Issue 34
ZPC Group
African Hospitality SpecialistsWriter: Emily JarvisProject Manager: Stuart Parker Demonstrating its total service solution approach to development and construction opportunities throughout Africa over the past 20 years, South Africa-based ZPC Group is currently capitalising on lucrative opportunities in West Africa’s hospitality industry; delivering its top quality products on time, on budget and always aiming to exceed client expectations.“Our move into West Africa has been beneficial for existing clients operating in the region, while opening up doors to engage with new clients,” says Ben Pretorius, Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of ZPC Group.“There is definitely tremendous growth happening in this region, which bodes well for us in the future and will form a welcome addition to our project portfolio on the continent.”ZPC Group is comprised of numerous consultancies, technical and design companies, capable of fulfilling various construction disciplines, all of which combine together to create a turnkey contractor offering - from project execution to final handover and maintenance services - for clients who look to benefit from a single point of contact on any given project. “Our key focus is to ensure that we cover all areas and disciplines of the properties we refurbish and construct. The value-add offering is proving the preferred choice among our clients and enables us to create an individually-tailored solution,” the CEO details. This business model has resulted in ZPC’s involvement in projects such as the Hôtel 2 Février Radisson Blu Lomé, Beacon Island Resort Hotel in Togo; Sun City The Cabanas Hotel, Sun City Vacation Club and Sun City The Palace Of The Lost City for Sun…
Atlas Copco Zambia
Lasting Relationships in a Challenging MarketWriter: Emily JarvisProject Manager: Eddie Clinton Having supported the mining and related industries in Zambia for more than 60 years, Atlas Copco has remained true to its Group ethos of providing innovative products, services and solutions that encourage sustainable productivity for a cost-effective price.Leveraging its internationally-renowned status to keep abreast of the latest technological advances, the Company recently released its free underground app in Zambia, providing extensive access to the Group’s vast range of drilling consumables, mining & rock excavation equipment, compressors and information on related aftermarket support and services to an array of longstanding customers.With innovation representing one of Atlas Copco’s core values, the app is a powerful tool for daily business use that can be delivered through tablet or smartphone, while boosting efficiencies of sales teams on the ground.The Company’s deep-rooted influence in Zambia has, in recent years, been affected by economic, industry and regional challenges, the need to react to market changes quickly remains key to standing out from otherwise saturated market conditions.Atlas Copco Zambia’s Former Regional General Manager (GM), Daniel Banister explained previously: “Back in 2014, we had to address our internal inefficiencies to adapt to the current levels of business in the region.“There was a significant drop over the past two years in Zambia in regards to customers purchasing equipment, but a strong focus on the aftermarket services side. We therefore looked at our organisation and how it needed to adapt to fit this level of business.”By the end of 2014, Banister and his team had achieved this diversification,…
Kalyan Hospitality Development Ltd
Making History in Africa and BeyondWriter: Emily JarvisProject Manager: Stuart Parker Kalyan Group has long believed that its own development goes hand-in-hand with the social and economic development of the country in which it operates, and has subsequently ingrained itself into numerous industries - through a standardised set of philosophies and processes - to assist in the progress of a nation.Established by current Chief Executive Officer (CEO), Ashok Gupta, who brings as much as two decades of international business experience from the global market to the Group, Kalyan has diversified and expanded over the years to cater for the hospitality, shipping, mining, fund management, agriculture and poultry sectors; but hotel development remains one of its key drivers.Benefiting from an active presence across not only West Africa, but also Australia, India, Mauritius, Malta and the UAE, the identification of long-term, sustainable projects fits naturally into the wider Group’s ethos of socio-economic enablement and continues to have a profound influence in Togo, especially.“Kalyan believes the Company’s growth is connected to the growth of the country and the Group carries responsibility towards the social development of the country where it operates,” emphasises Gupta. “Kalyan seeks to add value to the countries it operates in, adding to the capital and social growth, making sure the majority of employees are recruited locally, trained and certified to the highest level in their respective fields to assist them in building and promoting their careers and improve their standard of living.”This business model has thus been applied to Kalyan Hospitality Development Ltd in managing the refurbishment and…
