to June saw the port register a 2.4 percent growth in throughput compared to the same period last year, a massive 83.6 percent of this traffic being imports into the country.

L O G I S T I C S

AFRICA

Containerised freight is a key driver of this growth, the amount of twentyfoot equivalent units (TEUs) reaching 106,153 in H1 2018, up almost seven percent on the previous year. “Mombasa port is a link to the landlocked countries like Uganda, Southern Sudan, Rwanda and also as far as DRC,” comments Richard Mutinda, General Manager at Makupa Transit Shade Container Freight Station (CFS), based at the port. “Being also a transhipment port, the efficiency of its operations plays a major role in driving up the economy, not only in Kenya but also in the

region. Vessel turnaround is crucial in the supply chain, hence the need to have a seamless flow in the port operations at Mombasa.”

Cutting congestion

This is exactly the reason Makupa CFS came into being in December 2007. Licensed by Kenya Revenue Authority to handle local and transit imports, transhipment and exports, its primary business is to handle containerised cargo, break bulk cargo, while also offering stripping and RoRo (roll-on roll-off) services, heavy equipment and project cargo.

WWW.AFRICAOUTLOOKMAG.COM

133

M A K U P A

T R A N S I T

S H A D E

“The background of CFS in Kenya was mainly to address the issue of congestion at the port, which was costing shippers and national and regional economies a lot of money,” Mutinda adds. “Cargo owners would have their containers stuck at the port for a very long time due to congestion. Vessels would spend weeks before discharging containers to the terminals due to lack of space. Our concept became an effective solution to this problem by providing additional space for cargo storage pending clearance.” Makupa CFS has a maximum standing capacity of 2,200 TEUs, and after taking into account operational considerations and dwell times, monthly output is around double this number. “Kenya Ports Authority recognises that CFS helps with decongestion,” Mutinda continues, “but the real benefit that we offer is a strong

134

C F S

focus on efficiency. We do not want to do the same as the port or other container freight stations. We aim to be much better.”

Celebrating a decade

Mutinda has been with the Company since 2010, bringing with him a wealth of experience in the logistics management industry. He puts the longevity of Makupa CFS’s existence, which has now passed 10 years, down to its level of efficiency in handling cargo. “Our aim is to transfer cargo promptly upon discharge, store it safely, serve customers quickly and ensure cargo is loaded out in good time,” Mutinda says. “We provide predictable levels of service at predictable levels of efficiency, delivering cargo in the condition they were shipped. “Measurements are used to understand processes and then

WWW.AFRICAOUTLOOKMAG.COM

monitor performance to optimise the process. Key operational processes include cargo transfer from vessel to CFS, storage planning, verification services and loading out after customs clearance. We will continue to improve on these services and meet customer and market demand.” Central to these services are Makupa CFS’s employees, who are all wellqualified and experienced in the field. Most of these staff are local, although Mutinda does point out that some external hiring is sanctioned in order to boost experience levels even further. The Company also recently acquired a new yard in a bid to boost capacity and efficiency to a new level, a facility which will increase space for project cargo and breakbulk imports. Makupa CFS’s location is another important differentiator for the business, as highlighted by Mutinda. “The business invested heavily to secure a strategic location to ensure

S H I P P I N G

L O G I S T I C S

Quality Service. Our Earnest Endeavour

Consultation: + 254 20 2715184 | + 254 722 961496 www.mmkadv.com

Munyao, Muthama and Kashindi Advocates is a progressive and fast-growing firm which offers a wide range of legal services to a large portfolio of clients who include local and foreign companies, government and government entities, parastatals, multinational corporations and non-governmental organisations. We provide excellent, highly specialised, high quality and outstanding legal services across a full range of practice areas. We are considered to be our clients’ legal partners and are able to provide innovative and dynamic legal solutions which are tailor made to meet the client’s needs. We understand that each client has unique needs. We take pride in our ability to offer non-conventional legal and support services such as legal and governance audits, legal training, and environmental law consulting and company secretarial services. The Company has offices in Nairobi, Mombasa and Kakamega, and is made up of four partners who have between them around 60 years of legal experience. These partners are complimented by eight qualified and dedicated associates. The depth of our team’s solid experience and expertise ensure that we provide the best outcomes to our clients given our proven track record Our vision is to be the leader in providing efficient, excellent, innovative and high-quality legal services that add value to our clients’ businesses. This vision is executed through adherence to six core values: Professional integrity, client centricity, excellence, timeliness and efficiency, continuous learning and development, and social responsibility. Nairobi Office Chaka Place, 3rd Floor Argwings Kodhek Road, Nairobi Kenya T +254 20 2715184 / 2714208 P.O. Box 24482- 00100 Nairobi E nairobi@mmkadv.com

