Issue 17
Daymed Private Hospital
A new dimension in medical care Africa Outlook profiles Pietermaritzburg's Daymed Medical Centre and Private Hospital: the realisation of one man's dream Writer Emily Jarvis Project Manager Eddie Clinton From the inception, the spirit of caring, dedication and community involvement have all become the hallmark of Daymed Private Hospital. The sheer quality of healthcare soon ensured the popularity of the hospital. Daymed is complimented by the latest medical equipment and technology which enables the rendering of the medical service all that more meaningful and substantial. The modern architecturally designed building creates an ambience of friendliness and warmth and certainly adds a new dimension to the rendering of medical treatment. At Daymed Private Hospital, there is one factor regarded as more vital than all their resources - the unwavering concern for the patients. To this end, every single member of staff from the friendly reception clerk, to the caterer supplying the delicious meals, to each one of the top class specialists are committed to providing that extra degree of compassion and warmth. It is this personal attention that sets Daymed Private Hospital apart from its competitors, even in its tenth year of operations. Realising the Dream In 2004, the Daymed Medical Centre and Private Hospital opened its doors. The facility is the realisation of the dream of Dr Navind Dayanand, who has used his own money to set up it up. And he's doing a fantastic job. "We employ 120 staff and have over 200 beds, casualty, general and semi private wards, maternity, renal dialysis, an operating…
MTN Uganda : A Mobile Revolution
A Mobile Revolution with the continued success of MTN Uganda's services and a loyal customer base, the future looks increasingly bright for the company Writer Matthew Bone Project manager Donovan Smith MTN Uganda launched their commercial services in Uganda in October 1998 and has seen its market share rise every year since. Today, MTN's share stands at 55.3% in a highly competitive market of 6 players. Through a commitment to a positive customer experience and the development of innovative products, MTN has grown to become the leading telecommunications company in Uganda, currently serving in excess of 9.7 million customers. Ernst Fonternel, Chief Marketing Officer for MTN Uganda has overseen the latest surge of new strategies and policies being put in place within the company, that are heralding a new dawn in mobile technology and services. "MT N Uganda has always strived to be the market leader in all aspects of our business. We pride ourselves in giving our customers state-of-the-art technology at their fingertips, no matter where they live in the country. It is a new dawn for Ugandan telecommunications and we are proud to be leading the way," Fonternel explains. Innovation and drive MTN Uganda is renowned for its innovation and ambition to be the first to market life-changing telecommunication and It solutions as Fonternel explains: "In 2008, we launched the first mobile money service in Uganda with tremendous success while we also revolutionised access to information by heavily investing in our data services. In 2013, MTN launched 4G LTE which together with our national…
Mantrac Tanzania
Assessing Tanzania's mining potential Mantrac Tanzania sees huge potential for mining in East Africa and is geared-up to assist in all your equipment needs Writer Emily Jarvis Project Manager Eddie Clinton The Mantrac group is the sole authorised dealer for Caterpillar Products in East Africa; including Kenya, Tanzania and Uganda. Mantrac Tanzania distributes and supports the full range of Cat construction equipment including wheel loaders, Skid Steer loaders, Dump articulated trucks, Backhoe loaders, Excavators, motor graders, track-type tractors and BCP products. Moreover, Mantrac Tanzania distributes mining, Power Systems and material-Handling and warehousing equipment for a wide range of industries and applications. Mantrac Tanzania is also the sole approved supplier of genuine Caterpillar parts, which are available at competitive prices. Highly-qualified employees work through an extensive branch network that includes a head office in Dar es Salaam and branches in Mwanza, Moshi, Mbeya and Mtwara. The Mtwara branch was opened in 2013 specifically to support oil and gas companies in southern corridor of Tanzania where there is huge discovery of gas; a future source of power for Tanzania and East Africa region in general. Furthermore, Mantrac Tanzania is equipped to perform total overhauls, as well as having a team of qualified service engineers - equipped with the necessary diagnostic and repair tools – which can be dispatched at any time to customers. A rich East African History Mantrac Tanzania's rich history stems back as far as 1925, when the company was known as Gailey and Roberts. By 1937, Unilever came on the scene when the united Africa…
Spar Zimbabwe