Ethiopian Airlines
Soaring to New HeightsEthiopian Airlines continues to receive the acclaim of the surrounding industry, as it goes further than any African operator in bridging the continent to the rest of the worldWriter: Matthew Staff | Project Manager: Tom CullumAs the largest and most profitable airline in Africa, it should perhaps come as no surprise to see the rapid expansion enjoyed by Ethiopian Airlines over the past 12 months, but the Pan-African global carrier has exceeded industry expectations and soared to new heights in 2015 to ensure it is not just the biggest, but the best.Embracing not just network enhancements, but also a careful acknowledgement of improved internal procedures, the culminating service offered across 91 destinations, five continents and 230 daily departures has led to numerous awards and widespread, international acclaim.Surpassing previously pioneering continental competitors in the process, Ethiopian Airlines’ seemingly constant broadening of its destination network has been a large driver behind the plaudits, both ‘nearby’ to other African nations, and to the wider world.Both Cape Town and Durban have been added to its previously sole South African representation in Johannesburg, while Goma in the DRC, Gaborone in Botswana and Yaoundé in Cameroon formed its domestic expansion strategy over the course of 2015.Meanwhile, Addis-Ababa was brought closer and more speedily than ever before to the likes of Tokyo in Japan, Manila in the Philippines, Sao Paolo in Brazil and Dublin in Ireland; complementing arguably its most significant foray which took the Company further into the US.Los Angeles was ticked off in mid-2015 and is now in…
Janus Services BV
Big Plans for Big BrandsWriter: Emily JarvisProject Manager: Sammy Wilkinson With a presence in 18 markets across West and Central Africa, JANUS SERVICES is targeting internal improvements - including upgrading the supporting structure of technologies used by the Company - in order to improve efficiencies, drive better customer engagement, and keep up with the demands of the fast-moving consumer goods (FMCG) market.Established in West Africa in 1996, JANUS SERVICES is today considered an instrumental regional trading partner for the supply of foods to the local markets.Seeing strength in shifting high volumes of a smaller selection of food products led the Company to gradually expand into further African territories, investing heavily in promotion techniques and building a reputation as a trusted supplier of high quality trademarked products such as milk powder, coffee, tea, rice and vegetable oils.In 2008, JANUS SERVICES opened a new office in the Netherlands due to the country’s well-known status as a commodity trader and exporter into Africa. “Targeting the eventual aim of operating along the entire west coast of Africa, this strategic expansion has better positioned us to reach our own goals, as well as meet the goals of our clients,” says Sunil Lachmandas Samtani, Managing Director (MD) of JANUS SERVICES. Eight years-on and the Company is investing back into the business in 2016, placing an emphasis on technology and enhancing the already substantial role that it plays within the business.Leveraging the Company’s strong family culture, JANUS SERVICES is committed to providing a good quality product from a good quality source in accordance with the needs of…
a.b.e Construction Chemicals
Contributing to the Sustainable Building RevolutionWriter: Emily JarvisProject Manager: Joe Palliser a.b.e. Construction Chemicals (a.b.e.) is making inroads into Africa despite facing an increasingly saturated market. Having launched several new products in 2015 as part of a wider growth strategy, aimed at diversifying its revenue streams by offering more solutions to its customers, the Company has significantly increased its market share in sub-Saharan Africa by widening the reach of its export division.Established in 1939 as a supplier of bitumen to municipalities in Kwa-Zulu-Natal, a.b.e. has grown in terms of both its size and product offering over the years; becoming a major supplier of specialised construction products to the building, civil engineering and building maintenance industries through an efficient branch network that secures a direct supply of product to its customers.Manufacturing out of its facilities in Boksburg, Johannesburg and Isipingo, Durban, a.b.e. is a wholly-owned subsidiary of the Chryso Group, a leading international supplier of concrete and cement admixtures. “Chryso’s South African division has invested heavily in plant infrastructure and new technologies, as well as technical training and customer support which a.b.e can leverage to further enhance its position in the market and add value for its customers,” says the Company on its website.Entering 2016, a.b.e. is to continue improving its internal processes through investment in further upgrades to its production facilities and via innovative research and development programmes; while utilising its existing supplier channels to introduce these new products to the market which further support its vision for the future.Product performanceWith the addition of a Chryso office in Kenya…
PCS Group of Companies
