We are thrilled to announce that both the public and private sectors appear to recognize the value of board diversity as BPW SA has been approached in the last month alone, to assist with eleven board vacancies for women on our Register.  Women and men have different interests and perspectives in important areas, and boards are starting to see the importance of utilising these varying experiences to tackle the tremendous challenges. 

BPW SA and the Department of Trade & Industry (the dti) want boards of directors to widen the search for talent by looking beyond the traditional pool of executives and bring new potential to light.  It is for this reason that we have joined forces to provide a Women on Boards programme to create a Register of female leaders in South Africa who are excellently trained and, as a result, are highly sought after by Boards.  After all, why on earth would you voluntarily exclude half the smart people?

Our first group of 19 senior women, all thoroughly trained through our 9-month Women on Boards director development programme and certified by the dti, are now available on our register of Board Potential Women Directors and we urge companies to contact us for potential female directors.

Seven of our graduates are in line for board interviews , many have been interviewed by the media – both radio and magazines – and all will be profiled in the KZN Chamber of Commerce Power Book (2015). As an ongoing service to the graduates, BPW SA continues to raise their profile in an effort to access suitable board placements.  We have proven that board diversity is not a supply problem, but rather a demand problem.

BPW SA is proud to announce that we have incorporated an international module into the Women on Boards programme.  Business acumen - incorporating business finance and strategy - a must in today’s complex landscape. Business acumen is a keen understanding of what it takes for an organization to make money.  It combines financial literacy – the ability to interpret numbers on financial statements – with business literacy – recognizing how strategies and decisions impact these numbers.  Call it a sophisticated business simulation. Call it an exercise in experiential learning. Or call it a board game. Whatever you label it, the simple fact is that the training is fun and will gives participants a true competitive edge.

A recent Women on Board graduate, Tebogo Maziya, who holds a Masters degree in Science, a postgraduate diploma in finance and a B Comm degree says the nine-month journey has been fulfilling. “I learnt there’s a risk and that that risk is manageable. So it’s important for the board to be transparent and accountable and for a board member to be aware of decisions made because they will be held accountable.”  Another graduate, Amantha Maharaj, a BSc electrical engineering graduate with an MBA, who works a top management level at an engineering consultancy says of the programme: “It teaches one to know how a board is structured, what to do, and questions one needs to ask when sitting on a board. It also teaches business risk and how one should view business from a higher level. It was certainly value for money.”

For more information about our Women on Boards Programme, please visit our website at www.bpw-jhbsa.co.za or contact us at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or (011) 794-4991.

Johannesburg, South Africa- This article aims to notify you about Trade Conferences International (TCI)’s upcoming conference so that you can diarise it. The Pricing & Billing Conference 2014 will be held at Emperors Palace in Kempton Park, Johannesburg on the 19 & 20 November 2014.A carefully selected panel of industry experts will share their research based presentations and impart vital information with delegates. Pricing and billing challenges, solutions and strategies will be discussed. Great networking opportunities will be afforded and new contacts established. You will also be treated to insightful case studies to give a practical perspective to the whole conference.

Topics are designed to cover a wide scope of all the vital and pertinent areas of the pricing and billing space. Some of the topics to be discussed include; evolution of pricing models, global pricing and billing trends, value-based pricing strategies, product pricing management strategies, pricing and billing strategies to improve profitability, pricing and customer dynamics, product and pricing life-cycle management, exploring relationship pricing models, negotiations of new prices, pricing and billing standardisations, transfer pricing regulations, managing transfer pricing risks and compliance in cross-border transfer pricing.

Besides learning and gaining new insights on current trends and strategies on pricing and billing, the conference will provide you with a great opportunity to compare notes and interact with your fellow colleagues and professionals working in various sections such as product pricing, transfer pricing, payments processing & pricing, markets pricing & risk, transactional products pricing, actuarial pricing product development, product market research, risk & capital management, commercial billing & support, billing management, business analysis, core banking projects, client value management, value optimisation, customer relationship management, client profitability, sales & marketing, underwriting, auditing, accounts, transaction & forex products, business enablement & wealth, customer Service & billing, costing & pricing analysis, billing & IT, procurement & supply chain, revenue management, financial planning, wholesale billing services, billing & Production.

Trade Conferences International is well known by the financial industry, with more than 1200 delegates attending our financial events during the past 2 years.To register, complete the registration form on the brochure and fax it to us on 086 582 2981, or email it to This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..

