Trio of risk-takers and innovators for upcoming BASA Africa Breakfast

Taking place on 25 March at the Gordon Institute of Business Science (GIBS) in Johannesburg, the first BASA Africa Business Breakfast for 2014 will be addressed by Praekelt Group's Gustav Praekelt, GIBS Senior Researcher, Lisa Brown and multiple award-winning jazz musician, Kesivan Naidoo.

All three are recognised as leaders in their fields, offering unique insights into how the arts can be a progressive enabler in entering African markets.

Lisa Brown is a senior researcher at the Centre for Dynamic Markets (CDM) at the Gordon Institute of Business Science (GIBS) in Johannesburg. Previously an economist at Wesgro (the Western Cape Trade, Investment and Destination Marketing Promotion Agency), Brown's primary focus at GIBS is on India-Africa and intra-Africa trade and investment research. She will be presenting the newly developed Dynamic Markets Index.

Gustav Praekelt is the founder of the Africa-based Praekelt Group - a leader in the creation of mobile platforms and services for the majority world.

Through Praekelt Consulting, which he launched in 2003, Praekelt has been involved in many seminal launches in the African digital arena including the first use of the launch of mobile television, the first social impact use of Please Call Me technology, and the integrated use of WAP across the Sub-Saharan region. His belief in the power of mobile phones to transform lives inspired him to establish the Praekelt Foundation in 2006 - a social business that develops scalable mobile solutions for social good, whose programmes have reached over 50 million people across 15 countries in Africa.

A graduate of UCT, Naidoo is widely regarded as one of the foremost jazz drummers in the world, having performed across the country as well as in Europe, America, India and Africa. The winner of the Standard Bank Young Jazz Artist award in 2009, Naidoo has travelled with the Bank on the continent, performing at various events and for diverse clients.

Alongside his playing, Naidoo is also a music activist. As creative director of Silent Revolution Music and co-owner of Cape Town's The Mahogany Room, he's committed to creating a sustainable live circuit for jazz in Africa.

"We are excited about the speakers for our first Breakfast," says BASA CEO, Michelle Constant.

"Each of them has unique insights to offer on operating in Africa, from Kesivan's unique creative journeys, to Lisa's intra-Africa investment research and Gustav's unparalleled experience with using mobile technology to transform Africa."

The BASA Africa Breakfasts are open to all business members. Seating is limited so make sure you book your place now on the details below.

Date: 25 March 2014
Where: GIBS
Starting time: 07.30am
Ticket price: R250

Tickets available: www.basa.co.za


About BASA (NPC):

Business and Arts South Africa is an internationally recognised development agency which incorporates the arts into, and contributes to, corporate's commercial success. With a suite of integrated programmes, Business and Arts South Africa encourages mutually beneficial partnerships between business and the arts in order to grow SHARED VALUE. Business and Arts South Africa was founded in 1997 as a joint initiative of government and the business sector, as a public/private partnership.