Better Results and Better GrowthWriter: Matthew StaffProject Manager: Tom Cullum PCS Group of Companies has developed into a leading importer, distributor and wholesaler of food and beverage products, and is now seeking enhanced diversification across its business arms to capitalise on an ever-broadening international presence.Recently celebrating its 50th birthday, the Pee Cee and Sons element of the Sierra Leonean Company has long thrived as a consequence of its key continental and global brand distributor arrangements, ranging across a variety of product categories.However, a later expansion into the manufacturing of plastic household items, plastic packaging, water tanks and PVC pipe solutions in 2001, via its sister Milla Group SL Ltd branch, has helped to form a much more all-encompassing prospect to potential consumers in the region.“On a business level, PCS Group of Companies puts consumers at the heart of its strategy,” says General Manager, Rajesh Hemnani. “We have continually strived to build brands that have an impact on the daily lifestyles of the average consumer and place extra emphasis on procuring quality products from around the world, working with top level suppliers. We have been very active with ATL advertising around the country to promote the availability and quality of our products.“Anticipating changes in customers’ needs has helped us stay robust in an ever-changing market and we take the time to study market research to get insights on how, where and when products are consumed.”The Group’s commitment to innovation and willingness to adapt to fluctuating trends has been pivotal throughout the business’s evolution, and remains core to its success today,…
Coca-Cola Sabco Mozambique
Gaining Momentum through a Strategic AcquisitionWriter: Emily JarvisProject Manager: Josh Hyland With a global beverage portfolio comprised of more than 20, one billion-dollar brands, The Coca-Cola Company is taking all the right steps to capture the enormous growth opportunities available in the non-alcoholic ready-to-drink beverage industry worldwide.After the announcement of an agreement to combine its European businesses into a new company called Coca-Cola European Partners Plc in August, 2015 – becoming the world’s largest independent Coca-Cola bottler based on net revenues – the globally prominent bottling Company has been aggressively driving productivity and streamlining the business to accelerate growth across all its countries of operation.In Africa, Coca-Cola Sabco has also benefitted from this Group-wide vision, with preparations well underway to combine its non-alcoholic ready-to-drink beverages and bottle operations with SABMiller Plc and Gutsche Family Investments (GFI, majority shareholders in Coca-Cola Sabco) in East and Southern Africa. The new bottler, Coca-Cola Beverages Africa, will serve 12 high-growth countries accounting for approximately 40 percent of all Coca-Cola beverage volumes in Africa. “A combined Coca-Cola bottling operation is further evidence of our commitment to Africa, and our firm belief in the tremendous growth prospects that the continent offers,” the Chairman and CEO of The Coca-Cola Company, Muhtar Kent said in a statement at the time of the announcement. “As one of the top 10 largest Coca-Cola bottling partners worldwide, Coca-Cola Beverages Africa can leverage the scale, resources, capability and efficiency needed to accelerate Coca-Cola growth and contribute to the economic and social prosperity of African communities.”Coca-Cola Sabco Mozambique With an estimated consumer base…
Mars Food South Africa
Championing the Sustainability AgendaWriter: Matthew StaffProject Manager: James Mitchell As one of the world’s most reputed and renowned food manufacturers, it may well seem an inevitability that Mars is ahead of the game when it comes to efficiencies and sustainable operations, but the Company’s ability to remain entrepreneurial and flexible within a Group of that size is an attribute that few can match.The confectionery, food products and pet food producer is a truly global entity, with brands including Mars, Snickers, Bounty, Whiskers, Pedigree and Uncle Ben’s established household names in each region of operation. In South Africa, the Company is equally prominent through its manufacturing and distribution network, with the country one of the more interesting platforms on which to promote more sustainable processes and operational excellence.The annual gathering at the increasingly significant Retail Congress event once again set the tone for heavyweights like Mars to not just share their own expertise, but to feed off the industry’s potential game-changers, of all sizes, with a view to enhanced sector prominence in the future.Having been present in South Africa for 12 years, Mars’ ongoing investments into factory optimisation has been award-winning; complementing a general, global knowledge base and making the Company’s future incentives all the more fascinating for peers at Retail Congress Africa 2015.Triple bottom lineThis year’s topic discussed by Mars was ‘Driving a Triple Bottom Line Strategy: Championing the Sustainability Agenda’; an area very much in Mars’ wheelhouse and one which Mars Food’s Supply Chain Director, David Hallett happily addressed as he discussed the Company’s view towards a more…