Mombasa Office ACK Cathedral Office, 1st Floor No. 14, Nkurumah Rd, Mombasa, Kenya T +254 41 2319403 / 2222481 P.O. Box 2419-80100 Mombasa E info@mmkadv.com

cargo handling processes are improved and not to add further delays in the delivery cycle,” he explains. “Our CFS is within a two-kilometre radius of the container and conventional berths.” The site is immediately adjacent to the port itself, sharing a common boundary wall, while the Company also has its own access gate.

Futureproofing

For Mutinda, technology will play a key part in ensuring Makupa CFS maintains its leading position for another decade and beyond. “Technology has taken centre stage in all organisations and Makupa embraces this by deploying the latest solutions in container handling and management of related services,” he adds. “We are planning to implement smart gate systems where human intervention will be limited and the tracking accuracy will improve. This will

be a major boost which will eliminate time used in physical checks at the exit and entrance gates.” Looking ahead to 2019 and beyond, the General Manager is confident of enjoying another successful period. Mutinda concludes: “We as a company will be looking at new opportunities in the market which will include tapping into the blue economy

and agri-business to provide logistics services, which includes storage and market access.”

Makupa Transit Shade Ltd Tel: +254 708 424 265 info@makupatransit.com www.makupatransit.com

WWW.AFRICAOUTLOOKMAG.COM

135

V T T I

K E N Y A

MOMBASA’S

MODERN

Fuel Depot VTTI Kenya has brought petroleum storage into the here and now by investing in a 111,000-cubic-metre facility at the Port of Mombasa Writer: Tom Wadlow | Project Manager: Josh Hyland

136

WWW.AFRICAOUTLOOKMAG.COM

enya’s oil industry is certainly a nascent one. The country’s President, Uhuru Kenyatta, has vowed to transform the country into a significant oil producer, a motion which is yet to fully materialise, although large companies do appear to be taking an interest in the East African nation’s reserves. For example, in August 2018 British company Tullow Oil resumed its operations in Turkana County after reaching an agreement with the Kenyan government regarding its coexistence with local communities. It is estimated that Kenya is sitting on reserves amounting to around 750 million barrels, with Turkana, situated in the far northwest, a vital region in

ASIA

realising its oil producing potential. On the other side of the country, the Port of Mombasa represents the conduit through which imports and exports of oil & gas are and will be managed as the industry develops. One of the continent’s busiest logistics hubs, it handled around 106,000 twenty-foot equivalent units (TEUs) in the first half of 2018. The port is also home to VTTI Kenya, one of the largest and most modern petroleum storage facilities in East Africa. It has been in operation since July 2012 and boasts a capacity of 111,000 cubic metres of storage – it is also the only privately-owned terminal to tie into the Kenya Pipeline in Mombasa. The pipeline, built and managed by

Kenya Pipeline Company which came into operation in 1973, is responsible for providing efficient, reliable, safe and cost-effective means of transporting petroleum products from Mombasa to the hinterland. This involves moving products from Mombasa to Nairobi, and then on to Nakuru, Eldoret and Kisumu. From western Kenya, additional markets such as Uganda and other landlocked countries further west are supplied.

Powerful parent

VTTI Kenya’s facility is able to store gasoil and diesel in 10 mid steel and mid steel coated tanks, classified as K1 and K3, and is accessible by road and sea.

