A blend of print and digital provides unique opportunities for interior sector The SA Décor and Design Buyers’ Guide is celebrating its 25th anniversary of showcasing the industry with a rather stylish return in the printed version that has made it such a household name as the go-to resource for décor, design and interior sector professionals and for lovers of all things chic. What's more, the publishers, their partners and advertisers are firing on all cylinders as the digital platform that was launched during the pandemic has grown into an unprecedented success story as the most visited site for anything décor- and style-related. Transformed the way buyers connect Due to popular demand from the industry, the new printed version of the Buyers’ Guide has been an absolute labour of love, says Marcia Margolius, well-known designer and decorator and author of the award-winning blog, “Marcia loves it”, on the SA Décor and Design website. “With our new look Buyers’ Guide, we have transformed the way buyers connect with the finest suppliers and service providers in the industry”. “This guide goes beyond highlighting suppliers; it’s a celebration of the talent and creativity that comes to life behind the scenes. Readers can immerse themselves in captivating projects and brands through vibrant full-colour photographs that showcase true artistry and craftmanship”. The result is a spectacular and comprehensive 504-page tome, a feast for the eyes with full page spreads, showcasing the crème de la crème of high-end suppliers and retailers. The new user-friendly system of icons allows the reader to quickly identify the products available along with a convenient QR code for scanning to connect directly with suppliers. Worthy of adorning any coffee table, the 25th edition of the Buyers’ Guide is in a new practical size of 220 mm x 220 mm, with a square back and a hardcover. Buyers’ Guide publisher Ian Hurwitz explains: “It is a size that is noticeably different …
Sold-out return of print edition of SA Décor and Design Buyers’ Guide at Decorex Cape Town
“We wanted the Buyers’ Guide to be a celebration of the talent and creativity that is so obvious in South Africa,” says Ian Hurwitz, SA Décor and Design publisher and CEO who last week hosted a packed launch of the newly formatted Buyers’ Guide. He adds: “We have many challenges in this country, but our creative industry has always punched above its weight and our décor industry continues to thrive despite all of this.” The return of the printed edition of the Buyers’ Guide this month took place on the 25th anniversary of this well-loved go-to resource for décor, design and interior sector professionals in South Africa. The launch on Monday 19 June at The Athletic Club & Social in Cape Town was attended by some 200 leading players in the décor industry, followed by a sell-out blast-off at Decorex Cape Town from 22–25 June at the CTICC. Buyers’ Guide was sorely missed “Three years ago, we launched our then-new online portal, sadecor.co.za, straight into the eye of the COVID hurricane,” says Hurwitz. “We were perfectly positioned at the time to transition into the digital sphere, and with the help of our partners and advertisers, we launched South Africa’s first world-class comprehensive aggregator portal into the market. With the multiple award-winning “Marcia Loves It” blog, weekly newsletters and social channels driving traction, we soon became the number one portal in the industry.” He continues: “A year ago, we also started visiting decor shows again. There we heard from many clients that the printed Buyers’ Guide was sorely missed in the industry and that it was time to bring it back. With decor shows worldwide back on track and book sales channels normalising, we decided that having a blend of digital and print was the way forward.” The result is a 504-page, prestigious, more practical and functional version of the Buyers’ Guide that better reflects, in a high-end way, the décor and design industry in South Africa. The premium design …
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Mediclinic and CSIR part of practical sessions on energy storage and alternative energy solutions at Enlit Africa in May
Practical case studies, success stories and discussions on energy storage and alternative energy solutions will be featured in free-to-attend sessions at the upcoming Enlit Africa conference and expo, taking place from 16–18 May in Cape Town. “As the energy market evolves, the need for more storage will be crucial for the future stability of the grid,” says Chanelle Hingston, Portfolio Director, Power and Energy for the VUKA Group, producers of Enlit Africa; “the intermittent nature of weather-dependent resources requires a component to capture and store excess energy for periods of high demand. That component is energy storage, which can help improve the stability and resilience of the electricity grid”. Mediclinic to become carbon neutral by 2030 Petrus Swanepoel, Mediclinic’s Infrastructure Sustainability Manager will unpack how his company has dealt with South Africa’s energy challenges in a presentation at Enlit Africa on “How to prepare for a successful storage project: Building the business case”. “Our strategy is changing,” says