Banks should be agents of sustainable Growth and Development

Kenya Bankers Association (KBA), the umbrella body of the country’s banking sector, has marked its 50^th Anniversary with a renewed commitment to closer stakeholder engagement within the industry and with external stakeholders.

 

At a colourful ceremony presided over by African Development Bank Group President, Donald Kaberuka, and attended by Finance Minister,Njeru Githae and Central Bank of Kenya Governor,  Njuguna Ndung’u, the Association took stock of the milestones the sector has achieved since KBA’s inception on July 16, 1962.

Speaking at the event which was attended by representatives of the public and private sector as well as the international development community, President Kaberuka noted that Africa has embarked on a new era which has set it at the epicenter of discussions surrounding global economic growth.

                                                                                                                           

“We have tremendous potential as a Continent and we must work together, through private-public sector collaboration, to seize the moment for the long-term benefit of our nations and our people,” said President Kaberuka. 

“Across Africa, we see more Governments re-establishing -- and in the case of the newer countries, establishing -- the macroeconomic frameworks we will need to fast-track economic development. 

“It is the role of all the players, and particularly the banks, to leverage these advancements to become agents of sustainable growth and development,” Mr. Kaberuka concluded

For his part, KBA Chief Executive Officer, Habil Olaka, explained that the Association had aligned its policies to address the fast-changing banking environment both locally and on the international front. He said KBA will engage stakeholders through four strategic pillars, namely research-based policy formulation, industry promotion and development, public education, and social responsibility.

KBA Chairman, Richard Etemesi, said that Kenya’s banks were committed to supporting the country to achieve sustainable growth targets.

“We are committed to the implementation of sound policies towards financial deepening and overall economic development of this country as captured in our national Vision 2030 development blueprint. The banking industry is and will remain a major contributor towards this end,” said Mr. Etemesi.

 

KBA has achieved a number of milestones, including ownership and operation of the Automated Clearing House.  In partnership with the Central Bank of Kenya (CBK), the Association has also established the Kenya Credit Information Sharing Initiative (KCISI). This unit enables banks to share credit information through Credit Reference Bureaus licensed by the central bank. Through this initiative, the association and regulator hope to increase efficiencies within the credit system, thereby mitigating default risk while lowering the cost of credit.

Other key milestones include the setting up of currency centers in various parts of the country and the recent modernization of Payment Systems through the implementation of a Cheque Truncation System. This system has significantly reduced the cost of clearing cheques as well as minimized the turn-around times for cheque clearing across the country, delivering a more efficient service to the public – particularly bank customers living and operating in peri-urban and rural parts of the country.

DHL appoints new Country Manager for its Ethiopia Operations

DHL Equatorial Africa has appointed Essete Gebriel as the Country Manager for its Ethiopian operations.

Ms. Gebriel will be tasked with driving DHL business growth and market share in Ethiopia, currently one of the most vibrant markets for the business in Africa. She will also be in charge of customer management, sales and marketing in the country.

While announcing the appointment, DHL Equatorial Africa Managing Director Alan Cassels said the posting was in line with the company’s strategic positioning in view of the increasing business opportunities and changing operating environment in the region.

“We are strongly positioning ourselves to deliver the best services to our ever-growing client base in the region. Ethiopia is a key market for us and we are keen to ensure we have the necessary infrastructure to match the changing business environment,” said Alan.

Ms. Gebriel has over fourteen years of experience in the freight and logistics industry having worked for various companies in key management positions among them Commercial, Sales and Marketing. She was previously the Country Manager for an express and logistics company in Ethiopia.

Among the highlights of her career in logistics was the establishment of the first intra-city company which is currently providing in-town delivery services in Ethiopia and raising DHL revenue to over 150 per cent. This also included the development of various products in logistics and express industry.

DHL operates in more than 220 countries worldwide and over 50 within Sub-Saharan Africa with a dedicated air network and unparalleled infrastructure.

Nokia 808 PureView now available in Kenya

Nairobi, Kenya – Nokia has confirmed that the Nokia 808 PureView is now available through selected retailers in Kenya. The Nokia 808 PureView is the first smartphone to feature Nokia’s award-winning PureView technology. PureView represents Nokia’s highest level smartphone imaging experiences, bringing together high-performance sensors, exclusive Carl Zeiss optics, and Nokia-developed imaging algorithms.

