A growing family
South AfricaÔÇÖs Louis Group is now one of the countryÔÇÖs most successful property and investment enterprises, with a wide range of interests and activities.


Twenty-first century oil
Jane Bordenave talks to Harsh Sinha, chief executive of Gulf Petrochem, one of the fastest growing oil trade businesses of the moment.
Gulf Petrochem is one of the most important oil traders and producers of value-added oil products in the United Arab Emirates. Founded by entrepreneurs Ashok Goel and Sudhir Goyel in 1998, the Sharjah-based company now has a turnover of $211 million.


Building on the brand
Indian property developer Godrej Properties is gearing up for its next phase of expansion. Managing director Milind Korde explains to Gay Sutton how good communications and long-term partnerships lie at the heart of its operations.


More than meeting demand
Long-term relationships, shrewd investments and an excellent reputation have enabled mining company Benicon to thrive even as others falter. Andrew Pelis talks to CEO Gideon van Heerden to find out more.
It is the nature of todayÔÇÖs business world that small, successful companies tend to get swallowed up by the bigger corporations. Outcomes can be mixed; but for one South African mining entity, being bought out gave it just the impetus it needed for astronomical growth.


The Port of Richards Bay, in KwaZulu Natal, is South Africa’s largest cargo port and a significant contributor to the country’s economy. Jimmy Hills talks to Gay Sutton about a vision for the port to become a global leader.   

 

 

 

 

 


Pet lovers are known to make sacrifices for their animals; but as Alan Swaby discovers, it is not always necessary to choose the product with the highest price tag.

 

 

 

 

 

 


Continental Airlines and United Airlines could announce a deal to merge as early as Monday, according to reports.  A merger between Houston-based Continental and Chicago-based United would form the worldÔÇÖs largest airline.


Banking giant Barclays has announced a big rise in its pre-tax profits for the first quarter of this year.


Pennsylvania-based PPL has agreed to buy the US electricity and natural gas unit of Germany's E.ON, the world's largest utility by sales, for $6.7 billion (Ôé¼5 billion) in cash.


Germany's E.ON, the world's largest utility by sales, has agreed to sell its US electricity and natural gas unit to the US company PPL for Ôé¼5 billion in cash.