eCommerce Africa Confex returns in February to Cape Town

Following the success of the first eCommerce Africa Confex in 2015, where more than 800 attendees came from all over Africa, including Nigeria, Kenya, Lesotho, Namibia and Zimbabwe.

The event will display over 50 solution providers and bring together the regions' leading merchants, major retailers, brands, developers, designers and ecommerce experts. It welcomes business owners, directors and CEOs as well as managers involved in marketing, merchandising, customer service, operations and supply chain management.

The event will feature over 65 speakers, keynotes, panel discussions, technical demonstrations, networking opportunities, cocktail functions and an exhibition, all hosted by industry leaders.

Terry Southam, md of Kinetic Events, the organisers says, "We have an exciting line-up of industry experts and an equally strong collection of sponsors and exhibitors for 2016."

Speakers

This year the agenda will focus on four key themes: the evolution of e-commerce, understanding the customer, the three P's of eCommerce: Payments, Protection and Processes, and agile omni-channel eCommerce.

• Ronnie Apteker, founder of Internet Solutions, will examine how to approach the business world with a lighter, more creative touch to help people engage with their customers.

• Emilian Popa, principal of Digital Growth Africa & Middle East, will discuss the macro-level of the industry and how it has evolved from 2015-2016.

• Joe Falter, CEO and founder, Hellofoods.com, will examine the company's journey as a case study in overcoming the obstacles in a new territory.

Sponsored speakers

• Oracle Marketing Cloud (platinum sponsor) Keynote Speaker: Claudia Foster, senior strategic solutions consultant, Placing your Customer in the Centre of an Omni-Channel World

Gold Sponsors include:

• Criteo (gold sponsor) - keynote speaker: Dirk Henke, md Emerging Markets, Marketing in a World of Mobile Commerce

• FNB/PayPal (gold co-sponsors) - keynote speaker: Efi Dahan, regional director Africa and Israel, PayPal, Around the World in Just a Few Clicks
• PayU - technical demonstration, presented by Francois Perry, product manager, technical Demonstration presented by Charles Elliman, head of sales and keynote speaker, Mel Gischen, Head of Marketing MEA, The Utility of Mobile Wallets in South Africa

• One World - panel discussion: Agile Payments: Overcoming the Challenges and Creating an Effective Payment System - speaker, Atul Bhakta, md