For more information please contact Naison Chilenge, Project Manager at TCI on +27 11 803 1553 or alternatively email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.MORE ABOUT THE ORGANISER - www.tci-sa.co.za REQUEST A BROCHURE - Email  This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. I WOULD LIKE TO KNOW MORE ABOUT SPONSORSHIP & EXHIBITION OPPORTUNITIES - Email Sian Wirth, Marketing Manager- This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. 

http://www.financialconferences.co.za/Pages/Event6.html

Southern Africa’s very own 30% Club is now a reality, following a launch at a special event in Sandton on 11 September.

The launch was held in association with UK Trade & Investment at a private dinner, with Guest of Honour, Baroness Patricia Scotland, the British Prime Minister’s Trade Envoy to South Africa.   The 30% Club - initially a UK initiative - is now an international grouping of chairmen, CEOs and senior partners of private sector organisations that are committed to bringing more women onto the boards of directors. This is done because they believe it is good for the overall effectiveness of the boardroom, which translates into it being good for business.

The 30% Club is present in Hong Kong, Kenya, USA, Ireland and now Southern Africa. Clubs in Australia and Canada are launching this year.    The Club itself takes its name from the fact that 30% is the widely-suggested proportion required for the contributions of a member of a minority group to become valued in their own right, rather than merely as representatives of that group.  

Colleen Larsen, President of the 30% Club Southern Africa commented “The launch of the 30% Club in Southern Africa represents the culmination of two years worth of hard work by Business Engage, the Southern African custodians of this global organisation, to convince enough leaders to follow the ever growing tide of enlightened businesses that are seeing the business case for having increased gender diversity at director and senior management level. It is part of a “quevolution” or a quick evolution in business, initially in South Africa. Those who are coming on board demonstrate their understanding of the change in how we will be doing business in the future, and not just because of any pending legislation.” 

Speaking at the dinner, British High Commissioner, Judith Macgregor said that she was delighted at the launch of Southern Africa's 30% Club.   “This launch comes in the same week when two very high profile women from the UK are visiting SA: namely the Lord Mayor of the City of London, Fiona Woolf and the Prime Minister's Special Trade Envoy for SA, Baroness Patricia Scotland,” says Macgregor.   “Many of their talks and contacts here have been with professional women in senior positions. I believe it is vital that women join together to remove the last vestiges of the glass ceiling and claim their place in the boardroom. The 30% Club will be a great spur to achieving this.” 

In its experiences elsewhere in the world, the 30% Club has found that companies are generally willing to share their experiences in such a collaborative manner, with the aim of collectively improving the retention of high potential women and in so doing, deepening the talent pool for all.   The 30% Club Southern Africa will adopt a collaborative approach, working closely with and obtaining support of leading businessmen and businesswomen in the region. Its partner, Business Engage, will assist in coordinating a range of pipeline development programmes, adding new ideas and encouraging companies to work together in this regard.   The Southern African chapter also plans to work with the relevant government and non-governmental entities. Moreover, it will be targeting both the executive search community and the investment community, driving forward targeted pipeline initiatives where the female attrition rate is identified as being acute.  

Baroness Patricia Scotland added that the launch of the Southern African 30% Club has brought to fruition an aspiration which was first formally expressed earlier this year, in celebration of International Women's Day.   “It is a demonstration of the energy and commitment of the Business Engage team, led so ably by Colleen Larsen, that they have achieved their goal of launching the initiative within six months.”   “I wish them well and I am sure that if the energy and dedication they have so far demonstrated is an indication of what they together will produce in the future, South Africa's private sector will be greatly enhanced,” concludes Baroness Scotland.    

Contact:

Colleen Larsen
President: 30% Club Southern Africa
Cell: 084-353-9865
E-mail: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE --- 17/09/2014

Verifying the identity of an individual has never been easier with the new real time ID verification with photograph checks from V-Report.

No matter if you are opening accounts within the retail or banking sectors or assisting the job market in finding alternative employment, this verification can reduce your risk as well as the occurrence of potential fraud. Have you ever wondered how many times you have had a fraudulent identity document in front of you, but been none the wiser. Now V-Report can take care of the guesswork for you.

When using our new ID verification with photograph checks, you will receive real time confirmation to your inbox confirming the validity of an individual's personal information as well as the photograph on file associated with that individual at the South African Home Affairs Department. V-Report has two ID Verification with photograph checks on offer, the first option will verify the name and surname to the identity number provided and supply the associated photograph. The second option has more demographical information supplied, such as age, gender, citizenship and death status with the associated photograph being supplied.

Shane Meintjes, MD of V-Report said "V-Report has been on a drive to supply and source quality services and checks for our clients to help reduce fraud and the risks involved, we believe that our new real time ID verification checks are a big step in the right direction."