Since its launch in February, the Nokia 808 PureView has received multiple awards, including Best Mobile Device at Mobile World Congress 2012, as well as an award for Best Imaging Innovation for 2012 from the Technical Image Press Association (TIPA).

“PureView has completely raised the bar on imaging performance for the whole smartphone industry and we are excited to bring this innovative experience to our consumers in Kenya, especially those who loved the Nokia N8,” said Bruce Howe, General Manager for Nokia East Africa.  

The Nokia 808 PureView features a large, high-resolution 41 megapixel sensor with high-performance Carl Zeiss optics and new pixel oversampling technology. At standard resolutions (2/3, 5 and 8 megapixels) this means the ability to zoom without loss of clarity and capture seven pixels of information, condensing into one pixel for the sharpest images imaginable. At high-resolution (38 megapixels maximum) it means the ability to capture an image, then zoom, reframe, crop and resize afterwards to expose previously unseen levels of details. With superior low-light performance and the ability to save in compact file sizes for sharing in email, MMS, and on social networks, the Nokia 808 PureView makes it possible for anyone to capture professional looking images in any conditions.

In addition to superior still imaging technology, the Nokia 808 PureView also includes full HD 1080p video recording and playback with 4X lossless zoom and the world’s first use of Nokia Rich Recording.  Rich Recording enables audio recording at CD-like levels of quality, previously only possible with external microphones. The Nokia 808 PureView also features exclusive Dolby Headphone technology, transforming stereo content into a personal surround sound experience over any headphones and Dolby Digital Plus for 5.1 channel surround sound playback.

The Nokia 808 Pureview is now available at selected outlets. You can find it in Nairobi at Midcom Parklands and Midcom Kenyatta Avenue. It is also available in Mombasa at Midcom Kenyatta Avenue at Saba Saba Stage. The recommended retail price is KES 52,900.

Nestlé opens its first factory premises in Angola

Nestlé reaffirms its commitment to Angola with a new CHF 16 million facility in Luanda

Nestlé Angola Ltd, a subsidiary of Nestlé SA, today officially inaugurated the new factory premises of TOFA PRODUTOS ALIMENTARES E DE CONFEITARIA LIMITADA, first Nestlé factory in Angola.  The inauguration took place in presence of the Minister of Mines and Geology, Mr. Joaquim David, the Swiss Ambassador, Mr Giancarlo Fenini, and representatives from Estada Angola and Star Motors, partners in this venture.

Paul Bulcke, the Nestlé Group’s Chief Executive Officer, who attended the inauguration said, “Nestlé has been present in Africa for many generations, bringing value to society at large by offering nutritious products, creating local employment, , sourcing locally and helping in the development of the communities. By opening our new facility in Angola we will be closer to our Angolan consumers and can better adapt the products to their needs and preferences.”

The factory includes a warehouse, workshops, production and common areas. In a first instance, NIDO milk powder will be packaged and at a later stage, beverages such as NESCAFÉ will be produced.

Speaking at the inauguration Wilbart de Wit, Country Manager of Nestlé in Angola elaborated, “Nestlé operations in Angola will reflect in the creation of 50 employments by the end of the first year of operations. This facility will help us encourage use of local talent, adding value for consumers, society and Nestlé.”

He further added: “With this capital investment, we will be able to meet the fast rising demand for Nestlé products in Angola. We will also have the flexibility to adapt our products based on the micro-nutrient deficiencies prevailing in the country. In the future we will be looking at exporting to nearby countries”

Elaborating on Nestlé’s presence in Angola, Mr Bulcke said, “Angola is important for Nestlé, as it is one of the fastest growing economies in Africa with an increasing middle class. Nestlé sees a lot of opportunity to be part of the growth journey of Angola. We offer high-quality food products that provide nutritional value at an affordable cost and appropriate format.”

Nestlé’s has a long history in Angola dating back to 1955 when its first products were sold. In 1972, Nestlé Produtos Alimentares SARL was established and in 2006 Nestlé Angola Limited was incorporated. Nestlé Angola has steadily increased its product portfolio in the country launching NESTUM and MAGGI cubes this year.

Nestlé Angola currently, sells products such as NIDO®(Leading Brand), MOÇA ®, CERELAC®, NESTUM®, NAN®, NESCAFE®, NESQUIK®, RICOFFY®, MAGGI®, and CPW cereals (CHOCAPIC®, ESTRELITAS®, NESQUIK®)

Epson targets financial institutions and embassies to grow its sales in Kenya.