WWW.AFRICAOUTLOOKMAG.COM

137

V T T I

K E N Y A

It is fully owned by Dutch organisation VTTI, which has operations in 14 different countries spread across five continents, equating to 9.2 million cubic metres of storage capacity – at any one time it has 250 ships transporting various cargoes around the world. Vitol’s clients include national oil companies, multinationals, leading industrial and chemical companies and the world’s largest airlines. Founded in Rotterdam in 1966, today Vitol serves clients from some 40 offices worldwide and is invested in energy assets globally. Revenues in 2017 were $181 billion, generated by its trading of over seven million barrels per day of crude oil. “We understand the need for safety and reliability, together with speed and flexibility to help our customers capitalise on opportunities,” the firm states. “This makes us more than just a storage company. We are a critical link

in a complex chain.” In November 2018, Buckeye Partners, a 50 percent shareholder in VTTI, was bought out by Vitol Investment Partnership II and IFM Investors. The words of CEO Rob Nijst, who has stayed in his role following the transaction, still reverberate through the whole organisation, including the Kenyan division, which operates under his guiding principle. “At VTTI we know that by being safe, reliable and instantly responsive, we have the ability to help our customers seize market opportunities,” Nijst states on the Company’s website. “Put simply, our role is to help you achieve more.”

Cultivating careers

The same motto applies to VTTI Kenya and its team of employees. One of the hallmarks of working for the Company, identified by

YOKOGAWA

okogawa is a leading provider of industrial automation, test and measurement solutions. Combining superior technology with engineering services, project management, and maintenance, Yokogawa delivers fieldproven operational efficiency, safety, quality and reliability. Our customer-centric approach to our future-forward innovations are encapsulated in solutions that include synaptic business automation, OpreX profit-driven operation, industrial IoT, quality management and production management. In our rejuvenated journey across Africa, we transform our customers into technology partners as we deliver locally deployed, world class solutions. VTTI Kenya is one such partner; themselves operators at the very nerve of a soaring African economy. T +254 721 449 633 E josiah.habwe@bh.yokogawa.com

www.yokogawa.com/bh

VTTI KENYA BY NUMBERS Capacity (cubic metres):

111,000

Storage tanks:

Jetties:

Maximum draft (metres):

13.25

Maximum length (metres):

259

VTTI ownership:

100 percent

138

Overseas projects are particularly popular Reliable storage solutions will be vital when Kenya starts to produce more oil

WWW.AFRICAOUTLOOKMAG.COM

Maintenance Engineer Benedict Namwamba, is the speed at which issues are raised and dealt with, leaving no time for procrastination and continual meetings. Indeed, the firm appears to operate with the freedom of a startup and the backing of a multinational giant. Namwamba stated on VTTI Kenya’s website: “Provided you work within VTTI’s high standards and protocols, you get the freedom to do things your own way, and the Company listens to your ideas. “It’s a new way of working… which provides me with opportunities to develop new skills and dip into other areas of the company that interest me.” This view is backed up by Operations Manager Paul Agosta Mecca, who said: “The terminal gives me the freedom and respect to work in my own way. I can see that what I do makes a difference. This is a company

for people who love responsibility and challenges, and who don’t obsess over job titles and hierarchies.” Describing the terminal itself in a Company Q&A, he added: “[It is] very new, state of the art – an exciting place to be. We took it over when it had been left partially-built by another company. We reconfigured the design

and I worked right through to the commissioning process.” Thanks to its cohort of dedicated employees who have seen the project through to fruition, VTTI Kenya looks well-placed to play a key role in ensuring petroleum safely and reliable stored and transported both in and out of the country.

WWW.AFRICAOUTLOOKMAG.COM

139

3 R D

A N N U A L

P O W E R

T E C H

E V E N T

A F R I C A

2 0 1 9

F O C U S

Powering the future of sub-Saharan Africa

EVENT DETAILS WHEN: 31 January - 1 February 2019 WHERE: Nairobi, Kenya REGISTER: www.bricsaconsulting.com/register WEBSITE: www.bricsaconsulting.com

140

THE 3RD Annual Power Tech Africa 2019 conference focuses on identifying the potential of renewable sources in the sub-Saharan regions – wind, solar, tidal wave, geothermal, and gas. The conference also discusses assessment, implementation and integration of renewable energy sources, smart grid/off-grid solutions and overcoming financial and infrastructural challenges with focus on development in the sub-Saharan region.  This upcoming summit would bring together senior stakeholders to discuss the most pressing issues in Africa affecting the development of power. This forum is designed to connect major power developers, independent power producers and the solution providers, including consultancies, project management firms and legal advisories a platform to discuss and debate best practices which can be instrumental in maximising the power in the region.