Ghana Rubber Estates Ltd (GREL)
Staying FlexibleWriter: Emily JarvisProject Manager: Joe Palliser Remaining solvent despite facing a global decline in the international price of rubber (SICOM) and steadily increasing operational costs, Ghana Rubber Estates (GREL) has placed a concerted focus on strategic ways to improve efficiencies and increase production for minimal cost in order to maintain its competitive position in a toughening market.“2015 was a difficult year, so we have been concentrating on lowering the cost of production while maintaining our high level of quality to meet our sales commitments,” explains Lionel Barre, Managing Director of GREL.Proud of its locally-recognised status as a truly Ghanaian Company embedded in the country’s industry since 1957 - and led by Barre who has brought his extensive history in the international natural rubber and agri-business sectors to Ghana - GREL is well experienced in handling fluctuating rubber prices and the many ways to adapt to keep its head above water.Continued consolidationAfter gaining support from the Government of Ghana and private interest from various tyre companies to rehabilitate Ghana’s natural rubber plantations in the 1990s and early 2000s, GREL has grown to a size of more than 20,000 hectares of estates today, with phase five of its outgrowers project nearing completion.“We have more than 40,000 hectares of outgrower rubber trees planted and are working to extend our activities to the western, central and Ashanti regions, and have most recently expanded into the eastern region,” says Barre.Not only has GREL been expanding the amount of land managed by outgrowers, but the Company has been replanting and extending its own estates…
MTN South Sudan : Setting the Tone for Long-Term Success
Setting the Tone for Long-Term SuccessWriter: Emily JarvisProject Manager: Donovan Smith MTN South Sudan has spent the past five years working tirelessly to address the existing economic and infrastructural development gaps in the country, with the ultimate aim to formalise and bolster its operations by firming up the challenging building blocks required to do so.“MTN now has an impressive 38 percent market share in South Sudan and in order to maintain this leading position, 2016 will be all about the value-add behind the scenes; such as stabilising the grid by installing adequate infrastructure, improving our services, creating additional products and continuing local training regimes,” says Philip Besiimire, MTN South Sudan’s Chief Executive Officer (CEO).As part of the South African-based multinational mobile telecoms Company, MTN Group, the South Sudan operations are a relatively new addition to the organisation’s increasingly growing African footprint; incepted in 2011 at the beginning of the country’s independence. Despite the current challenges arising from the Government’s decision to devalue the local currency at the end of 2015, MTN South Sudan is one of few international companies to persevere and see a light at the end of the tunnel, whenever this may be.He notes: “South Sudan has very specific needs which need to be answered in tandem with stepping into the fray and matching the technologies offered in other parts of the world. When you mix all the social and economic challenges together, it makes this an even tougher task.“We have barely realised the market potential here, but for this to be fulfilled, we need to help…
BBF Safety Group (Pty) Ltd
A Step in the Right DirectionWriter: Emily JarvisProject Manager: Joe Palliser BBF Safety Group (Pty) Ltd merges some of the most respected, family-owned safety footwear manufacturers in South Africa together; namely Beier Safety Footwear (Pty) Ltd, Bagshaw Footwear, United Frams and Wayne. During the course of the past 14 months, the Group has sought to diversify its portfolio and attract new customers from a broader range of sectors across the industry.Equipped with this renewed focus, the BBF Safety Group has its eye keenly focused on the latest industry trends to remain ahead in the safety footwear sector, and to capitalise on the growing demand for high quality products, made with industry-leading technology.“Today, our combined experience in safety footwear encompasses more than 200 years and we are proud to offer some of the most recognised and trusted brands in sub-Saharan Africa; including Bova, Frams, Fuel, Lemaitre, Sisi, Inyati and Wayne,” states Silvio Ceriani, Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the BBF Safety Group.Operating from its four manufacturing facilities in Durban, Port Elizabeth and Johannesburg, the BBF Safety Group is in the process of acquiring new machinery to not only grow its production capabilities, but continue to innovate and explore the possibilities of opening up the Company’s revenue streams across its select markets and industries, with a continued focus on safety products.New year, new focusIn alignment with its objective of continuous improvement, the BBF Safety Group will begin 2016 with a key member of staff who will look closely at the right opportunities for the Company to develop in 2016 and beyond.…
Gilat Satcom
