With a little over a month left to reserve your seat for the Trade Finance Conference 2014, diarise 5 & 6 November where you will have the opportunity to network with decision makers in the trade finance field.

Hosted by Trade Conferences International, at Focus Rooms, Sunninghill, Johannesburg; trade finance experts will be sharing their insights and knowledge on the newest developments and advancements in the industry at the Trade Finance Conference 2014.Take advantage of this favorable opportunity to build lasting business connections and be in the know on the latest regarding trade finance.

A look at the expert speaker panel addressing the Trade Finance Conference 2014
• Harry Kaplan – Chief Executive Officer, American Trade & Finance Company
• Paul Masemola – Managing Director, MiSEC Advisory
• Robert Brine – Risk Lead, IQ Business Group
• Michael Shackleton – Senior Legal Executive, Credit Intel
• Francois Visagie – Head: Structured Trade and Commodity Finance, Absa Capital
• Richard Harvey – Seasoned Trade Finance Structurer and Deal Maker in Southern Africa, First National Bank
• Vanessa Miller – Managing Director, VM Consulting
• Yusuf Ali Khan- Trade Head for Africa, CitiBank
• Tsepo Tsotetsi – Documentary Trade Product Manager – Africa division, Standard Bank
• Graham Megaw – Head: International Banking Finance and Operations Support Services, Bidvest Bank
• Meluleki Nzimande – Partner in International Trade, Webber Wentzel
• Lodewyk Meyer – Director, Norton Rose Fulbright

“Attending the conference will be a great opportunity to network and build industry contacts,” says project manager of the conference Jason Joseph, “while getting a global view on trade finance.”

Email Jason to get more inside scoop on the event. This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or visit www.tci-sa.co.za to receive the registration form which can be electronically completed and submitted. There are group booking discounts available! Call 011 803 1553 to find out more.

Website: www.tci-sa.co.za/unlocking-south-africas-international-trade-finance-potential

Do you want to gain a global perspective on pricing and billing? Do you want to get value from your pricing strategies? Do you want to meet your customers’ expectations and retail them regardless of price changes? Have you acquired enough price negotiation skills? How many pricing models and billing systems have been exposed to? You will be provided with answers on these important questions at the Pricing & Billing Conference on 19 & 20 November at Emperors Palace in Kempton Park, Johannesburg.

The conference does not promise a panacea for all pricing and billing challenges, but it will explore vital aspects that will enable you and your company to maintain a healthy and balanced relationship with your customers. It will provide you with tools to efficiently structure your prices at the same time not upsetting your company/customer relations and ensure growth on profit margins.

Network and take advantage of this 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 in the financial industry, with more than 1200 delegates attending our financial events during the past 12 years.

To register, visit our financial conferences website at www.financialconferences.co.za to download the brochure, complete the registration form 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.

Website: www.tci-sa.co.za/gain-a-global-perspective-on-pricing-billing-strategies

How does cash type vary from economy to economy? How is the industry dealing with the risks associated with handling physical cash? Do you know how to optimize cash management?

Attend the 2nd Annual Future of Cash Conference 2014 and get answers to the above questions and many more from high level representative companies such as G4S Deposita, Lehaha Institue, ATMiA, ABSA Capital, MobiFlock, SBV, PayU, Jomat, UNISA, University of Witwatersrand, ABSA and Glory Global Solutions who will address delegates at the 2nd Annual conference taking place at Indaba Hotel, Fourways on 12-13 November 2014.

This conference follows hot on the heels of the first Future of Cash that took place last year with over 75 attendees that were addressed by top tier executives in the industry covering key topics surrounding cash positioning, channel management, bank notes and transactional strategies to name a few.

Cash industry experts and thought leaders who will be addressing the conference include:Patrick Cunningham, ATMiA; Prof. Jannie Rossouw, University of Witwatersrand; Fanie Joubert, Unisa; Richard McMurdo, Glory Global Solutions; Jodie Hill, Jomat; Vanessa Clark, MobiFlock; Marius Odendaal, G4S Deposita; Oliver Magabane, Barclays Africa; Ideshini Naidoo, Absa Capital; Andrew Mosae, Lehaha Institute; Peter Williams, SBV; James Readding, Cashnet Logistics; Mustapha Zaouini, PayU.