WWW.AFRICAOUTLOOKMAG.COM

Highlights of the conference

• Identifying the potential of renewable sources in the subSaharan regions – wind, solar, tidal wave, geothermal, gas. • Implementation of smart grid/offgrid technologies projects using renewable energy for a better and reliable power transmission. • Sources of capitalising renewable power projects and exploring foreign direct investment policies for better project implementation. • Hybrid energy system: new opportunities for the energy market.

Who will attend?

Utilities engineers, PV contractors, project developers, energy consultants, solar technicians, grid operators and other professionals seeking renewable energy solutions will be able to source products and services, meet suppliers and discover innovations and trends, all at a single two-day event.

For every African, cheap energy means health and food, education and production that matches our energy and innovation Hon. Uhuru Kenyatta - President, Kenya

31st January - 01st February, 2019 | Mövenpick Hotel & Residences Nairobi, Kenya

ENDORSEMENT PARTNERS

MEDIA PARTNERS

www.bricsaconsulting.com jigisha@bricsaconsulting.com

“Being our Partner will ensure you receive prime exposure with a large number of senior executives to whom this conference will be marketed.”

M I N I N G

I N D A B A

E V E N T

F O C U S

Africa’s premier mining industry showcase

EVENT DETAILS WHEN: 4-7 February 2019 WHERE: Cape Town, South Africa REGISTER: http://bit.ly/2w8l3HI WEBSITE: www.miningindaba.com

142

INVESTING IN African Mining Indaba will be celebrating its 25th anniversary from 4-7 February 2019 in Cape Town. The event will look back at the best moments in African mining over the past 25 years, and ahead to new innovations taking place in the industry.  Since 1994 Mining Indaba has connected African mining companies with investors from around the world and has been the platform for important industry discussions, facilitating the sustainable growth and long-term development of the industry. In 2018 the event saw a 15 percent overall increase in attendance, with

WWW.AFRICAOUTLOOKMAG.COM

34 government ministers, 308 mining companies and 474 investors attending from 95 different countries. In 2019 we will be expecting even more. Be a part of the world’s largest mining investment event and help us celebrate 25 years of progress for African mining. Register now and save 10 percent with our partner discount code: OUTLOOK10.

INVESTING IN

AFRICAN MINING INDABA

4 â&#x20AC;&#x201C; 7 February 2019 | Cape Town, South Africa

CELEBRATING 25 YEARS OF PROGRESS IN AFRICAN MINING

INVEST.

INNOVATE.

GROW.

The only place in Cape Town to meet 500+ investors and 900+ mining company executives under one roof

Hear from mining COOs and learn about the latest disruptive tech changing the industry at the Mining 2050 track

Network with every part of the mining value chain and meet your next business client

Want to increase your brand exposure? Get in touch with Fred Noce today: fred.noce@miningindaba.com

#25yearsofIndaba @miningindaba

C I O

P O W E R

A F R I C A

E V E N T

F O C U S

Connecting to the digital future of the power sector IN FEBRUARY 2019, Johannesburg, South Africa will play host to SubSaharan Africa’s No.1 business to business CIO Power Summit, which will bring together the senior IT decision makers from the IPP, PPP and National Power communities across the region to focus on Information technology within the power sector. The digital revolution is here to stay within the power industry. If the last decade was about generating cheap, plentiful renewable energy, the next one will be about making energy generation, transmission and distribution systems smarter. Huge growth in low-cost processing power, advances in big data management and growing cloud capabilities, coupled with the acceleration in analytics and machine-learning, have the potential to transform the way we generate, purchase and sell electricity.