Enabling Connectivity with Value-Added SolutionsWriter: Emily JarvisProject Manager: Donovan Smith With the level of communication continuously growing in Africa and the unprecedented growth and utilisation of technology to enhance businesses, civilian life and industry, leading communication service provider, Gilat Satcom intends to grow into the value-added products and services that bolster the background management of cellular operations, ISP’s and banks to shape the future of technology on the continent.With a growing global satellite and fibre connectivity presence in 50 countries across Africa, Asia, and the Middle East, the Company represents the international arm of the US$7.5 billion Eurocom Group, created with the purpose of extending the reach of the Group into new markets and adding further value to telecommunication and satellite services.Eurocom, the largest privately-owned holding Company and largest telecommunications Group in Israel, offers a full suite of telecommunications services including landline, cellular, DBS and ISP services for the various governments, NGOs and cellular networks.“Leveraging this strong Group backing and communications infrastructure, Gilat Satcom has been able to access larger and more complex projects and also advance its communication channels to remain at the cutting edge of innovation, answering each individual market’s needs on a case-by-case basis,” explains Dan Zajicek, Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Gilat Satcom.“An Afro-Israeli Company”Gilat Satcom’s strategic move into Africa was a result of prior industry knowhow garnered from the market in Israel, allowing the Company to utilise its wider expertise to deploy a similar strategy in a new location. Having held a presence on the continent for more than a decade, the Company is…
Hillcrest Private Hospital
Quality and CareWriter: Matthew StaffProject Manager: Eddie Clinton A four-pronged approach has reaped dividends for Hillcrest Private Hospital over the past 12 months as the ongoing development, diversification and expansion of the building’s facilities maintained, and even gathered further momentum.With key goals encompassing a revised recruitment drive, an enhancement in quality and a more structured leadership hierarchy, the Hospital’s improvements in 2015 have subsequently paved the way for a new injection of targets in 2016, with continuous improvement a necessity, rather than a choice.“The main goals for 2015 were divided into four key areas,” explains Hospital Manager, Glenn de Villiers. “Firstly we wanted to recruit specialists to supplement or expand our service offering, and secondly we wanted to drive a holistic quality approach to nursing which ensured a positive patient experience.“Thirdly we wanted to ensure that, at a leadership level, we had the correct structure to enhance our vision of a quality service and lastly we wanted to grow our business for future development and sustainability.“In reviewing this, we have done well in the past 12 months, as we have added specialists and increased our service offering. We were rated by our Discovery patients as being in the top 20 hospitals in South Africa and we have restructured our nursing division by appointing two Deputy Nursing Managers to maintain our nursing standards to a growing patient base.”The Hospital continues to show year-on-year growth at double-digit levels in terms of patient volume, making this positive internal infrastructure development all the more pivotal, while additions to the offering - including a…
Avaya
Leading the Way in Africa’s Digital TransformationWriter: Emily JarvisProject Manager: Donovan Smith “Any vendor that comes to Africa needs to understand Africa: the problem most companies have is that they think of Africa as one country, where one approach will work, not a continent with 50-plus countries, each with their own political, educational, and technological systems,” says Hatem Hariri, Managing Director, Africa, Avaya. “There are more than one billion people here - with a huge mix of cultures, languages and development levels - and you can find people talking multiple languages in a single village.”For Avaya, a global leader in business communications software, systems and services, communicating and bringing people together is very much part of the cultural DNA. Even so, the company has grown its business in Africa through a very much hands-on approach, Hariri says.“Some companies want to work remotely here, but you can’t do that in Africa, you need to have a local presence,” he explains. “It’s an old adage that ‘people buy from people’, but it is definitely the case here. If you don’t have presence on the ground, you can’t really understand the diverse cultures and what is required.”Meeting customer needsWhile Avaya has had a presence in Africa since inception, like other companies it made the decision to step up its investment in the region after the global recession, as part of a greater focus on global growth markets. Having established its first office in Kenya, today Avaya has offices in Nigeria, South Africa and Egypt, with a presence in Morocco and Algeria, as…
Egoli Gas