These speakers will discuss key issues at the 2nd Annual Future of Cash Conference on 12-13 November 2014 taking place at Indaba Hotel, Fourways, Johannesburg.

Email the project manager, Nadine Bezuidenhout at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. to find out more information.

Alternatively call 011 803 1553 and speak to the marketing manager for exhibition, sponsorship or media partnership deals.

Website: www.tci-sa.co.za/2nd-annual-future-of-cash-conference-to-knock-your-socks-off-this-november

What has Talent Management and Organisational Energy have in common?

Well, Service delivery for one thing! And Service Delivery is a Hot Topic because it impacts all of us! Organisations worldwide are currently experiencing a complex and dynamic environment in which most businesses must compete to remain sustainable. Most of these organisations realise that their competitive advantage lies within their intangible assets, namely employees (Chabault, Hulin & Soparnot, 2012; Collings & Mellahi, 2009; Kaye &Smith, 2012). Talent and brainpower are thus becoming the predominant currency in the new era of globalisation (Cheese, Thomas and Graig, 2008; Tymon, Stumpf & Doh, 2010; Sahai & Srivastava, 20

‘Act Local but think Global’ was Professor Nicolene Barkhuizens' crisp reply to my question ‘What makes this Year's Talent Blueprint Conference organised by Northwest University, Mafeking Campus so special?’

'We all aspire to Global Best Practice on Sustainable Talent Management, but each industry and organisation and even Country has its own unique challenges. We invited internationally acclaimed thought Leaders to speak at this conference like Professor Lidewey van der Linde as well as Local Experts, like Dr Lynne Derman, who is a renowned expert in the field of organisational energy and whose Doctoral Study was the first to investigate organizational energy in the South African context.’

‘In her study Lynne also found that Organisational energy can enhance the well-being of employees in South African organisations. Since completing her PhD Lynne has done a lot of consulting in organizational energy and has also validated a measure thereof for the South African context. Her research as well as her expertise in organisational energy makes an important contribution towards creating new knowledge in field as well as important practical contributions for organisations.’

The Talent Blueprint Conference is being held on 16-17 October at the Sunnyside Hotel in Parklands, Gauteng. Nicolene has about 100 scientific publications which include books, chapters in textbooks, journal articles and peer reviewed conference proceedings. Nicolene regularly participate as keynote speaker at various business conferences. She is a registered industrial psychologist and global remuneration practitioner.

Aquila Private Game Reserve has been honoured to be awarded the prestigious Imvelo Economic Large Impact award.

The Lilizela Imvelo Awards recognise and celebrate tourism and hospitality businesses that practice exemplary responsible, sustainable and fair business practices.

Imvelo means ‘nature’ in South Africa’s Nguni languages. The Award identifies and rewards tourism and hospitality businesses that make measurable, persistent contributions to responsible, sustainable and fair tourism, setting an example to other tourism business both in South Africa and around the world.  

Aquila Private Game Reserve focuses most of its social upliftment, job creation, skills development, sustainable charity programmes and empowerment efforts in the previously “doomed” and forgotten town of Touws River which is situated 12kms from Aquila, where Aquila’s workforce resides.  

The town was built around a railway servicing plant that closed down in the 1980s, leaving 97% unemployment amongst the approximately 12 000 previously disadvantaged residents.  

14 years ago, Searl Derman (the owner and founder of Aquila) noticed starving residents cutting rotten, maggot infested meat from a 3 week old horse carcass, and he made it his personal goal to resurrect the town. At that stage, the biggest seller in the local supermarket was “pets mince”, and it was not uncommon to see mothers holding their babies, standing outside their shacks to catch the first rays of sunlight, trying to stay warm. Aquila had to get involved!  

We are proud to say that over the past 14 years, Aquila has paid an exceptional amount in salaries, which has empowered the locals and created flourishing primary, secondary and tertiary small businesses. Aquila is the largest employer in the area with approximately 280 permanent staff members. Over 400 staff (including temporary staff) have been on our monthly payroll. As one person feeds approximately 9 people in the community, approximately 30% of Touws River is directly dependant on Aquila’s salaries. The Xenephobic-causing influx of African Nationals to De Doorns has resulted in the potential loss of + 600 temporary grape picking jobs and the final completion of the 44MW solar plant will leave more families hungry and cold. Fortunately Aquila has broken ground building an additional hotel and spa, which should lessen the critical situation for the community.

