President Mnangagwa to address African CEOs

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ABOUT 700 participants, 500 virtually and 200 physically are set to attend the 7th edition of the CEO Africa Annual Roundtable and Awards, with President Mnangagwa expected to deliver the key note address.

Following the cancellation of the event last year due to the Covid-19 induced lockdown, this year’s edition of the CEO Africa Annual Roundtable and Awards will be held from 27 to 29 October in Victoria Falls.

In an interview, the CEO Africa Roundtable chief executive officer Mr Kipson Gundani said preparations for the event were underway.

“The CEO Roundtable 2021 is a leading international gathering for African CEOs, bankers and investors, board chairpersons and entrepreneurs which will take place from 27 to 29 October, in Victoria Falls, under the theme, ‘Charting the Recovery Curve, Building Momentum — Crashing Barriers, Creating impact’.

“President Emmerson Mnangagwa is set to deliver the key note address as the Guest of Honour at the official opening, Presidential dinner and awards,” he said.

Mr Gundani said some of the key speakers will include Minister of Industry and Commerce, Dr Sekai Nzenza, Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe Governor Dr John Mangudya and the Speaker of the National Assembly, Advocate Jacob Francis Mudenda, among other dignitaries.

“CEO Africa Roundtable has invited renowned, high-powered speakers and industry practitioners from across the world who include the African Union Commission Commissioner for Economic Development, Trade, Industry and Mining, Ambassador Albert Muchanga, SRS Aviation Managing Director Sibongile Sambo, UNIDO Representative El Mekwad Khaled, among other high-profile speakers.”

He said this year’s edition comes at a time when technological changes in the midst of the deadly Covid-19 pandemic were transforming the global business like never before, increasing competition, shifting customers’ tastes and requirements. Mr Gundani said the globalisation of markets and the changing demographic trends were drastically altering how companies operate in almost every region and industry in the world.

“CEO Africa Roundtable 2021 aims to assist CEOs and senior executives in different sectors to harness converging technologies in order to create an inclusive CEO who is prepared for the future.

He said the event also comes at a time when the African Continental Free Trade Agreement (AfCFTA) has come into force.

Mr Gundani said with the AfCFTA aimed at creating a continental market for goods and services, and free movement of business persons and investments, it was expected to boost intra-Africa trade through harmonisation and coordination of trade liberalisation.

“The AfCFTA is also expected to be a facilitation instrument across the Regional Economic Communities (REC) and across Africa in general. It is expected to enhance competitiveness at the industry and enterprise level through exploitation of opportunities for scaling up production, continental markets access and better allocation of resources.”

Mr Gundani said the benefits of the event were enormous and participants will be able to expand their network of top-level business contacts, find new financial and business partners.

“By attending this year’s edition participants will be able to champion in the development of Africa’s private sector. Discover and learn the best practices from leading and fast-growing companies, while also promoting their business in Africa and across the globe.”

He said it was an opportunity for businesses and entrepreneurs to gain strategic insights, share their experiences and identify new opportunities through networking with policy makers, business leaders and markets experts, thereby forging new partnership and gaining competitive advantage.

Mr Gundani said as the Covid-19 pandemic has brought a lot of downside risks in African companies, it was the role of industry practitioners and policy makers to engage in meaningful conversations to ensure restoration of market functionability towards Zimbabwe’s economic recovery.

–Bulawayo24