The Natural AlternativeWriter: Matthew StaffProject Manager: Eddie Clinton Egoli Gas has monitored, adapted to and led the way across the energy and gas sector over the past decade, becoming a significant player in South Africa’s natural gas evolution.As one of the most prominent needs emanating their way into all sectors of society, the Companies behind industry progression can easily go unnoticed in the background, but Egoli’s willingness to move with the times, and to find optimum, contemporary solutions has led the Company to its current positioning as being the sole natural gas reticulation business in Gauteng; providing uninterrupted supply of energy to place it among the most reliable suppliers in the sector.Moving away from fossil fuels and into renewable energy in the mid-2000s, the subsequent success that the business has achieved has derived largely from strategic partnerships and has had a profound influence across numerous sectors; including industrial, power generation, domestic households, central water heating, commercial restaurants, multi-dwellings and even hospitals.While its overall footprint is restricted by its licence within the GreaterJohannesburg Metropolitan Area, Egoli Gas’ subsequent reputation in that region has become all the more prevalent, servicing more than 7,500 consumers across its aforementioned customer base in the process.“Our commitment to an energy efficient, low carbon lifestyle ensures an uninterrupted flow of natural gas ready to use when it’s needed, safely,” the Company’s Managing Director (MD), Shepherd Shonhiwa states. “The product is environmentally-friendly, safe, reliable and energy efficient natural gas.”Via its 1,200 kilometre pipeline network, Egoli Gas’ saturation within Johannesburg is filtered from an initial acquisition of natural…
Airtel Ghana
Best in ClassWriter: Matthew StaffProject Manager: Donovan Smith Airtel Ghana has confirmed its impressive and rapid national rise to prominence in the telecoms market as the country’s leader in data and digital innovation and the second largest operator in terms of network coverage.The accolade is inevitably a step towards the Company’s ultimate goal of becoming the market leader in the future, but has been somewhat cast to the background of Airtel’s extensive list of 2015 success stories, obscured by a plethora of significant investments, subscriber statistics, several awards for the Company and its acclaimed Managing Director (MD).Since Lucy Quist joined the business in April, 2014, the improvements instilled into Airtel Ghana’s operations have not only elevated the Company to new heights in the sector, but has been recognised as such via vastly increased consumer interest and numerous awards.Running parallel with this industry success has been an equally prevalent strive for wider community enrichment, partnering with world renowned organisations in an attempt to bridge the skills and tech knowledge gap that still exists within Ghana.First and foremost in 2015 though, a concerted drive towards infrastructural improvements was seen across its fibre and fixed-line networks, as well as through the digitisation of huge projects in the data space.As a result, customers are now enjoying 3.75G in some areas of the country and download speeds of up to 42mps via extensive fibre enhancements.“The thinking, when I joined the business, was initially around a repositioning of the Company, knowing that the industry was quite saturated and we needed a strategic move to set…
Victoria Commercial Bank
A Credit to Kenyan BankingWriter: Matthew StaffProject Manager: Callum Philp Victoria Commercial Bank (VCB) has built upon a successful 2014 with an even more prosperous 2015 as it continues to capitalise on the positive reputation constructed within Kenya’s finance industry.Consistently ranked within the top three institutions in the sector and country among its peer group over the past half a decade, expansion and continuous improvement are two philosophies deeply ingrained into the fabric of the Company, and have been ever since the organisation’s inception in 1987.A consistent leadership and management model has further aided the smooth organic evolution ever since, and Chief Executive Officer, Yogesh Pattni has been there to witness it all.“Following the start of our operations, we converted to being a fully-fledged commercial bank in 1992, offering all the banking services that come with being a commercial bank, and we have grown over the past 29 years to now have three branches, with an intention to open a fourth branch next year, and a workforce close to 60 people,” he noted back at the start of 2015.“Out of the 43 operational licensed banks in the country, we may only be around the 25th biggest but we have been ranked as the leading bank for several years in our peer group.”Regarding the past 12 months of progression, he enthused: “The year 2015 has been largely successful with most objectives being realised and being met in spite of the difficult environment and the banking difficulties experienced in the last quarter of the year.“We launched the VCB Master Card credit…
Appolonia – City of Light