We believe that we have resurrected the town of Touws River, and although it still faces challenges, we hope that Aquila’s and Touws River’s successes will jointly grow from strength to strength.

Set in the pristine Southern Karoo Highlands against a backdrop of dramatic mountains, the Aquila Private Game Reserve offers an exciting taste of real Africa just two short hours from Cape Town by road. 

Aquila is home to an enormous variety of game, including the Big 5 -- elephant, rhino, lion, buffalo and leopard -- giraffe, zebra, wildebeest, many different antelope, baboons, jackal, bat-eared foxes, hippos and crocodiles. And many migratory birds stop en route at Aquila's own wetland.  Two- to three-hour game drives are a perfect way to see the animals (in four-wheel-drive vehicles, quad bikes or on horseback).

Contact: Michelle Marais, Social Media and Marketing Manager for Aquila Private Game Reserve, on 076 148 4202

Cape Town – 7th October, 2014 – KWV was the big winner in the Brandy category at this year’s prestigious Veritas awards held in Cape Town this weekend, winning 2 Double Gold Awards for its 12 year Barrel Select Brandy and KWV Alambic 15 year Brandy Limited Release, and 4 Gold medals in the Potstill Brandy category. 

KWV won Gold for its Imoya Brandy, KWV 10 Year Brandy, KWV 20 Year Potstill Brandy and Laborie Alambic Brandy and won Silver for its KWV 5 Year Superior Brandy.The Veritas Awards is the longest running and most prestigious wine/brandy competition in SA. 1,767 entries competed for Veritas glory this year, organized by the South African Wine Show Organization. (SANWSA)  

“Our team is proud to have taken home 2 Double Gold, 4 Gold and a Silver at this year’s awards, which were judged by eight renowned international and 100 local judges, ” says Pieter de Bod, Master Distiller at KWV.

“With these latest accolades our entire Potstill range of premium brandies has now won gold." He continues: “Winning a total of seven awards at this prestigious competition is an exceptional achievement and winning 2 Double Gold out of the total 5 awarded gives us deserved recognition and proves that our focus on top quality and innovation really pays off.” 

KWV Marketing Director, Peadar Hegarty, comments that this is a great accolade for the Home of  Best Brandies and, in the true KWV tradition of Proud Pioneers, recognizes the world class craft of Pieter and his team at KWV’s brandy cellars in Paarl, Western Cape. 

These latest accolades follows KWV’s big wins at the recent 2014 International Wine & Spirit Competition (IWSC) awards in London where it won WorldWide Best Brandy for its 12 year Barrel Select Brandy. 

“It is a very proud moment for us to win Double Gold with our recent World’s Best Brandy winners, the KWV 12 and 15,” says Hegarty. “We can now take consumers on a journey of excellence starting with our KWV 3, right through to our award winning potstill brandies 10, 12,15 and 20. No other spirit brand can do this.”

He adds: “With these latest awards KWV has won over 480 awards and medals in just over 24 months, of which 307 were achieved in the past year alone.” 

Ends

About KWV

KWV is one of the leading wine and spirit producers in South Africa. Its head office is located in Paarl, in the Western Cape - a top wine producing region. The company sources wines and grapes from the best and most sought-after viticultural regions in South Africa. KWV is known internationally for brands such as Roodeberg, KWV Wines, Laborie, Golden Kaan, Cathedral Cellar, Cafe Culture, Wild African Cream and the KWV 3,5,10 and 20 Year Old brandies. KWV is a founder member of the Industry Association for Responsible Use of Alcohol (ARA).

17 and 18 November 2014 will be key days for not only South Africa’s Business Intelligence community, but for anyone who wants to learn how Big Data and Analytics can bring big business results. These are the dates set for Cape Town to host Mammoth BI (http://mammothbi.co.za), a dynamic 2-day conference themed ‘Big Data in Action’ that will see global thought leaders and local experts share their insights in an exciting new IT conferencing model!