Sparring with the best of them SPAR are committed to developing the SPAR business by offering stores with modern layouts alongside the promise of world-class shopping Writer Emily Jarvis Project Manager Callum Philp SPAR Zimbabwe is committed to providing a service that will exceed the needs of consumers, with a particular focus on retail innovation and a strong passion for food. The franchise aim their consumer offerings at all levels of society, by providing retail formats that suit particular areas within Zimbabwe, with roll outs of SPAR Supermarkets, SPAR Express stores and, in the medium term, SPAR Liquor outlets. For those of you who don't know, SPAR is a voluntary trading organisation, where all independent retailers work together with their distribution centres to build scale, buying power and the SPAR brand for mutual benefit. "In Zimbabwe, we operate within 100 retail outlets using the SPAR, SPAR Express and SaveMor formats. During the course of 2012 and 2013 our growth has come from ongoing upgrades of SPAR stores, the roll out of the TOPS bottle store formats and the increase of new SPAR stores." Globally, SPAR serves 11 million customers a day out of around 13,000 supermarkets in various formats. SPAR is the world's largest supermarket chain by store numbers. "The Four Just Men" The story of SPAR in the early years stems from Adriaan Van Well, a Dutch wholesaler with vision. He was inspired by a simple yet powerful philosophy that independent wholesalers and retailers can achieve more by working together rather than working alone. It…
Computer Warehouse Group
Q&A: Africa's ICT Entrepreneurs Africa Outlook hosted a Q&A with Austin Okere, Chief Executive Officer of Computer Warehouse Group (CWG) PLC and Entrepreneur in Residence, Columbia Business School, New York Writer Matt Bone Project Manager Donovan Smith Could you give me an introduction to Computer Warehouse Group? Computer Warehouse Group (CWG) was established in September 1992 with just a US$16,000 operating budget and six staff. We built the company up slowly and steadily in the ICT markets and began to expand. We thrive on staying ahead of the curve in the ever changing technology landscape and maintaining a dominant leadership position. We have evolved from being a Dell PC sales and support company, through providing Enterprise Systems, becoming an outsourcing company providing Managed Services to major clients such as MTN, where we have over 100 badged engineers managing their IT infrastructure, to becoming a dominant IT utility enabler in our region, providing Software-as-a- Service through Cloud Computing on a subscription basis. We crafted a major ICT plan in 2010, realising the popularity of cloud computing, and the major opportunities for this in our region, following the increase in broadband access from 0.65tb to a combined capacity of 9Tbits per second by the end of 2013. We now have a staff complement of 650 employees, of which 80% are engineers and ITIL (Information Technology Infrastructure Library) certified. We have consolidated our leadership position in the ICT sector with a record turnover of about US$130 million (N20.8billion) last year. We were very clear that while our tremendous growth…
Business Connexion Zambia
Connecting Zambia With a focus on delivering the Connective Intelligence™ value proposition, Business Connexion are bringing cloud computing to Zambia Writer Emily Jarvis Project Manager Donovan Smith The diverse and vibrant Zambian economy presents a range of opportunities for the delivery of world-class Information and Communication Technology solutions. One such company that benefits from this is Business Connexion, who have successfully delivered industry-leading solutions to the financial services, academic, telecommunications, SMB, public sector as well as oil and gas sectors for over five years. Focused on delivering the Connective Intelligence™ value proposition, the company has over 7000 members of staff, who pride themselves on flexibility, teamwork and cross-skilling. Connective Intelligence™ is about connecting the world's most advanced information and communication technology (ICT) products, services and solutions, and merging them with the skills and experience of some of the world's best-qualified individuals, to provide simple, affordable solutions to Africa and the world. With this approach, Business Connexion Zambia has the capability to successfully implement substantial projects while maintaining close relationships built on mutual value-creation. "The Zambian office has delivered projects including data centres, wireless networks, cabling infrastructures and more," explains Damiano Tembo, CEO of Business Connexion Zambia. The company holds partnerships with major vendors including Cisco, Avaya, Microsoft, IBM, HP, Systimax and NetApp, underpinning Business Connexion's presence with access to expertise and resources for the design, delivery and support of elegant solutions to complex business problems. "Our team represents solid service delivery and is armed with new age technologies." "To enrich communities by making the impossible-possible, through…