Leaders in Africa’s Urban FutureWriter: Emily JarvisProject Manager: Stuart Parker With representation in 12 of the 25 fastest-growing economies in the world, Rendeavour is capitalising on Africa’s economic transformation and the subsequent urban development opportunities that are currently attracting huge amounts of interest from investors and property developers globally.Working in partnership with world-class experts, local developers, governments and making concerted efforts to integrate into the local communities, the Group is the name behind many of the continent’s most prominent large-scale, mixed-use, mixed-income satellite cities.“Our developments are designed as integrated live-work-play urban environments, free of the infrastructure deficits of neighbouring city centres. They will act as catalysts for growth along the corridors that connect them to the city,” the Company says on its website.Economic transformationRendeavour is the name behind several key mixed-use landmarks in Africa today, including Tatu City, Kenya; King City, Ghana; Lekki and Jigna, Nigeria; Roma Park, Zambia; Kiswishi, DRC; and the prestigious Appolonia – City of Light in Ghana.“Rendeavour’s vision goes beyond alleviating what is a self-evident problem; that of stifling urban congestion and a dearth of quality housing and commercial property in Africa...We aim to help create the infrastructure - the living and working spaces, communities, schools and hospitals – that will help sustain and accelerate Africa’s economic growth, meet the aspirations of Africa’s burgeoning middle-classes, and serve as a means for urban development,” the Company adds.Proud owners of more than 12,000 hectares of land in key urban growth trajectories of major cities including Kenya, Ghana, Nigeria, Zambia and the DRC, Rendeavour is leading the way…
Allied Builders (Seychelles) Ltd
Seychelles’ Premier Player in ConstructionWriter: Matthew StaffProject Manager: Stuart Parker Allied Builders (Seychelles) Limited continues to change the face of construction in Seychelles as its innovative approach to the most exciting and challenging of projects opens the door to more and more opportunities on the island nation.The privately-owned, family-managed arm of the wider Kurjibhai Ramji Group (KRGroup) has leveraged its ability to offer high-quality construction and property development services for the best part of four decades since its inception in 1980, with its success emanating across the very highest echelons of Seychellois society.Focusing primarily on civil engineering works - incorporating airports, office buildings, water supply engineering, roads, town planning, hospitals, houses and hotels - the majority of Allied Builders’ work has come as a result of its affiliation with the country’s Government and Ministries; paving the way for longstanding, sustainable prosperity both in terms of its completed projects, and indeed, the Company’s own internal development.“Allied Builders (Seychelles) Limited carries the pride of being the most trusted and preferred contractor of the Government of Seychelles since 1980,” the Company affirms. “Today, Allied Builders implements some of the most exciting and challenging projects underway in Seychelles.“Our projects encompass divergent areas like airports, hotels, irrigation engineering, sewage and wastewater management, roads and town planning, docks and harbour engineering, as well as residential, commercial and corporate constructions.”While many companies in such an advantageous market position might take future success for granted, however, much of Allied Builders’ ongoing progression stems from its refusal to rest on its laurels and the subsequent drive to keep…
Planning Interiors Ltd
International Standards with a Kenyan FlavourWriter: Matthew StaffProject Manager: Stuart Parker Planning Interiors is bridging the gap between global expectations and East African identity as the interior design firm of choice in a region that promises to be the final domain for international business migration.Taking the decision to fly solo in 2003, following 10 years of operations as a subsidiary of Planning Systems Services, the consultancy’s subsequent 12 year evolution has comprised a diversity and expansion, not only of its service portfolio, but of its sector clientele also; planting the Company in the perfect position to raise the bar for the industry in its native Kenya, and the surrounding region.Managing Director (MD) and joint owner, Eugene Ngugi explains: “I have participated in international design forums for a number of years and have always found that Africa is grossly underrepresented. This means that in a lot of ways, Africa is the last frontier when it comes to potential for investment and development.“The last place to look in terms of these ideas and innovations is Africa, and one of my goals is to help put Kenya on the world map as far as interior design is concerned.”Progressing hand-in-hand with this strategy is the Company’s internal drive to enhance its own capacities and capabilities; an ambition that has been in place ever since it gained independence in 2003, and one that has been all the more necessary through the influx of world-renowned international clients.Ngugi continues: “While general design trends at the moment are seeing more standardisation and an almost uniform approach to…
Rainbow Junction Development Company