Swanepoel, “and we are investigating maximising renewable energy and installing as many PV panels as possible. Yes, we will have excess power and we want to use that excess power and store it in batteries and use these batteries during off-peak times, during loadshedding times or going forward, and if we are lucky and there is no more loadshedding, we want to use that battery storage in peak times to absorb the expensive costs of electricity during peak periods”. He continues: “We have also embarked on a wheeling strategy, whereby we buy offsite renewable energy. That's more of a long-term strategy. The market is developing at this stage, but to make sure that, at the end of the day, we cover our load onsite with renewables, our remaining part will be covered by offsite renewables in the form of wheeling. We have a global strategy to become carbon neutral by 2030”. The “just” in the just energy transition Only 1% of …
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Business in the DRC is booming for South African mining exporters as they return to DRC Mining Week
South Africa’s Department of Trade, Industry and Competition (dtic) will host a South African pavilion at DRC Mining Week in Lubumbashi for the fifth time from 14–16 June this year. The South African delegation will comprise companies providing the latest mining technologies, engineering, equipment, services and technical skills. Last year, the DTIC sponsored 22 companies to showcase their offerings at the event, which is the largest in the Copperbelt and surrounding regions. The department reported that the companies had expressed great satisfaction with the productive engagements at the expo with potential clients and partners, and they had acquired deals and secured sales onsite. “It is exciting in the sense that it gives opportunities to small- and medium-sized companies to get exposure for their new and innovative products and services,” says Siphamandla Kumkani, Trade and Investment Representative at the South African Department of Trade, Industry and Competition. He adds: “the DRC is an important mining country with a huge market for South African companies. This gives them opportunities to showcase, convene business-to-business meetings and establish long-lasting relationships beyond DRC Mining Week, which enables them to generate revenue and create the required jobs in South Africa.” “Mining in their blood” “The technical know-how, experience and specialist knowledge of our South African exhibitors are in great demand across the mining landscape on the continent, and in the DRC in the particular, as it is fast becoming a key mining destination as the world’s largest producer of cobalt” says Patricia Kazaka, event manager DRC Mining Week at the VUKA Group, the organisers of the event for the past 18 years. “And let’s not forget, both countries have mining in their blood,” she adds, “they are passionate, ambitious and ready to do business.” Last year, DRC Mining Week attracted nearly 7000 mining professionals in a record-breaking return to …
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Africa’s Green Economy Summit and Formula E provided extra kick-start for green invasion of the continent
The hugely successful Africa’s Green Economy Summit held in February during the E-Fest in Cape Town, culminating in the sold-out Formula E championship race attended by more than 25-thousand people, “created that extra kick-start for the much-needed green invasion that our continent needs” says David Ashdown, CEO of VUKA Group, organisers of the summit in partnership with e-Movement and Bellcrescent Partners. Ashdown adds: “It was a great success. Besides the various presentations and discussions, we had entrepreneurs pitching projects to investors at our pitch deck lounge, and our concierge match-making service set up in excess of 120 meetings, with one project securing US$2 million in seed funding on the day. That is the excitement of creating a deal-making environment. We’ve created a very robust platform to build from for the future.” With a jam-packed programme of more than 80 expert speakers, Africa’s Green Economy Summit brought together financiers, project developers, and government representatives, highlighting investment prospects that exist across the continent in the fields of green hydrogen, EVs, energy storage, solar, hydro and wind energy, infrastructure development, urban sustainability as well as manufacturing. Cape Town and Western Cape proud hosts As host province of the event during a week that loadshedding continued to cause problems for South African households and businesses alike, the Western Cape government had a strong presence at Africa’s Green Economy Summit, including the Premier Alan Winde, and took every opportunity to explain the steps that the local government was taking to alleviate the effects of the current electricity crisis on consumers and businesses as well as providing opportunities for investment in the local green economy. “Cape Town was proud to host Africa’s Green Economy Summit,” says the city’s Executive Mayor Geordin Hill-Lewis. “We’re on a mission to not only make our city the best and easiest place to …