Once again, trying to assist clients as speedily as possible in making decisions, V-Report will soon be bringing the big four credit bureau's Transunion, Experian, Xpert Decision Systems (XDS) and Compuscan with real time credit checks to your inbox. Another positive step in the right direction we believe.

V-Report for your perusal can be found at www.v-report.co.za, 

We can be contact on (011) - 432-4416 or at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. anytime.

Cape Town, South Africa – September 17, 2014 – Onsoft today announced the successful hosting of their Service Management Solution for the Nigerian-based Benin Electricity Distribution Company.

Onsoft was approached by the Benin Electricity Distribution Company (BEDC), based in Benin City, Edo State, Nigeria, for a solution to address their service delivery requirements.

Key elements of the Service Management Solution required by BEDC were that it had to be 100% web based and that it should be hosted by the service provider. This meant that BEDC need not invest in costly hardware infrastructure and server software.

BEDC required a Service Management Solution that would allow them to log calls from consumers and ensure that all customer requests were attended to timeously and resolved successfully.

A needs analysis was conducted by Onsoft and the findings presented to management. An agreement was concluded between Onsoft and BEDC where both parties agreed that the BMC FootPrints Service Management Solution would be implemented in a hosted environment.

One of the clauses of the agreement was the training be provided for all BEDC service desk agents by qualified trainers from Onsoft. This training was completed before the Service Management Solution went live.

All configuration and daily management of BMC FootPrints is done by qualified administrators based at the head office of Onsoft, in Cape Town South Africa.

Onsoft has over 15 years experience as specialist providers of service management software solutions that address a range of customer requirements from Customer Service to IT Help Desks. These solutions are available as a hosted or on-premises option.

Onsoft has implemented BMC FootPrints Service Management Solution for several clients in Nigeria working with a local reseller partner. Based on Onsoft’s successful track record, BEDC selected BMC FootPrints as their solution of choice.

In close collaboration with BEDC, Onsoft implemented a proof of concept BMC FootPrints Service Management Solution that the client signed off on.

Contact Information:

Ryan Danvers: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
Sales: – This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
Onsoft Support: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
World Wide Web: http://www.onsoft.co.za
Phone: +27 21 447 6106
Fax No: +27 21 4476652

CAPE TOWN, South Africa – Aldes Business Brokers, the largest business brokerage in South Africa with more than forty franchises around the country, has held their annual conference in March to honor their most successful franchisees. Aldes Atlantic, a Cape Town based Aldes franchise, has walked away with the top franchisee honors for the second year running.

“We've had another great year in 2013” said Andrew Hubbard, the franchise principal. “When it comes to the sale of a business, we make extensive use of the internet to drive our marketing and it has really worked well for us.” Spending heavily on Google Ad words, Aldes Atlantic is in a league of their own when it comes to marketing businesses for sale on the internet.

Aldes Atlantic has developed a proprietary web-based software system to handle the thousands of inquiries they receive during the year. This enables them to match buyers and sellers in a well-structured way with no-one falling through the cracks of forgotten tasks. Their software caters for automated email responses with matched links to various businesses for sale.

Recently Aldes Atlantic employed the services of digital marketing specialists’ puzhr.com to increase their generic search results. Having experienced the power of Google through their Ad words campaign, the next milestone is to drive even more buyers and sellers to their website via generic search results. “We are really happy engaging with puzhr.com as they fully understand the place of digital marketing in the sales process. They are a top class digital marketing agency who has taken time to understand the intricacies business brokers deal with daily.

” Having recently moved to new upmarket offices in Century City, Aldes Atlantic is poised for another good year in 2014. “We believe that credit constraints will ease in 2014 making it easier for buyers to fund purchases and to grow acquired businesses. This in turn will drive employment growth, something very necessary for South Africa.

” To find out how Aldes Atlantic can help you buy or sell a business visit their website at www.aldesatlantic.co.za

Konica Minolta South Africa’s bizhub PRESS C1070 has led to the innovative production printer brand receiving yet another award from the European Digital Press Association.

Johannesburg, South Africa – Konica Minolta has once again been recognised by the renowned European Digital Press Association (EDP), an alliance of Europe’s leading digital print magazines, which boasts more than one million professionals as readers. The EDP jury selected the bizhub PRESS C1070 series, as a winner in the category “Best cut sheet colour printer light production” 2014. This award confirms Konica Minolta’s path to continued success in the production printing market.

