Mozambique Archives

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Monster catch for our webmaster and my nostalgic return to Maritzburg; we really do tap dance to work

26th November 2013

Spent an absorbing day in Maritzburg after being invited to give the keynote in an event hosted by the Trade & Investment KZN. My talk, Tap Dancing in a Warp Speed World, seemed to resonate with the roughly hundred people – including passionate Mayor Yunus Bhamjee – who came out to the Royal Agricultural Show … Read more

Pick ‘n Pay: Good or bad investment bet?

24th October 2013

Thinking of investing in Pick ‘n Pay? Or unloading it from your share portfolio? Cor van Deventer of Seed Investments has put together this general primer for stock market investors who have their eye on this household name. Cor reckons that, with a new CEO at the helm, things should be looking up for the supermarket chain. However, … Read more

Global construction major Keller plc swoops into SA. Advance guard for a foreign invasion?

14th October 2013

Esorfranki CEO Bernie Krone (60) has never played his cards close. A straight shooting civil engineer who has been with the business most his career, I’ve experienced this up close. First when he came to visit after now defunct Sanyati had alleged Krone’s business had bribed officials over KZN Western Aqueduct project. And again last … Read more

Nedbank’s special R700m bad debt knock suggests a tough reporting season for other banks through unsecured lending, First Strut

7th August 2013

Executives at all the other major SA banks are taking a very close look at Nedbank’s interims released yesterday. There were messages and challenges aplenty – not just to rivals but also those who own banking shares. Abil and Capitec are sure to face even tougher questions about the level of their provisions; FirstRand and … Read more

Eight years on, ABSA finally gets Barclays’ African footprint – for R18bn

3rd August 201322nd July 2013

I’ll always have a soft spot for ABSA. In 1994, the bank took on an impoverished working journalist, gave him a properly paid job, lots of responsibility (on the Exco as a Group GM) and a chunk of share options. What happened in the next two and a half years transformed my career. My boss, … Read more

Leadership lessons from Gladwell, Hamel and more

25th July 201320th November 2012

August 17, 2009

Working in the media has its benefits. By the nature of news, you get exposed to the exceptional. That uniquely positions you to think. To absorb. Pity it’s taken me a couple decades to work this out.

Only recently did the penny drop that actually understanding what interviewees are trying to communicate is more important that getting the story out fast. It’s what makes the difference quality and quantity. Especially when tackling topics where there are no concrete answers. Places where everyone has an opinion. Like Leadership.

Cyril’s Mensis Horibilis

30th April 20156th November 2012

Ramaphosa’s Mensis Horibilis isn’t getting any better

You have to feel for Cyril Ramaphosa. Until Lonmin hosted the spectacular explosion of the festering sore that is mining labour relations, he seemed blissfully unaware of a nasty human trait called envy. Allowing his mind to drift to a thought that his time at the top was coming. The Presidency of South Africa. One day not too far away.