EVENT DETAILS WHEN: 12 February 2019 WHERE: Johannesburg, South Africa WEBSITE: www.ciopowerafrica.com

144

The World Economic Forum estimates that $1.3 trillion could be generated by digitalising electricity generation worldwide between 2016 and 2025. It lists five areas in particular – better management of asset performance, real-time data platforms, integration of energy storage and customer-centric solutions – that it believes will individually unlock at least $100 billion of value over the ten-year period. An overhaul of the power industry is long overdue. Power generation networks have become much more complex in recent years, thanks mainly to the rise in renewable energy power generation and the growing number of small, distributed power producers. Demand for power is also

WWW.AFRICAOUTLOOKMAG.COM

increasing in all African countries, yet grid infrastructure is often old and incapable of supporting additional capacity. Equipment is both difficult and costly to maintain, but tighter regulations are driving the industry to be more efficient and cleaner than ever. The CIO Power Summit is leading the way to the digital revolution within the African power sector and will cover all of the major topics that are hot in the industry right now. From analytics to IoT, connectivity to cyber security, the CIO Power Summit is the go-to event in Africa to keep up to date with digital transformation and a place for end users to meet with technology companies who are developing tomorrow’s technologies today.

Hosted By @VALE ME DIAGROUP AFRICA CIO SERIES

CIO POWER AFRICA Summit 2019

THE DISRUPTIVE I.T EVENT FOR AFRICA’S POWER SECTOR “Connect To The Digital Future Of The Power Sector Through Thought Provoking Content And High Level Discussions”

12th February 2019 | Johannesburg | South Africa

1 DAY SUMMIT 2 PANELS B2B MEETINGS 6 PRESENTATIONS

1 KEYNOTE PRESENTATIONS

FOCUSED ROUNDTABLES

SUMMIT TEAM ON-SITE SUPPORT

INTERACTIVE SUMMIT APP

NETWORKING OPPORTUNITIES

PANEL DISCUSSIONS

4 ROUNDTABLES

PRIVATE PRE-ARRANGED B2B MEETINGS

W W W. C I O P O W E R A F R I C A . C O M

A F R I C A

B F S I

I N N O V A T I O N

S U M M I T

E V E N T

2 0 1 9

F O C U S

Discussing digital for African finance DIGITAL TRANSFORMATION is the way forward for banks, insurers, capital market firms, and financial regulators around the world. Experts are of the opinion that Africa is leading the world in financial innovation and AFRICA’S LEADING BFSI EVENT Embracing Innovation fordigital a Better Africa space is currently the number EVENT DETAILS one priority for CEOs from across different markets in Africa. WHEN: 19-20 February 2019 Against this backdrop, global 25+ 16+ 20+ 100+ 200+ conference organiser, Tradepass has WHERE: launched the Africa BFSI Innovation Nairobi, Kenya Summit 2019, scheduled to take place WEBSITE: ✔ GMs & Senior Management ✔ CIOs, CTOs, CISOs & Heads ofon IT February 2019 in Nairobi, ✔ Heads of19-20, Data Analytics ✔ Heads of Cards & Payments www.africabfsi.com ATTENDEE ✔ Customer Experience ✔ Heads of Fraud, Risk & Compliance Kenya. ✔ Heads of Retail Banking ✔ COOs & Heads of Operation BREAKDOWN Over 200 senior BFSI professionals, ✔ Wholesale Banking ✔ CMOs, Heads of Marketing including the top CIOs, CISOs, CTOs, of IT, ICT, risk, compliance, ABIS 2019 KEYNOTEHeads SPEAKERS BFSI INDUSTRY SPECIALISTS