The conference aims to myth-bust conventional ideas of Big Data and Analytics and to create an informed local community understanding the latest in Business Intelligence. Speakers include prominent local business leaders and global industry heavyweights including a trio of top PhD’s - Marc Smith (Chief Social Scientist at Connected Action Consulting Group in Silicon Valley), Eric Siegel (author of best-selling publication “Predictive Analytics”), and Data Warehousing Analyst Barry Devlin (author of the book “Business UnIntelligence”). They’ll be joining a significant line-up of handpicked heavyweights that sees Anthony Miller (CEO of Lightstone Group) and Dr Jasper Horrell (General Manager for Science Computing at the Square Kilometer Array, or SKA) sharing insights from their wealth of industry expertise. 

Jason Haddock, founder of Mammoth BI and a member of the TEDx Cape Town team, will ensure that this is no ordinary conference. Drawing from his experience with TEDx, he has implemented an unconventional, interactive approach to the event. Speakers will need to deliver key thoughts in no more than 20 minutes and workshops will be held throughout the conference. The workshops will facilitate networking and a practical understanding of Business Intelligence and Analytics. 

With tickets selling for only R700, the conference aims to appeal to not only IT specialists and general businesses but also to students. Education, collaboration and the desire to make the notion of Big Data accessible has been the organizer’s focus. What’s more Mammoth BI is giving away 100 free tickets to students as further evidence of its commitment to boosting education.

The conference is a must for anyone who wishes to know how to practically adopt Big Data, BI and Analytics to work towards their competitive advantage. Keynote presentations will take place at the Cape Town International Convention Centre, with breakaway workshops to be held at other venues in the city, to be announced as part of the conference programme. Watch http://mammothbi.co.za for real-time updates on speakers and venues. And remember; don’t think big, think MAMMOTH!   Tickets are available online at MammothBI or through Quicket.

EVENT DETAILS:

Date: 17 & 18 November 2014 Main Programme

Venue:  Cape Town International Convention Centre Workshop

Venues: To be Announced as part of the conference programme

More info: http://mammothbi.co.za

[ENDS]

About Mammoth BI:

Mammoth BI - http://mammothbi.co.za - is a two-day ‘Big Data in Action’ Conference. The event, hosted in Cape Town on the 17th and 18th of November 2014, will bring global industry experts together with local leaders to share the latest in Business Intelligence.  

PRESS RELEASE ISSUED BY: Lauren Shantall (Pty) Ltd

Contact:
Leon Jamarie
Email: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
Tel: 021 685 1382

[SEPTEMBER 2014, Cape Town] Recent news reports revealed that according to Minister of Basic Education, Ms. Angie Motshekga’s response to parliamentary questions, over half a million learners are registered to write the Grade 12 final exams across South Africa this year.  

Whilst many look at this statistic with encouragement that such a large number of learners are seeing it through to Grade 12, other experts and opinion leaders are a little bit concerned because this is an indication of the volume of learners that will need to enter the job market in the coming year.  

The most recent youth unemployment statistics recorded South Africa’s youth unemployment at a staggering high of 36%. At the opening of the Youth Employment Conference in September, Deputy President, Mr. Cyril Ramaphosa mentioned in a video-taped message that government is looking at employment tax incentives to encourage employers to employ first time employees - in other words school leavers and university graduates. This is one of the ways that government is looking at addressing the youth unemployment issue.  

The vision of SA Teen Entrepreneur Foundation which was formed in 2011 is to cultivate and promote the entrepreneurial spirit in all South African teenagers, whilst still at school. One of the richest teens in the world with a net worth of over U$30 million is 18 year old Nick D'Aloisio a self-made millionaire. He invented an app and sold it to Yahoo, a move which catapulted him into business. There are others like Nick across the world who with their enquiring minds have the ability to come up with innovative ideas that could be life-changing for individuals and business alike.  

Under the leadership of Lydia Zingoni, the SA Teen Entrepreneur Foundation has been running a number of workshops, seminars and competitions with high schoolers to encourage entrepreneurial thinking and nurture their ideas. The newest initiative that will launch on 28 October 2014 at Bishops Diocesan College in Rondebosch is the launch of the High School Entrepreneur Societies. The underpinning body for all these societies will be the Association of South African High School Entrepreneur Societies, a Teen Entrepreneur Foundation initiative. The vision is to grow entrepreneurs and business leaders at all high schools in South Africa through planting entrepreneur clubs and societies in each high school in the country.  