Epson, a global imaging and innovation company, has introduced into the local market a new range of printers targeting financial institutions, Saccos and Embassies as it strives to grow its business in Kenya.

 

The range which consists of PLQ-22CS and PLQ 22CSM printers are specifically tailored for financial institutions and embassies and come with an in-built scanner and feature speed, quality and reliability that banks need for fast throughput and customer satisfaction. The printers can also be used by embassies to print visas on passports and other specialised banking documents.

 

Commenting on the launch of the new range of banking printers, Epson Regional Sales Manager for East Africa Mukesh Bector said the devices feature innovative technology and functionality that will help banks to increase productivity, improve customer satisfaction and reduce costs.

 

“What we are offering are proven solutions that reduce operating costs, simplify training, and speed up transactions. We are aware that with costs, regulatory complexity and economic pressures on the rise, financial institutions are seeking ways to lower operating costs, simplify internal processes and increase customer service,” he said.

 

The printers have in-built high-speed duplex colour scanner which will help financial institutions to eliminate the risk of counterfeit cheques by combining the high resolution and high-speed scanner with an application for verifying signatures or detecting counterfeit cheques. The printer is also able to process cheques speedily with this multi-function device that reads magnetic characters on cheques, prints, and scans both sides of a cheque simultaneously.

 

The introduction of the new range of printers targeting banks, Saccos and embassies is part of Epson’s business strategy that aims at helping the company to realise 30 percent growth in Africa this year. The envisaged growth in Africa will be driven by developing dedicated products for the African Market and developing new markets. 

 

Currently, Epson is focusing on developing the Eastern Africa Region mainly Ethiopia, Uganda, Tanzania and South Sudan using Kenya as the hub.

 

Epson is also investing heavily in research and development. At the moment, the company re-invests six percent of its annual turnover into producing innovative business solutions. The focus now is shifting towards producing products tailored towards meeting the needs of the African market.

 

“We are keen to develop our position within the Kenyan and African market because it offers huge growth potential. Last year, our business in Africa grew by 37 percent and we are looking for another 30 percent growth this year,” he said.

 

The introduction of the new printers’ follows the success recorded following the launch of the PLQ-20 impact printer last year, which is fast and versatile, with print speeds up to 480 cps, high paper throughput and the ability to handle passbooks and other specialized documents up to 2.6mm thick. It also features convenient automatic forms alignment and automatic print gap adjustment to ensure fast, trouble-free printing of passbooks and other specialized banking documents.

THREE COCA-COLA BOTTLERS ANNOUNCE PLANS FOR JOINT OWNERSHIP

Three Coca-Cola bottling companies- Kisii Bottlers, Mount Kenya Bottlers and Rift Valley Bottlers-today announced their intention to enter into a three-way reorganization of ownership, which will formally combine the shareholding and governance of all three companies into one newly created entity named - Almasi Beverages Limited.

The ownership reorganization, a normal practice in the corporate world when shareholders seek to better capture opportunities, will build on the existing high quality and best practices at each of the bottlers to develop a strong platform for growth in the non-alcoholic ready-to-drink (NARTD) beverages market in Kenya.

The proposal which is subject to shareholder and regulatory approval, will allow each of the three companies to better serve their respective territories by bringing together combined resources and taking advantage of economies of scale to capture greater production and distribution efficiencies.

The three bottlers have been in operation since the 1970s, under bottling agreements with The Coca-Cola Company during which period each has experienced significant growth.

Almasi Beverages Limited will position the companies to better serve the existing market and take advantage of the emerging opportunities in line with the rapidly-changing consumer trends.

Almasi Beverages Limited will continue to provide quality products and will strengthen existing market relationships as it drives revenue growth and market penetration across its territories. It will also build on the existing high quality, for example, by implementing best practices from each of the bottlers across the company.

STARTIMES MEDIA EMBARKS ON MASSIVE REGIONAL ROLL OUT OF DIGITAL PAY TV

StarTimes Media, a digital Pay TV company which recently celebrated its official launch in the country has moved fast in extending its digital television service to Kisumu City and its environs. Following successful signal testing in the region, StarTimes Media, which has a global subscription base of over 7 million viewers in China and Africa, will provide an exciting range of channels including documentaries, news, movies, kids and religious channels.

Speaking during the launch ceremony, the chief guest Nyanza Provincial Commissioner, Mr. Francis M Mutie, EBS noted the significance of this development in the region and the positive impact translating from this investment by StarTimes.