Smart Telecom
Realising East Africa's potential With huge support from the AKFED, Smart East Africa has a reputation for providing innovations to the telecoms sector Writer Emily Jarvis Project Manager Donovan Smith New contenders in the East African telecoms market, Smart telecom are making waves in Burundi, Tanzania and Uganda, under the name Smart East Africa. The company provides a range of innovative products to suit your lifestyle, and has become notoriously known in recent months for outstanding value-for- money packages to suit your wallet. Smart telecom is owned in-part by the Aga Khan Fund for Economic Development (AKFED), with their parent company being Industrial Promotion Services (IPS) Kenya. AKFED has been funding social enterprises across East Africa for over 100 years, making long-term investments with the aim of building economically sound businesses that create employment and improve lives. "The AKFED has a 61% share in Smart telecom and helps in all areas of the economy in East Africa; from banking to insurance, education and other infrastructures. The missing piece was communication in order to link all of this together," explains Abdellatif Bouziani, Group Chief Executive Officer of Smart East Africa Telecom. Improving the Lives of East Africans The launch of Smart in East Africa in March 2014 also combines AKFED's experience of making long-term investments with the aim of promoting entrepreneurship and building economically sound enterprises, which provide employment opportunities and improve the lives of local people. In East Africa, AKFED's investments include the Serena Hotels, Diamond Trust Bank, Jubilee Insurance Group, the Nation Media Group and…
Airtel Zambia
Q&A with Charity Chanda Lumpa, Managing Director of Airtel Zambia Africa Outlook spoke to the first female and Zambian Managing Director for Airtel Zambia, Charity Chanda Lumpa Writer Matt Bone Project Manager Donovan Smith Tell me about Airtel Zambia's operations in your own words Airtel Networks Zambia Plc is a leading telecommunications service provider that has the widest geographical footprint in Zambia. We also have the largest presence in the rural areas of the country as well. Airtel Networks Zambia Plc is a Bharti subsidiary which has been operational in Zambia for the last four years after the acquisition of Zain in 2010. We are a one-stop shop for all types of customers, specialising in all consumer needs be it corporate, Small and Medium Enterprises (SME's), high net worth and personal. Airtel Zambia are also an equal opportunity employer currently employing 319 employees, 201 are males and 118 are females. Of the total Senior Managers and Executive Committee, 30 are females and 50 are male. We have 9 expatriate employees of whom 5 are of Indian origin. What has Airtel Zambia been doing over the last twelve months? In the previous year we have been concentrating on developments across our range of products and services, and focusing on expanding and enhancing network. The Zambia Information Communication Technology Authority (ZICTA) mandated SIM card registration exercise, successfully concluded at the end of January 2014 with the company achieving 93% registrations. We have also embarked on a people development programme where we are enriching the skill levels of all…
Airtel Uganda
Realising East Africa's potential With acting MD Arindam Chakrabarty in post, Airtel Uganda have witnessed continuous steady growth in the telecoms and ICT industry Writer Emily Jarvis Project Manager Donovan Smith Airtel are one of the world's leading providers of telecommunication services with significant presence in 20 countries, with 17 of these being in Africa. The population of these 20 countries represents around 26% of the world's population. In Uganda, Airtel is the 2nd largest telecoms operator and although mobile penetration in Uganda is around 50-60 percent, the market continues to show considerable potential, with growth being driven by increased data usage and boasting an estimated overall growth rate of 6%. Airtel Uganda's product offerings include 2G and 3G wireless services, mobile commerce, fixed line services, enterprise services including national and international long distance services. "We have a unique and strong three-pronged value proposition that we believe is behind our continued growth in this market. Our service delivery is based on affordability, availability and accessibility of voice, data products and mobile money," says acting Managing Director Arindam Chakrabarty. The introduction of mobile telephony has revolutionised Uganda's telecommunications industry; the market remains overcrowded which has led to a price war and consolidation among the operators. However, some of the competition has left the market in recent years. "In light of some operators exiting the market, Airtel intends to make additional investments in Uganda, insuring our customer experience is superior in terms of its value and quality." The Vibrant Legacy of Airtel Since the rebrand in 2010, the…