There are 27 000 high schools across South Africa.  If each high school across the country embraces this vision, it means that 27 000 entrepreneurial hotspots can be formed across the country. Each entrepreneurial society will be encouraged to come up with business concepts that improve their communities. As such, the ripple effect is that through encouraging entrepreneurial teens to explore their ideas at a young age, a generation of employers will graduate from school and each community around the school will benefit from the impact of the business activities of these societies.    

“Whilst this is a lofty vision, it is something we feel is desperately needed and can be achieved,” said Lydia Zingoni, Founder & Director of The SA Teen Entrepreneur Foundation.  “The staggering youth unemployment statistics are a stark reminder that we need to implement programmes that will make youth employable when they leave school and possibly even make them employers from a young age already,” she continued.  

The launch event is open to parents, teachers, business & political leaders and learners who are interested to join forces with SA Teen Entrepreneur Foundation and play an active part in supporting South African youth to playing an active role in the economy. There is no cost to attend but bookings are essential as space is limited.   For more information about the launch or to book your seat please contact Nadia Snyders on 021 447 6183 or This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..

Darren August takes us through a few of the experiences and relationships with his own teachers, growing up, which changed his life. He retells the stories of others too, and will surely awaken your school memories. As an experienced motivator, the book leaves not only teachers encouraged to inspire others, but everyone else will feel inspired to reach their potential and live their calling too. 

This book offers a few giggles as we see things from the perspective of a child, but is mostly introspective of the role we play in the way in which children perceive themselves. Teachers and parents will find it particularly motivating – with practical ways you could change young lives, for good. 

This book is a great resource. It’s a celebration of teachers, as instrumental parts of society – it will definitely have you thinking of the teachers that have impacted your life. Scheduled for release in October 2014 – this book is set to motivate every South African reader to once again restore the dignity of ‘The Noblest Profession”. 

About the Author 

Darren August is the Founder and CEO of Dazz Consulting – A dynamic training organisation committed to seeing people thrive and succeed.He is a Corporate Trainer, Motivational Speaker, Life Coach, Entrepreneur, Radio Host & former Lecturer.He is passionate about Life; People and Education and together with his wife – Arlene, they believe in maximizing every opportunity to impact the lives of others. 

To order, for interview requests and other queries, email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

University of Pretoria-  Measuring the impact of trade finance on country trade flows : a South African perspectiveKohler, Marcel; Saville, Adrian- 2011

Trade finance (or short-term credit) plays a crucial role in facilitating international trade yet is particularly vulnerable to financial crises as banks increase the pricing on all trade finance transactions to cover increased funding costs and higher credit risks. Whereas South Africa’s financial institutions largely managed to strengthen their capital positions during the global financial crisis, the country’s trade flows and access to capital (in particular trade finance and its costs) were hard hit by the crisis. Little is known about the extent of shortages or ‘gaps’ in trade finance and the impact of this on South Africa’s recent trade performance. Whilst our research recognises that access to trade finance is not the main cause of South Africa’s trade contraction, our research suggests that all else equal, a one percentage point increase in the interbank lending rate of our trade partner could reduce exports by approximately ten per cent.

With global trade flows shifting, and intra-regional trading becoming ever more prevalent, the world is watching Africa as an emerging global force.

Trade finance in Africa is growing as a force to be reckoned with, and the world’s eyes are fixed on Africa to see what it will present to the global market. Sharing a South African perspective, speakers addressing the Trade Finance Conference taking place on 5-6 November 2014 will discuss who the key-players are in African intra-regional trade; leading African and emerging trade hubs, as well as the still untapped opportunities for intra-regional trade.

“The speaker panel will engage with conference attendees, sharing key trade finance awareness’s and outlooks for the future,” says project manager, Jason Joseph. “Attending the conference will be a great opportunity to network and build industry contacts,” says Joseph, “while getting a global view on trade finance.”

Jason Joseph, project manager can be contacted on 011 803 1553 or email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. for details on speaker opportunities. For marketing, sponsorship and exhibitions, email Sian Wirth This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.