146

ELITE SPEAKERS

Jerome Ochieng Principal Secretary for ICT & Innovation Ministry of ICT

TOP ORGANIZATIONS

Steve Njenga CIO Barclays Bank

WWW.AFRICAOUTLOOKMAG.COM Lawrence Mwai

James Nyakomitta Group CIO

Head – ICT Changes

HOURS OF LEARNING

SOLUTION PROVIDERS

Thomas Gachie COO Resolution Insurance Kenya Gouri Shankar Sharma Head IT

retail banking, customer experience, analytics etc. from banks, microfinance, credit unions and insurance companies across East Africa, will attend the event to listen to subject matter experts discuss and share insights on various topics. These include Africa’s current banking strategies and vision for 2020, how digital banking can impact Africa, how blockchain technology can disrupt the banking Industry, data sovereignty, amongst other topics. ABIS 2019 will lay focus on the trends witnessed in this growing industry and will also discuss the opportunities and challenges present in operating an effective banking system. The two-day event will bring together 20 innovative solution providers for the attendees to network with, a few early confirmed ones being Openway, Seamfix, Virmati and Union Systems Global. The technological advancement has resulted in a sudden increase in the usage of biometrics, e-wallet payments, mobile banking, etc. in the African BFSI sector. The customer experience landscape in the country is constantly shifting, and so are the expectations of the digital consumer. At the same time, this era of digitisation is giving rise to competitive threats. With these threats looming over them, banks and financial institutions in the market have realised the risk of being left behind. Thus, it has now fallen upon these BFSI leaders to discover innovative ways to implement these emerging technologies, in order to ensure customer experience beyond satisfaction. Registrations are now open for Africa BFSI Innovation Summit 2019. For more information, visit www. africabfsi.com. To get updates about the Summit, follow/subscribe to #ABIS2019 on social media. For more information on Tradepass, visit www.tradepassglobal.com

AFRICA’S LEADING BFSI EVENT Embracing Innovation for a Better Africa

25+

200+

ELITE SPEAKERS

BFSI INDUSTRY SPECIALISTS

100+

TOP ORGANIZATIONS

✔ CIOs, CTOs, CISOs & Heads of IT ✔ Heads of Cards & Payments ✔ Heads of Fraud, Risk & Compliance ✔ COOs & Heads of Operation ✔ CMOs, Heads of Marketing

ATTENDEE BREAKDOWN

16+

20+

HOURS OF LEARNING

SOLUTION PROVIDERS

✔ GMs & Senior Management ✔ Heads of Data Analytics ✔ Customer Experience ✔ Heads of Retail Banking ✔ Wholesale Banking

ABIS 2019 KEYNOTE SPEAKERS Jerome Ochieng Principal Secretary for ICT & Innovation Ministry of ICT

Steve Njenga CIO Barclays Bank

Thomas Gachie COO Resolution Insurance Kenya

Lawrence Mwai Head – ICT Changes National Bank of Kenya

Gouri Shankar Sharma Head IT Prime Bank

Herbert Olowo CIO Stanbic bank (Uganda)

Judith Bogonko Group Head of Customer Experience APA Apollo Group

Linda Were Head of Customer Experience Sanlam Insurance

Michael Michie Chief Information Security Oﬃcer M Oriental Bank

Bamidele Olalekan Oseni Group Chief Risk Oﬃcer I&M Bank Ltd

Wycliﬀe Momanyi Head – Information Risk KCB Group

Stanley Mwangi Chege CIO Madison Insurance

Russell Akuom Head of Digital Banking Experience Co-operative Bank of Kenya

Elizaphan Mouko Head , Electronic Business GTBank Kenya

George Njuguna CIO HFC Limited

Dr. Tom Kahigu Head – IT DIB Bank Kenya

Evans Odhiambo Head-Transactional Banking I&M Bank Ltd

Reuben Kimani CEO Century Microﬁnance Bank

Nirmal Singh Sembi Head IT Ecobank Kenya

Chimezie Emewulu Co-Founder & Managing Director Seamﬁx

James Nyakomitta Group CIO APA Insurance

ForFor more information, visitvisit www.highriseindiasummit.com more information, www.africabfsi.com registercontact contactPRAVEEN PRAVEENVENU VENU ToTo register, raveenv@tradepassglobal.com| +91-884-818-1416 praveenv@tradepassglobal.com +91-88481 81461

5 T H

P O W E R I N G

A F R I C A :

S U M M I T

E V E N T

( P A S )

F O C U S

A forum for American and African collaboration

co-located with

Africa

Agenda topics:

• US policy on Africa • US/Africa ministerial round table • Gas policies and generation

EVENT DETAILS WHEN: 25-27 February 2019 WHERE: Miami, USA WEBSITE: www.poweringafrica-summit.com

THE 5TH Powering Africa: Summit (PAS) will take place for the first time in Miami from the February 25-27, 2019. The Summit will welcome over 370 investors and decision-makers to Miami from across North America, Africa and Europe to present energy projects, discuss investment opportunities and build relationships within the international power community.