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Premier Winde lauds “huge potential” as Cape Town welcomes Africa’s Green Economy Summit next week
“There is huge potential in the Western Cape’s green economy” says Western Cape Premier Alan Winde. The premier’s remarks come in the run-up to next week’s Africa’s Green Economy Summit from Wednesday, 22 February, where he will deliver the welcome address in the opening session. “The economy is bristling with opportunity even in the face of the enormity of the energy crisis”, according to Mr Winde. “While relentless loadshedding is causing considerable harm to our economy, the Western Cape Government is taking decisive action to counter the impact.” He adds: “Our province’s burgeoning renewable energy sector is being enabled by the Western Cape Government to find and jump on the opportunities to harness innovation in the green economy. We stand ready to confront this crisis head-on and to continue creating hope and optimism in our province.” Meanwhile, Gautrain Management Agency (GMA) confirmed its platinum sponsorship for the event this week. GMA CEO William Dachs said “the Gautrain was established with the aim of improving public transport in the Gauteng province, and alleviating the negative impact that traffic congestion has on air quality due to vehicle emissions. The GMA is currently investigating more ways of utilising green energy for Gautrain 2026 and beyond, and this remains a conversation that we will continue into a Gautrain market engagement conference on 27 March 2023.” Jam-packed programme With some 80 expert speakers in the jam-packed programme, Africa’s Green Economy Summit will bring together financiers, project developers, and government representatives, highlighting investment prospects that exist across the continent in the fields of green hydrogen, EVs, energy storage, solar, hydro and wind energy, infrastructure development, urban sustainability as well as manufacturing. The summit is part of the E-Fest Cape Town that will culminate in the Formula E 2023 Cape Town E-Prix race in the same week on Saturday, 25 February …
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Uber and Nissan partner with Africa’s Green Economy Summit as World Bank’s John Roome heads up outstanding line-up in Cape Town in Feb
The organisers of Africa’s Green Economy Summit, taking place in Cape Town from 22–24 February, have announced that global mobility giant Uber and car manufacturer Nissan will be official partners of the event. In addition, several more very prominent speakers have been confirmed for the packed two-day investment gathering. Africa’s Green Economy Summit will bring together investors, developers and governments, highlighting investment prospects that exist in the fields of green hydrogen, EVs and hybrid vehicles, energy storage, solar, hydro and wind energy, infrastructure development, urban sustainability as well as manufacturing. It is part of the E-Fest Cape Town that will culminate in the Formula E 2023 Cape Town E-Prix race in the same week on 25 February 2023. “There are huge opportunities for Africa to take advantage of business and technology innovation to drive green growth opportunities on the continent that will give both good climate outcomes but increase incomes and growth on the continent. This will require public policymakers, private entrepreneurs, investors and the financial sector to work together in a coordinated way to deliver on these opportunities.” So says John Roome, the World Bank’s South Asia Regional Director of Sustainable Development, and moderator of the session on “Accelerating Green Investment in Africa” at the summit. Setting the scene for the discussions, the World Bank’s John Roome explains that “Africa doesn't need to reinvent the wheel. There are four examples that I will talk about from India that give good examples of how India has been able to drive down the price of LED light bulbs and create a new business opportunity in street lighting, how they've been able to drive growth in e-buses across the country, how they've expanded rooftop solar and how they have expanded renewables through renewable energy solar energy farms, using a combination of public policy, private investment and financial sector …
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Spotlight on the future of commerce at next ECOM Africa in April 2023
Helping organisations become resilient and anti-fragile, focusing on the future of commerce and keeping up with the constantly evolving e-commerce sector will be at the heart of the upcoming ECOM Africa, taking place in Cape Town from 18–10 April 2023. The programme will comprise a global community of experts and practitioners and local success stories and up-and-coming start-ups, sharing their experiences in the latest trends across five tracks focused on: retail and e-commerce, fintech and payments, cybersecurity, fulfilment and logistics and the future of marketing. This will be the ninth edition of this flagship, specialist gathering for the e-commerce, etailing and fintech sectors. With an expected 2,500 attendees it is the largest e-commerce event on the continent. Digital transformation requires agility “Resilience has become a buzzword since the pandemic, and global geo-political, energy and economic challenges have