PR empowerment deal

Dlamini has also been appointed Chairman and will be actively involved in business development and assisting with the development of PDI staff in the business.

"This deal represents a major stride for black business women entrepreneurs in the communications industry, where there is currently very little representation," says Dlamini.

Tin Can founder and CEO, Debby Reader, who set up Tin Can over eight years ago, says the deal represents a significant move in women entrepreneurship. "South Africa is lagging behind the US where women-owned businesses employ more than the Fortune 500 combined and own a third of all US firms," she says.

Reader believes the combination of Tin Can's existing reputation and the new partnership will assist the firm in realising its goal to become the number one South African communications agency in billings, client profile and reputation within three years.

Tin Can was ranked 9th largest PR agency in the Financial Mail's 2002 Adfocus survey, and was ranked number five in The Media's 2003 survey in terms of billings.

She adds that Dlamini can add a lot of value to Tin Can with her many years experience in marketing and business management. Dlamini was previously a director of communications company Suzanne Weil & Associates, where she managed major events and PR projects. Before this she was on the management team of the Africa Media Entertainment Group, responsible for major events at the MTN Sundome. Prior to this she was director of road traffic safety at the Automobile Association of South Africa.

Reader, who received the Business Women's Association (BWA) entrepreneurial Business Achiever Award for 2001, attributes Tin Can's substantial growth of an average of 80% per annum to skills development, adapting to market demands and diversification. Tin Can has diversified from offering conventional PR and reputation management consulting, to strategic marketing services, and entertainment management.

Looking to the future, Reader believes the secret for continued growth and on-going success will be to continue improving the recipe that is working, while adapting to changing market demands and identifying opportunities to ensure revenue growth.