“We are proud that our continuous efforts to add substantial value to our customers’ businesses are gaining international recognition. After having won EDP Awards in 2009, 2011 and 2013, we are pleased to have impressed the jury with our bizhub PRESS C1070 series this time as well,” says Leon Minnie, product manager of production systems at Konica Minolta South Africa.

This year the EDP Awards received over 120 entries. Once a device has been submitted for the awards, the rigorous evaluation process starts with members of the Technical Committee investigating each product’s features and qualities, value to the user, support and service. External experts are also consulted for their input. At the end of the submission period the Technical Committee nominates the top products within each category for the final judging round, before finally deciding on the winner. This year’s winners were awarded their trophies at FESPA Digital in Munich, Germany.

The bizhub PRESS C1070 series for digital colour printing adds power, performance and simplicity to any production print application. It offers up to 71ppm print/copy output, familiar PC-like operation with a hand-held mouse, real-time image density and colour density control sensors, and digital colour imaging to rival offset printers at a fraction of the cost.

The bizhub PRESS C1070 colour printer is built for peak volumes of up to 350,000 impressions per month. The PRESS models provide a print resolution of 1,200 x 1,200 dpi, with 8-bit processing for smoother, more realistic images. The series offers high media flexibility, including the ability to print on paper weights up to 300gsm and paper sizes up to 330mm x 487mm.

These models also feature a large 15 inch colour touch-screen display with familiar PC-like operation. The maximum load that each printer will carry and seamlessly process through a vacuum feed paper tray with air-suction feeding technology is 7,500 sheets of paper. Various configurations are available by combining a wide variety of finishers such as an automatic ring binder, a perfect binding unit and a finisher for professional saddle stitching as well as a GBC punch unit.  

About Konica Minolta South Africa

Konica Minolta South Africa (KMSA) provides a comprehensive range of business solutions to businesses of all sizes, countrywide. The organisation is wholly owned by the Bidvest Group and believes in product excellence and exceptional service. KMSA is also the principal importer and distributor of the award winning bizhub collection of multifunctional printers, copiers, fax machines and other digital devices. Headquartered in Johannesburg, KMSA has an impressive distribution network that includes 17 branches and 49 dealerships in Southern Africa.  

CONTACTS:

Konica Minolta SA: Ritchi Smith, 0800 bizhub, This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
icomm: Debbie Sielemann, +27 (0) 82 414 4633, This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it., www.icomm-pr.co.za

You probably can't turn a corner in the office without hearing about Voice over IP--a popular, cheap, and effective way to provide telephony to businesses. The premise is simple: Instead of using the existing telephone lines in your building, or having new ones installed, you push all of your voice, teleconferencing, and video traffic through the Internet.  

The single most expensive component of a phone bill is the minutes. But VoIP differs from regular telephone service by treating your phone conversations as data passing through your IP network. In today's world, broadband is relatively cheap and easy to get, so VoIP has considerable appeal to businesses that want to cut costs and use their existing resources more efficiently.  

How VoIP Saves You Money
VoIP can reduce your business costs in several ways. First, it frees your business from ever having to to install new phone lines. VoIP services such as that provided by Atlantic Telecom Systems (KZN) provide equipment that hooks directly into your existing broadband network. You can even arrange for Atlantic Telecom Systems (KZN) to install the necessary hardware in your telecommuting employees' homes.  

You can also install VoIP software on mobile devices, so that your employees are always connected and reachable from a "work" line, even when they're physically away from the office.  

The usual business-phone features are available on VoIP: voicemail, caller ID, conferencing (including videoconferencing), and call forwarding--and it also supports unlimited long-distance calling, since the traffic goes out over the Internet.  

Using Voice Over IP services can save businesses a significant amount of time, money, and human resources that might otherwise be tied up on a landline-based telephone. In addition to the reduced long-distance costs of calling branch offices from the main office, businesses that convert their total telephone system to VOIP can save on long distance and international calls from all business locations. VOIP systems can also be expanded and maintained much more easily than standard telephone systems, since there is no additional wiring that must be run to add new telephones to the system.  

Perhaps a less obvious advantage is the money you can save while on the road. In case you have mobile workers who telecommute, softphones can be used so your calls can be received on mobile devices. All it requires is a softphone app such as Bria, which can be downloaded to iPhones, Blackberry and Androids. If mobility is important, VoIP gives you the edge without a big price tag. That way you never have to miss important phone calls and you have access to all the features you need to effectively run your business. You in effect use you mobile device (smart phone) as though you were sitting at your desk, when in fact you may very well be in another country.  