• The aliance between IFI and public sector utilities • FinTech – increasing efficiency and collections • Off-grid energy access For more information, please visit our website: www.poweringafricasummit.com. Contact us on PA-S@energynet.co.uk

ELECTRIFYING THE CONVERSATION 148

WWW.AFRICAOUTLOOKMAG.COM

co-located with

Africa

ELECTRIFYING THE CONVERSATION Partners and Sponsors:

Strategic Partners:

All subscribers of Africa Outlook are entitled to exclusive 10% off on registration. To claim your 10% off email: PA-S@energynet.co.uk using the code AO10. www.poweringafrica-summit.com

S E A M L E S S

S O U T H E R N

A F R I C A

E V E N T

2 0 1 9

F O C U S

Gathering the leading voices of the payments industry

EVENT DETAILS WHEN: 11-13 March 2019 WHERE: Cape Town, South Africa REGISTER: www.secure.terrapinn.com/V5/step1.aspx?E=9917

WEBSITE: www.terrapinn.com

150

EACH YEAR Seamless Payments Southern Africa brings together the greatest international thought leaders from the payments industry. You will be stimulated by the best and the brightest from across Southern Africa and around the world, who will inspire change and ignite transformations. Banks, retailers and merchants alike are having to adapt to a new payments landscape that is quickly being dominated by fintech disruptors. The payments, banking and financial sectors are currently undergoing a fasttracked period of progress, defined by advancements and developments in technology and regulation.

WWW.AFRICAOUTLOOKMAG.COM

In this ever-evolving reality, collaboration is the key to survival. Seamless Payments Southern Africa brings together the entire payments ecosystem to discuss, debate and evaluate the future of payment technologies and innovations. Across two days of keynote presentations, panels, case studies, interviews and roundtables youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ll discover the trends, disruptions and innovations that are revolutionising the payments industry as we know it.

11 MARCH 2019: PRE-EVENT 12 â&#x20AC;&#x201C; 13 MARCH 2019: CONFERENCE Cape Town International Convention Centre Cape Town, South Africa

FUTURE OF PAYMENTS, FINTECH & ECOMMERCE 3000+ Attendees | 60+ Exhibitors | 200+ Speakers Seamless Southern Africa is a C-level conference platform that will focus on global trends and disruptors, how market players can capitalise on the opportunities and best respond to the threats. Addressing the big issues from fintech disruption to financial inclusion, blockchain and regtech. With keynote addresses, interviews, roundtables, panels, pre-event workshops and track sessions that focus on challenges and opportunities within the industry.

KEYNOTE SPEAKERS TAKE THE STAGE:

Heimen Schuring Head of Channel Support & Payment Engine RABOBANK Netherlands

Kosta Peric Deputy Director, Financial Services for the Poor Program THE BILL & MELINDA GATES FOUNDATION United States

Sudin Baraokar Chairman & IT Innovation Advisor BANKCHAIN ALLIANCE India

Candy Ngula Deputy Director for Payments BANK OF NAMIBIA Namibia

EXHIBITORS:

CO-LOCATED EVENTS:

BOOK YOUR CONFERENCE PASS

Call Tumisang on +27 11 516 4051 or email tumisang.thage@terrapinn.com www.terrapinn.com/seamlessafrica SeamlessAfrica

Seamless_Africa

Seamless Africa

#SeamlessSA

Outlook Creative Services

Complementing the production of Africa Outlook, Asia Outlook and Europe & Middle East Outlook magazines, Outlook Publishingâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s award-winning in-house team is now utilising these same specialist production skills to offer a full and bespoke range of editorial, design and marketing services via its new Outlook Creative Services division. For more information on how we can work with you in providing a plethora of completely flexible and customisable production services, please visit www.outlookpublishing.com/creative-services

DESIGN:

E D I TO R I A L :

Stephen Giles +44 (0) 1603 959 656 steve.giles@outlookpublishing.com

Tom Wadlow +44 (0) 1603 959 657 tom.wadlow@outlookpublishing.com

Devon Collins +44 (0) 1603 959 661 devon.collins@outlookpublishing.com

Jonathan Dyble +44 (0) 1603 959 660 jonathan.dyble@outlookpublishing.com