On May 4, 2011, business leaders gathered in Cape Town, South Africa for the fourth Frontier 100 Forum, focused on investment opportunities, regional expansion in Africa and the social value of business.
Investment Opportunities
Business Leaders at the Frontier 100 Forum in Cape Town
Frontier 100 believes that knowledge sharing and relationship building among the network will lead to increased investment in Africa. Through Frontier 100, members are identifying new business partners, investment opportunities and markets. Participants:
- • Expressed interest in investing in key sectors, such as infrastructure and agriculture
- • Reported a total of over $200 million in potential investment as a result of their involvement in this event
Regional Expansion in Africa
At the Forum, IGD and Dalberg Global Development Advisors launched a report titled Pioneers on the Frontier: Sub-Saharan Africa’s Multinational Corporations. This is the first report to identify the emerging group of multinational corporations based in Sub-Saharan Africa. These companies are reaching across borders in pursuit of new markets and engaging low income people as suppliers, customers and employees.
The Social Value of Business
Dr. James Mwangi, CEO & Managing Director of Equity Bank
Panelists shared their experiences in developing and implementing programs that have a direct impact on people living in poverty, including business training programs, loans for small holder farmers and infrastructure development. Participants concluded that their companies can maximize the impact of their corporate social responsibility spending by aligning it with overall business goals and can differentiate themselves from their competitors by effectively communicating their economic and social value to stakeholders.