“In parts of Nyanza, many of the people are those who have been forced to do with poor quality television reception in their quest to enjoy television content, the entry of StarTimes therefore, spells a new dawn as its time that our people will enjoy crystal clear audio visual reception. We have had difficulty accessing some local channels and StarTimes having the most comprehensive collection of local channels in addition to other world class international channels is truly something to celebrate about” said Mr Francis M Mutie.

The company intends to provide both home entertainment and portable television solutions in the region where it is employing 40 local staff members directly and many more indirectly through agents and dealers in its efforts to transform the people’s television experience using user friendly plug and play decoders which do not require a dish to operate as well as television on the go using mobile devices and portable TV.

“We intend to invest over USD 75 million by the year 2015 which will not only guarantee world class television service in Kenya but also provide employment to over 1,000 Kenyans. This goes to show our commitment in the country and the desire to play our part in enabling the country achieve its Vision 2030 goals and also ensure that the public have easy access to digital pay TV services” said StarTimes Chief Executive Officer Mr. Leo Lee.

With continued network expansion, StarTimes will be looking at extending its footprint in the country, making inroads in both urban and rural areas where the company aims to provide the most affordable Pay Television service in the country. The low entry cost at just Ksh 2,999 for the decoder and the fact that it is plug and play makes StarTimes not only affordable but also attractive to everyone. 

The company is currently offering a choice of four bouquets namely Basic, Classic, Unique and Indian at Ksh 499, 999, 1,999 and 999 respectively with over 65 local and international digital television channels being broadcasted.

Procter & Gamble Announces Global Plan to Say ‘Thank You Mom’

Procter & Gamble (NYSE:PG), a Worldwide Olympic Partner, today announced plans to raise $25 million to help say ‘Thank You Mom’ by helping establish and sustain youth sport programs around the world, as part of its 10-year partnership with the International Olympic Committee (IOC).

 

“At the start of our ‘Thank You Mom’ program, we asked moms everywhere, what would be a great way for us to help you and they said – “Help support youth sports because sport helps moms too. It helps moms raise healthy, happy kids. This is why we are committing to support not just the moms of Olympians – but every mom who does whatever it takes to make her child’s life the best it can be,” said Marc Pritchard, P&G Global Brand Building Officer.

He added, “Through our leadership brands including Pampers®, Tide®, Gillette® and Pantene® we have already exceeded our goal of raising 5 million dollars in 2012.  More than $6 million is going to support sports development, school equipment, youth funds & scholarships and places in summer sports camps across the world. Today’s announcement means extending our plans until the end of our ten-year IOC partnership working with NOCs from around the world to increase the opportunity for more children to experience sporting & Olympic values.”

IOC President Jacques Rogge said, “I am delighted to see the success of P&G’s world-wide youth sport program and welcome this commitment to extend through to the 2020 Olympic Games. By partnering with the global Olympic Movement, P&G has committed to touching and improving lives through sport – particularly the lives of young people. Investment in youth sport is essential to the future of the Olympic Movement.”

US Olympian and London 2012 Gold Medalist Kerri Walsh helped P&G establish a Youth Fund in the US and is working with P&G’s biggest brand Pampers to help inspire babies with the spirit of play.

“Sport has played a rich and meaningful role in my life since early childhood and, as a mother, I value the role it plays in helping my children have healthy, well-rounded lives. Supporting today’s little athletes, whether or not they grow up to become tomorrow’s Olympians, is essential. Play helps babies develop, just as sport helps children learn important life skills and I’m delighted to help P&G and Pampers® in their announcement today,” she said.

GB Olympian Paula Radcliffe helped P&G announce their global commitment in Innsbruck and is also a Pampers spokesperson. “I genuinely believe it’s important for all children to have sport in their life as it has so many benefits; not just health benefits, but self-confidence, self-esteem, working as a team, better results at school. As a mother, I know this starts in childhood. Play has a massive role in a baby’s development just as sport can help nurture happy, well balanced kids, and I am delighted to help P&G and Pampers in their commitment to support moms and families world-wide,” she said.

US Olympian Tyson Gay has been part of the Gillette Get Started campaign. “I was born with sport in my blood and, as a child, my passion was nurtured by my parents and grandmother and then through training programs at school. With their support, the seed of inspiration I had as a child has grown to help me become the athlete I am today. I believe that all children deserve the same support to give them a great start in life,” he said.