The New Pulse of BusinessWriter: Matthew StaffProject Manager: Stuart Parker Rainbow Junction is well on its way to realising its potential of ‘building the capital city to towering heights’, evolving Pretoria’s periphery to levels of infrastructure, grandeur and sustainability previously unseen in the country.Tasked with achieving these goals is the Rainbow Junction Development Company who has not only been responsible for the ongoing development of the area - situated in the foyer of the city of Tshwane, six kilometres north of Pretoria’s CBD - but has since been trusted with numerous government infrastructure project add-ons as the scope and influence of Rainbow Junction gains further national significance.Dating back to 2001, Rainbow Junction is an ongoing development situated across 140 hectares of mixed-use private-sector land, bringing world-class integration and access to Pretoria via one of the most diverse and eclectic complexes in the country.“Rainbow Junction provides an exciting and aspirational world-in-one for business, living, leisure, and tourism,” the Rainbow Junction Development Company states. “The spectrum of the rainbow is reflected in this iconic melting pot of diversity, integrated planning, carefully co-located facilities and vast possibilities.“Rainbow Junction is the new definitive address of the capital city and will lead the way in modern living. Significantly, the city’s largest multi-modal interchange incorporating Bus Rapid Transport is under construction at Rainbow Junction. Rainbow Junction has also been officially classified as a catalytic project within the city’s ‘Zone of Choice’.”All told, Rainbow Junction stands as R12 billion and 670,000 square metres of vibrant constructed development, bridging traditional trade and the most modern, ecological and…
Turner & Townsend
Truly GlobalWriter: Matthew StaffProject Manager: Stuart Parker Turner & Townsend has spent the past 34 years striking a perfect balance between a replication of its esteemed global business model and an unrivalled adherence to local considerations in Africa, and is now looking to take this ethos to an even wider clientele on the continent as it strives to become a truly pan-African entity.As part of the 70-year old international professional services Company - boasting more than 4,000 staff, 90 offices and eight regional counterparts around the world - Turner & Townsend’s African operations have gone from strength to strength since inception in 1982, diversifying and expanding to replicate the renowned service provision kick-started in the UK all those years ago.Focused around the property, infrastructure and natural resource markets in particular, the formerly solely quantity surveying business is now a bow with many strings and specialises in major programme set-up, assurance, contract services and information modelling, to name just a few of its service offerings. However, the Company’s market advantage and differentiators derive from far more than simply volume.“I think it comes down to a number of things,” says the Company’s Africa Managing Director, Ian Donaldson. “Foremost our clients, the relationships we have with them, and our understanding of them; knowledge built up in our business over the years; and the way we harness and manage that knowledge to their best advantage.“Secondly, we are very focused on what we know we do well. This is also aided by our independence and our partnership model. It is the people in the…
Amdec Property Development
Embracing New UrbanismWriter: Emily JarvisProject Manager: Stuart Parker Amdec Property Development has further solidified its reputation as South Africa’s leading developer of new urban lifestyles in recent years, leveraging a strong network of industry relationships to grow opportunities, offering its full-turnkey services and expertise to develop some of the country’s most iconic mixed-use projects.Since establishment 26 years ago, Amdec’s portfolio now proudly extends across the residential, commercial, business and hotel & hospitality sectors. Currently underway, its latest large-scale new urban developments - most notably the latest phase of Melrose Arch, Yacht Club and Westbrook - aim to integrate urban living, working, shopping and leisure in one place. “By investing in these larger new urban developments, we are able to keep track of property trends, and use this information to accommodate further expansion in reaction to changing industry trends and popularity,” says Nicholas Stopforth, Managing Director of Amdec Property Development.It was this notion which the culturally-significant Melrose Arch was first constructed, representing a post-Apartheid New Urbanism development in South Africa, with many of the original properties worth almost triple their initial asset value today.“Our urban precincts essentially address the key challenges and demands of modern suburban living; offering energy efficiency, sustainability, connectivity and providing convenience by drastically reducing commuter times, among other benefits,” he explains. Based on the success of New Urbanism, Amdec is now exploring ways to take its expertise to new geographies by forging mutually beneficial business partnerships with those who share the same wealth of construction experience and aptitude for New Urbanism; while on the other hand, remaining focused…