Brand Africa challenges Africans

"One of the primary drivers of Africa's growth lies in stimulating and growing thriving African and global businesses and brands in Africa," said Thebe Ikalafeng, founder and chairman of Brand Africa. "The key is to understand local environments and cultivate cultural intelligence".

Hosted by Brand South Africa, and Brand Leadership Academy, the forum was attended by several high profile local and international speakers and more than 300 leaders and executives across the business, government and civil society spectrum. The aim of the session was to harness collective African and global wisdom and experience to find home-grown solutions that will drive the continent's reputation, image and competitiveness.

"The benefits of nation branding are immense as they have both financial and non-financial implications," explained Dr. Arthur Mutambara, deputy prime minister of Zimbabwe during his keynote address on governance and sustainability. "But it is critical to ensure that the country brand transcends political affiliation. Our politicians need to be aware that, as nation brand ambassadors, they have to sacrifice political gain in lieu of the greater brand, the country".