GB Olympian and bronze medalist Robbie Grabarz helped support P&G’s announcement and acknowledged the role that his heroes had in helping him get a good start. “Support for young athletes is essential. Helping P&G support kids to experience sport is an honour for me, given the fact that without the support of Roger Black, Steve Backley and the Ron Pickering Foundation, I wouldn’t be here with a bronze medal today,” he said.

Marc Pritchard concluded, “By investing in youth sport, we can honor our commitment to moms and to the IOC by supporting families and helping grow tomorrow’s Olympians.”

The Thank You Mom campaign is being brought to life across all media channels and in-store with a worldwide retailer program that began in April and runs through August.  Olympic Games-themed P&G branded products are featured in more than 4 million stores across the globe. 

In addition to P&G’s commitment to youth sport, the Company has also activated several programs aimed at leaving a positive and lasting Legacy post-London 2012. These include a promise from P&G brands Ariel®/Tide®, Flash®, Febreze® to help London get ‘Games Ready’ through its UK Capital Clean Up campaign, which has dedicated more than 5000 hours of cleaning, filled more than 1000 bags of litter and helped recruit and train 8000 volunteers to act as ‘city ambassadors’ and a global P&G promise to leave a ‘clean footprint’ at the end of The Olympics by donating the contents of the P&G Family Home to local charities that support moms and families.

For a full list of assets and information related to the P&G Thank You Mom campaign, including photos and video, visit www.PGThankYouMomMediaCenter.com.

Photocaption: Marc Pritchard, Global marketing and brand building officer at P&G, Timo Lumme, Managing Director IOC Television & Marketing Services and London 2012 Olympians Kerri Walsh and Tyson Gay of the USA, Paula Radcliffe and Robbie Grabarz of Great Britain pose for pictures on stage during a Legacy event to announce a $25 million commitment by P&G to youth sport during the London 2012 Olympic Games at the London Media Centre on August 9, 2012 in London, England. (Photo by Samir Hussein/Getty Images For P&G)

Emirates to boost Kenya- Thai link

Emirates, one of the world’s fastest growing airlines, has announced a plan to introduce new service to Phuket, the largest island in Thailand located in the Andaman Sea.

Emirates will link Phuket, the airline’s second destination in Thailand after Bangkok, through its Dubai hub, beginning 10th December 2012.

Emirates Senior Vice President of Commercial Operations for Africa Jean Luc Grillet said: “Emirates is looking forward to the launch of our daily service to Phuket, well known as a holiday resort, just in time for Kenyans planning for their holiday season and we are confident that Phuket will prove a popular destination for our passengers.”

 He continued: “Our tour operating arm, Emirates Holidays, now offers tailor made holidays to Phuket featuring many of Phuket’s attractions from lush vistas and the turquoise waters of its sandy western shoreline, to cultural landmarks such as Chalong Temple and old Phuket Town.”

Thailand is an important market for Emirates, which currently operates four daily flights between Dubai and Bangkok, including one with Airbus A380 aircraft. In addition to improving tourism between the two countries, the new route is also expected to improve trade, which is in favour of Thailand. 

The value of Kenya imports from Thailand currently stands at about seven times the value of its exports. While the total volume of trade between the two countries was Ksh10 billion (US$111.5 million) in December 2010, only Ksh1.3 billion (US$14.7 million) were Kenya exports to Thailand.

“Thailand is famous with Kenyan traders as source of consumer goods like textiles, plastic ware, sugar, rice, beauty, etc. On the other hand, Thailand buys from Kenya Gemstones, cement, fish, inorganic chemicals and we hope our new service to Phuket, in additional, will greatly improve connectivity and capacity, enhance efficiency and boost trade between the two countries,” Mr. Grillet added.

Operated by a three-class Airbus aircraft, EK378 will depart Dubai at 1245hrs and arrive at Phuket International Airport at 2155hrs. The return flight, EK379 will depart at 0035hrs the following day and arrive at Dubai International Airport at 0435hrs. Emirates will offer its customers in all cabins meals prepared by gourmet chefs, award-winning service from the airline’s international cabin crew recruited from over 120 countries, as well as ice, the airlines’ entertainment system which offers over 1,400 channels of entertainment and the facility to send and receive emails and text messages on board.

Phuket will become the 15th route launch for the airline this year and the second in South East Asia following on from Ho Chi Minh City in June.  With a fleet of 178 aircraft and already the largest A380 operator in the world, with 22 in service, Emirates currently flies to 125 destinations in 74 countries.