Alec Hogg's Transcribed Interviews - Business & Financial Interviews

Pioneer Foods chief Phil Roux isn’t letting grass grow; refocusing, unbundling – just like Jannie Mouton wants

25th November 2013

Smart money has been moving into Pioneer Foods shares lately, attracted by April’s appointment of Phil Roux. Roux was on the top team at Tiger Brands, running the consumer brands business which generates roughly half that group’s revenue. His switch to Pioneer to replace long-time CEO Andre Hanekom was interpreted as a coup for the … Read more

Magnus Heystek looks into his crystal ball: Where will the JSE head in 2014?

22nd November 201322nd November 2013

The JSE has had a stellar run over the last few months, but it can’t rise forever. Heading into the new year, the stock market will face some major headwinds, including the threat of Fed tapering, and potentially continued rand weakness. Brenthurst Wealth’s Magnus Heystek reckons that Fed tapering, which is almost certain to kick … Read more

Tsogo Sun isn’t objecting against Marula switch to Pretoria – eyes the prize of a Cape Town casino

22nd November 201322nd November 2013

Gambling in South Africa has come a long way since people had to head off to Bophuthatswana to get their game on. Today, the country is home to a number of glamorous entertainment and gambling palaces like Montecasino, Sun City, Grand West, and more. As the industry has developed, competition in the sector has heated … Read more

Former Google exec Stafford Masie on the future of Banking, Michael Jordaan, mobile wallets and Mxit

22nd November 201321st November 2013

It’s been my privilege to engage freely and often with Stafford Masie and the subject of much of this discussion, former FNB CEO Michael Jordaan. Stafford’s journey from modest surroundings in Eldorado Park near Johannesburg to rubbing shoulders with tech giants Steve Jobs, Jeff Bezos, Larry Page, Sergey Brin and, of course, his immediate boss … Read more

Massively overpriced life insurance, fraudulent Garnishee Orders, toothless Regulator – all in microlending crusader Dave Woollam’s crosshairs

22nd November 201321st November 2013

Dave Woollam is a man on a mission. The former CFO of African Bank is determined to bring honesty and integrity into the microlending industry, a sector where massive malpractice exists. One of the examples he quotes in this interview is where a person who borrowed R20 000 from a microlender ended up paying premiums … Read more

Stefanutti CEO puts on gloss where none exists. Why ignore static EDITDA, lower cash flow and call a 35% “profit” rise?

21st November 2013

Having worked on the business end of TV cameras on and off for a couple decades, I know how intimidating they can be for those with less exposure to the medium. So try my best to put guests at ease – and never to use the unfair environmental advantage when disagreements erupt on air. But … Read more

The latest Eskom Emergency: Two years before maintenance backlog catches up. For now, next week and a half is critical

22nd November 201321st November 2013

Eskom GM Andrew Etzinger is one of the often criticised utility’s best assets. He’s been thrown in the deep end more times than he’d care to remember, and is back in the firing line this week as Eskom declared an emergency situation on power supply – sparked this time by a water leak at the … Read more

Time to switch out of your Satrix 40? SA’s large cap industrial shares most expensive “sector” in world

21st November 201321st November 2013

Trying to time when to buy or sell shares is a fool’s errand. So most savvy investors in SA shares prefer to buy and hold. But occasionally assets become so expensive that even the “hold forever” school needs to reconsider. This could be one of those times as the combination of the US’s massive money … Read more

Raising productivity bar: Output by Ford’s well-travelled SA workers tops Africa, Asia/Pacific

20th November 2013

It’s easily forgotten that while GM and Chrysler would have gone to the wall in 2009 had the US Government not bailed them out. But the house that Henry Ford built did not need to beg for State support. Ford Motor Company is justifiably proud of that – and its 90 year history of producing its cars … Read more

How this company plans to become the biggest tech firm in Africa

20th November 201320th November 2013

Business Connexion has reported steady growth over the years, but it’s ambitions are much larger than it’s current trajectory. In fact, the company has plans to be the biggest tech firm in Africa, and is pursuing an aggressive acquisition-led growth strategy in the continent. It is particularly active in Nigeria, and has plans to expand … Read more