Africa

Rakesh Rao, CEO of Crown Berger Kenya Ltd, East Africa’s largest paint maker, talks to Jayne Flannery about maintaining the company’s leading position in the region.

Although the global economy is still struggling to recover, Crown Berger Kenya can point to the healthiest of balance sheets. Firmly established as East Africa’s leading paint maker for over 50 years, profits after tax rose by a heady 180 per cent during the last financial year, while overall revenue rose by 34 per cent to $31.5 million.

Leading East African motor group CMC Holdings Ltd is poised to extend its reach. Chief executive Martin Forster talks to Jayne Flannery about the group’s expansion.

Anglo-Australian miner Rio Tinto has made a A$3.5 billion bid approach for Africa-focused Riversdale Mining, in a move likely to spark a bidding war.

France’s Technip has won a major contract from Algeria’s national oil company Sonatrach to refurbish and revamp its Algiers refinery.

The lump sum turnkey contract, which is worth around 67.9 billion Algerian dinars (approximately €690 million) will last 38 months and cover the execution of the complete scope of works, including the design, supply of equipment and bulk material, construction and start-up.

With flotation on the Hong Kong stock exchange planned for next year, LontohCoal is gearing up to become a major coal producer. CEO Tshepo Kgadima explains to Gay Sutton what it will take to develop the potential of the Lubimbi mine in Zimbabwe.

ABB has won an order worth $43 million from South African electric utility Eskom to supply equipment for a new thermal power plant being built in Mpumalanga, South Africa.

The new Kusile coal-fired plant comprises six supercritical combustion units with a total generating capacity of 4,800 MW.

Eskom, the South African electricity utility, is to receive additional government support for its 440 billion rand build programme.

The South African government has pledged to inject 20 billion rand to strengthen Eskom’s balance sheet, ensuring it can complete its programme while remaining financially sound.

The R20 billion injection, originally announced in principle two weeks ago, was confirmed yesterday by Public Enterprises Minister Malusi Gigaba.

In previous eras, fortunes have been made in Africa through gold, diamonds and oil. Today, the smart money is on telecommunications, as Alan Swaby learns in discussion with BT South Africa.

Jane Bordenave revisits Retsol to learn about the dramatic changes that have taken place over the past year; and to find out more about chairman Wayne Duncan’s ambitious plans for the future.

A lot has changed since we last spoke to Retsol in 2009. The company, which was established in 2002, was working with Unilever to manage two of its franchises in ice cream and health food. It was also involved in the fast food and bakery markets, independent of Unilever—however, since then the firm has undergone a major overhaul.

As the world emerges from global recession, the prospects look good for the rapidly expanding Barcelos brand. Ben Sansom discovers how good quality rustic Portuguese cooking has been turned into a global restaurant franchise.