South Africa News Archives - Page 33 of 72

25Jan

By Africa BusinessNo Comments

South Africa News, Tech

Paramount Group Appoints Steve Griessel as Group Chief Executive Officer

Abu Dhabi. United Arab Emirates. 25 January 2022 - Paramount Group, the global aerospace and technology company, announced today that it has appointed Steve Griessel as its Group Chief Executive Officer. South African-born Griessel, a global business executive who served as CEO of several companies in South Africa and the United States, including two public companies, brings more than 30 years of business leadership and senior management experience to the group. Griessel, who is well known for driving innovative management practices across various industries, will assume the new role with immediate effect. He will be responsible for providing strategic, financial and operational leadership and will work closely with the Board of Directors, shareholders and senior leadership team. Ivo...

24Jan

By Africa BusinessNo Comments

Energy, Green Energy, South Africa News

Developing a quality culture across South Africa’s Solar PV value chain

By 2030, total installed PV capacity in South Africa is expected to reach 8,400 MW. However, if we want sustainable growth, we need to ensure that we develop and implement quality infrastructure for solar PV systems. “Embedding a culture of quality is vital if we want to unlock the huge economic potential of solar technologies”, says Richard Doyle, Managing Director at Juwi Renewable Energies and speaker at the upcoming Solar Power Africa conference in Cape Town. Doyle will be moderating a session entitled “Minimise risk and enable quality assurance”, which will outline the steps already taken towards establishing and evolving a culture of quality excellence in the South African value chain. Doyle will be joined by leading renewable energy experts David Raphael, Technical Director, SOLI...

18Jan

By Africa BusinessNo Comments

South Africa News, Startups

Policy Reforms Essential for Creating an Enabling Environment for Entrepreneurs

Faster economic growth requires determined implementation of policy reforms to promote confidence, investment, competitiveness, entrepreneurship and job creationi. This is according to the recently delivered Medium Term Budget Policy Statement. With this in mind, Matsi Modise, Chairperson of the South African Startup Act Steering Committee and Vice-Chairperson of SiMODiSA, together with Steering Committee members Tanya van Lill and Shelley Lotz from the Southern African Venture Capital and Private Equity Association (SAVCA), reflect on the policy changes that took place over 2021 and what can be expected in 2022: Lotz shares that 2021 saw two changes to policy which have had direct impacts on the country’s startups and other ecosystem role players: namely the relaxation of exchan...

17Jan

By Africa BusinessNo Comments

South Africa News

Big manufacturers need to redesign our (circular) economy

Last year saw the UK government call on all businesses to sign up to the globally recognised UN Race to Zero Climate Commitment, by pledging to go One Step Greener during COP26. With 45% of global greenhouse gas emissions coming from the way we make and use products and food, local business needs to start looking at how they contribute. The South African government has already been implementing the appropriate changes; last year, the Department of Environment, Forestry and Fisheries released an updated National Waste Management Strategy, which outlined government policy and strategic interventions for the waste sector and is aligned and responsive to the Sustainable Development Goals. “Over the last year or so we have seen a small increase in big manufacturing businesses wanting to impro...

15Jan

By Africa BusinessNo Comments

South Africa News, Startups

Make a success of sustainability: An innovative incubator aimed at equipping entrepreneurs to build the green economy

According to a recent study by the Council for Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR), transitioning to a more circular economy can create value across all sectors of the economy. The circular economy promotes sustainability, and the sector consists of businesses that focus on eliminating waste, leading to improved efficiency and greater profit margins. Sixty-five entrepreneurs will have the opportunity to join an 18-month innovative incubator programme that maximises the success of their businesses. The Fetola Circular Economy Accelerator (CEA) is a unique initiative that aims to provide South African entrepreneurs looking to scale their businesses in the circular economy with unparalleled access to mentoring and skills development. Businesses in the circular economy have the potenti...

13Jan

By Africa BusinessNo Comments

Business, South Africa News

Trends shaping the workspace in 2022

The first half of 2021 saw the return, albeit slow, of employees to offices and the realisation for many that they craved interaction with their colleagues, to collaborate with, bounce ideas off or simply talk to. The surge of the COVID-19 Omicron variant towards the end of the year, however, resulted in many companies delaying their return-to-office plans indefinitely. What has quickly become clear is that office spaces need to change to accommodate a workforce that is wary of crowded spaces, more aware of health precautions and accustomed to online interactions from the comfort of their own homes. In this post-pandemic world, with many buildings standing empty or only partly filled, what trends can we expect to see in office spaces that will draw people back and ensure maximum occupancy...

9Jan

By Africa BusinessNo Comments

South Africa News

New UK-South Africa Partnership Launched to Tackle Poverty, Unemployment, and Inclusive Economic Growth Through Innovation

South Africa has been ranked as the 13th biggest carbon dioxide emitter in the world[1]. For the country to help bring global energy-related carbon dioxide emissions to net zero by 2050, it will need to cut its emissions by approximately 60% to 75%[2]. Not only will this benefit the planet, but the people of South Africa too with up to 1.6 million additional jobs set to be created economy-wide through power sector transformation[3]. To aid with this, KTN Global Alliance Africa has now officially launched in South Africa. This is a six-year project funded by UK Aid through Innovate UK (GCRF) and Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO), the long-term ambition of which is to promote job creation, inclusive growth and poverty reduction through knowledge transfer, skills building a...

6Jan

By Africa BusinessNo Comments

Egypt News, Ghana News, Main, Morocco News, South Africa News

Africa is leapfrogging into the future of retail

The bi-annual Global Retail Development Index (GRDI), which is a study of the global retailing landscape has revealed Africa is poised to move away from traditional retail models and become the fastest-growing, richest, and most sophisticated market in the world. Prashaen Reddy, a partner at management consulting firm Kearney says that this is thanks to the explosive growth of young, urban, and digitally savvy consumers; increasing mobile phone penetration; the creation of digital payment and shopping networks; favorable governmental regulations and spending initiatives; and significant investment by both foreign and domestic companies. In the most stable times, retailers expanding their global footprint face a series of difficult decisions. Yet in the wake of COVID-19, together, these f...

6Jan

By Paul TomNo Comments

South Africa News

Are Brick Houses a Good Investment in South Africa?

Clay bricks are created using the same formula that has been used to build many famous structures. They are a long-lasting, visually beautiful construction material that works effectively over time. The final combination of raw materials provides clay brick its particular features, such as sturdiness, resilience, dimensional stability, and durability, as well as fire and weather resistance. If you’re considering building or buying a brick house in South Africa, it’s well worth the investment. Benefits of Brick Houses Clay brick houses are constantly in demand since they don't decay and practically always look like new. These are the main features that homeowners appreciate when it's time to sell. Clay brick is the preferred building material in the construction of new homes due to...

30Dec

By Africa BusinessNo Comments

South Africa News

SMEs of Tomorrow – Tips to Drive Growth in 2022

Employing over half the workforce, driving significant growth in the private sector, and representing some 98% of all businesses, SMEs are the lifeblood of the South African economy. Experts speculate that Digital Transformation, COVID-19 awareness, shifting supply-chain trends, and operational optimisations, are among the key areas where SMEs can drive improvements, and thrive in 2022. Tom Stuart, Chief Marketing Officer of SME services provider Lulalend, says that having already commenced some level of digitisation pre-COVID, many SMEs are now looking to complete their DT in earnest. “These businesses are implementing expanded digital marketing tools, decentralised remote work, e-commerce capabilities, cloud-based data centres, and improved cyber-security measures,” Stuart explains. H...