continued since then,” says ECOM Africa MD Terry Southam. “However, resilience is not enough. Business leaders need to create anti-fragile organisations that not only survive but thrive in a time of accelerated change. Digital transformation requires agility, which is the ability of an organisation to renew itself, adapt, change quickly and succeed in a rapidly changing, ambiguous, turbulent environment”. ECOM Africa will present more than 60 speakers across three stages and five core tracks over two days. To ready companies for the future of commerce, attendees will gain practical insights and expert guidance on the direction of future technologies, best practices and change management in the digital era. The latest trends that will be unpacked include smart contracts, 3PL (third-party logistics), conversational AI, digital wallets, first-party data, creating a cybersecure culture, email security and social commerce. Track highlights Retail and e-commerce This track will focus on building resilient fulfilment and logistics …
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E Fest Cape Town to host Africa’s Green Economy Summit to connect capital to projects in Feb next year
Africa’s Green Economy Summit, an official E Fest Cape Town event, to be hosted from 22–24 February 2023, will focus on the exciting investment opportunities to accelerate Africa’s adoption of renewable energy, clean transport and clean technologies, such as green hydrogen, that can effect social change and development. Cape Town will host the E Fest from 22–25 February 2023*—a curated mix of content and events, showcasing our electric future in the week leading up to the first E-Prix event to take place on the African continent. “Our role is to be agents for positive change in the South African economy,” says Iain Banner, co-founder of E Movement Pty Ltd and Africa’s Green Energy Summit. “By staging the summit, we are creating a marketplace to ensure real investment is made into qualifying green economy opportunities, not just in South Africa but deep into Africa too. We are connecting global capital with African green economic opportunity, so as to ensure there is real impact on the ground”. SA needs to adapt to a green economy “Climate change is accelerating the need for a green economy transition in Africa,” Banner explains, “and South Africa needs to adapt to a green economy to remain competitive in the global economy”: - South Africa is the 12th highest carbon emitter in the world and the highest emitter in Africa. - Over 90% of transport emissions in SA is caused by road transport, and motorcars in particular, and yet, the uptake of electric vehicles is slow. - The slow adoption of EVs, along with the carbon intensiveness of the national electricity grid, uncoordinated policy frameworks and worsening socio-economic conditions have raised concerns over South Africa’s ability to adapt and remain globally competitive. Western Cape: top green economy “I look forward to participating in this exciting summit” says the Western Cape’s Minister of Finance and Economic Opportunities, Mireille Wenger, “precisely because building energy resilience is a …
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CEM Africa announces more international CX-perts for speaker line-up in August
Already known for connecting the CX sector’s biggest, best and brightest and sharing their success stories, the organisers of the CEM Africa Summit have announced the names of more experts who have not been featured on the speaker line-up of this long-running specialised CX* gathering before. *CX = customer experience The tenth edition of CEM Africa will return as an in person event in Cape Town from 23–24 August 2022. “CEM AFRICA is about getting real and separating true value from perceived,” says Shannon Mackrill, co-founder of the event, “the customer experience must be elevated, and to do so, we need to drive ROI, but first buy-in from the ultimate decision-maker is needed.” He continues: “After a period of virtual events, we are back with improved networking, matchmaking and opportunities to share with and learn from some of the brightest CX minds and practitioners in person, and we are thrilled with our line-up, particularly the new speakers”. New CX-perts on stage “Already pioneers in their respective industries and fields, locally and internationally”, says Mackrill, “the new names on our August agenda represent a wide variety of sectors, from car manufacturers, global consumer brands and financial services to specialised technology and CX forerunners and leading tourism organisations in the public sector”. This list includes the Western Cape Government Department of Economic Development and Tourism, Nestlé, Old Mutual, Standard Bank, Nissan, Sanlam, PNB Paribas, SA Taxi, Global Voice of #CX and The CX Group (the full list of new speakers appears below). Two-day expo and key content The latest edition of CEM Africa will gather more than 1000 delegates, including some of the brightest minds from hugely successful brands, such as Discovery, Checkers, Hollard, AVBOB, FNB, Mr Price and TFG, and many keen entrepreneurs and start-ups whose companies will also become household names in the near future. The event features a two-day expo …