Airtel Rwanda
Always available, always affordable In the last 12 months alone, Airtel Rwanda has doubled their customer base as a result of the brand's selling points which are affordability, innovativeness and high quality internet Writer Matt Bone Project Manager Donovan Smith Airtel Rwanda commenced operations in March 2012 and has already become the most sought after telecom company in the industry for internet/data services and affordable smart devices. Unlike all other Bharti Airtel operations, Airtel Rwanda is in a unique position as the only greenfield operation in Africa to date. In the last year, the company has doubled its registered user base and is showing every indication that this number will further rise over the next 12 months. Teddy Bhullar, Managing Director of Airtel Rwanda, believes this substantial growth in only 2 years is down to two key reasons: Affordability in terms of both local and international tariff s, products and services and smart data plans that have pushed Rwandans to join the network. "We have brought in a great variety of plans and options for consumers in the country. Data is a massive revenue stream for us, consumers are always looking for new ways to communicate across different social mediums and we want to be able to give them exactly what they want. So far we have been able to do that although we could do more," explains Bhullar. Developing the Business Footprint Business growth for Airtel Rwanda has been progressive the last 12 to 18 months. Although the predicted growth for the company is slightly…
Airtel Malawi
Technology at your fingertips Airtel Malawi has the brand strength and customer awareness to ensure that their services and products will always be available at competitive prices Writer Matt Bone Project Manager Donovan Smith With a name synonymous with high quality, affordability and solid customer retention, Airtel has shown that no matter what the economic situation of a county, they have the brand strength and customer awareness to ensure that their services and products will always be available at competitive prices. Heiko Schlittke, Managing Director of Airtel Malawi, is aware that although the country is facing challenges, Malawi can benefit from having a stronger mobile and data connectivity infrastructure: "Malawi has a willingness and a need for high quality broadband and mobile data services, to help bring businesses in the country in line with neighbouring companies in Zambia, Zimbabwe and Mozambique. Not only will this help local businesses to grow quicker, but it will provide potential foreign investment to look at the country in more detail." Investing in Malawi In order to implement the much needed mobile data infrastructure plans, Airtel Malawi has invested heavily over the last 18 months in the core areas including 3g+; by increasing the network coverage area and the addition of more towers capable of handling the new data speeds, to see the total number rise to well over 200. However, it is not just investment in the infrastructure that has been a priority for Airtel, but also ensuring that rural areas are treated as equally as the city centres. "As…
Davis & Shirtliff
The Waterboys Davis and Shirtliff offer a comprehensive and competitive product range with regional availability and unrivalled technical and service support Writer Matt Bone Project Manager Donovan Smith For nearly 70 years, Davis and Shirtliff have been distributing and installing pumps and other water related equipment throughout the East African region. Based in Nairobi, the Group has nearly 500 staff and offers a wide range of quality products in fi ve separate but interlinked segments: Water pumps, swimming pool equipment, water treatment, solar equipment and power products. Alec Davis, CEO of Davis and Shirtliff, claims that the company is the region's dominant player and that it has been so for a number of years. There is a very wide selection of products within the various product segments and the company is proud of its record of product innovation: "We stand out as a company in two key areas: Product availability and product support: We have 38 branches spread throughout seven countries in the region from which customers can easily access any of the range of products we have available. It is this widespread availability that really sets us apart from our competitors," says Davis. Investing in Infrastructure An important aspect of Davis and Shirtliff's success is its continuous investment in facilities and infrastructure. Already this year five new branches have been opened and more are planned. It is not just the branch network that has been expanded; a new logistical and stock warehouse has been bought to support the regional growth. "With the occupation of the…