How Atlantic Telecom Systems (KZN) Saves you The Pain of Managing A Phone System   Atlantic Telecom Systems (KZN) takes responsibility for the complete system from and including the Telkom lines. You have one national number to call and Atlantic Telecom Systems (KZN) takes care of the fault, which reduces costs and downtime (since you don't have to wait for a telco truck to show up if the service does happen to go down). That frees you up to concentrate on the business you are in business for.  

Contact us now to see how you can painlessly change to a VOIP business phone system,and start saving on every call NOW!.  

Media Contact:

Rick Crouch
Regional Director
Mobile Phone: +27 73 418-6996
Email: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
Web: www.atlantic.co.za

Companies of all sizes and in every industry are quickly adopting video conferencing as a way to stay connected, increase productivity and cut costs in these difficult economic times. As prices on conferencing equipment drop and the technology becomes easier to use video conferencing is gradually becoming an efficient way for business to communicate with employees,customers and sales prospects. Below are a few benefits of adopting videoconferencing as part of your everyday operations. 

1. Increases Productivity Most conferencing systems now have features that allow users to share and edit documents, PowerPoint, Visio, etc., in real-time.The ability to easily share and collaborate within various formats has added another dynamic to video communications previously not possible. Decisions are made faster, products or services are brought to market quicker, and your sales cycle can be reduced. These benefits help increase sales, improve operational efficiency and allow businesses to stay ahead of their competitors.
   
   
2. Saves Money An additional tangible benefit of video conferencing is businesses can start saving money by reducing travel expenses. With a videolink your employees can maintain relationships and conduct business globally without increasing your carbon footprint or spending money on airline fare,lodging and meals. Adopting a video conferencing program is a great way to promote your company is “going green”
   
   
3. Keeps Employees Connected Video communication helps retain valuable employees who have to relocate or need to work from home a few days. This definitely saves on costly retraining or recruiting fees associated with hiring a new employee. It also allows those employees who are on the road a lot to quickly keep track of new policies, developments and add insights to the day-to-day operations. Being limited by geography is a thing of the past
   
   
4. Improve and Maintain Business Relationships Unlike traditional conference calls, emails or texts, a live video conference allows the participants to see facial expressions and body language; meetings become a lot more personal. Most video conferencing solutions offer recordings and storage solutions which allows businesses to save and archive important online meetings. These recorded sessions can also be used as future training tools or for compliance regulations.
   
   
5. Improve Work-Life Balance Whether long distance or just overnight travel, excessive traveling can burn out employees and put strain on their families. It’s common to have a flight delayed or even cancelled, and traffic in most metropolitan areas is just as unpredictable. Video conferencing is more reliable and ensures your meetings take place on time. Avoid the headache and stress of planning the entire day to travel to a meeting and instead, just point and click. Set up a video conference and give it a try! We think you’ll be pleasantly surprised by how easy it can be.

To learn more on how video conferencing can save your business contact us now.

MEDIA CONTACT:
Rick Crouch
Regional Director
Cell Phone: +27 73 418-6996
Email: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
Web: www.atlantic.co.za

What commodity innovations are taking place in trade finance, what is outlook for Africa’s trade corridors, what is South African banks role in an ever-changing trade finance environment? Exploring the state of trade finance, trends in the market and the concerns involved in making the financing of trade possible, the Trade Finance Conference 2014, hosted by Trade Conferences International, will address these issues, and more.

The Trade Finance Conference will take place on 5 & 6 November 2014, at Focus Rooms, Sunninghill, in Johannesburg. The speaker panel includes the likes of:Francois Visagie, Head: Structured Trade and Commodity Finance, ABSA Capital;Richard Harvey, Structured Trade Finance, First Rand Bank;Vanessa Miller, Managing Director, VM Consulting;Yusuf Ali Khan, Trade Head for Africa, CitiBank;Tsepo Tsotetsi, Documentary Trade Product Manager – Africa, Standard Bank;Graham Megaw, Head: International Banking Finance and Operations Support Services, Bidvest Bank;Meluleki Nzimande, Partner in International Trade, Webber Wentzel; amongst others.

Addressing industry developments and trends regarding the challenges associated with entering foreign market trade; innovations in commodity technology, the threat of growing trading companies to banks’ financing, integration across trading platforms, intra-African transactions across multiple regions, and global trading systems and investments, to name a few.

Network with your colleagues in the field dealing with corporate foreign exchange, commodity and export finance, corporate trade and cash, finance and securitization, cross-border negotiations, and Treasury and foreign assets control, to name but a few.

Hurry! The early bird discount rate is still on. Email Jason Joseph, project manager to secure your seat at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. Call 011 803 1553 for more information on the conference or speaking opportunities.