Herman Mashaba, Founder of Black Like Me, to receive Award for Lifetime Achievement in Johannesburg

At the age of 24, the young man who had only visited a hair salon once came to start a company that is today worth multi millions and has become known as an aspirational and motivating brand in the black community. Black Like Me is as much one of the market leaders today as when it was established almost 30 years ago?-?yet its beginnings were markedly humble. Starting his career as a sales rep, selling products for different companies from his car boot on a commission basis, he came across this fantastic opportunity to get into hair care products.?Black women were starting to take care of their hair and he realised this was going to be the market of the future. Mashaba's story is an example of one man becoming master of his own destiny?- something he believes we all can, and should, do. He maintains that we can't rely on government to turn our lives into a success, they should provide an enabling environment, but it's up to us to make the most of what we've been given.

Committed to helping other entrepreneurs achieve the same success, he established an investment company that mainly invests in small businesses. Now not actively involved in Black Like Me operations, he spends most of his time?-?when he's not golfing or playing the piano?-?facilitating NGOs that represent causes close to his heart. One such organisation is the Field Band Foundation, an initiative that uses music to teach children life skills. The organisation reaches more than 5,000 children throughout the country.

Recipients will be collecting their Award at the Congress and partaking in a live interview with the Congress Chairman. Conference Chairman, Thebe Ikalafeng, will lead a live interview with Retail Congress Africa winners to understand their drive, determination and key to successes.

More information can be found at www.retailcongressafrica.com.

About Retail Congress Africa

Retail Congress Africa originates from the Global leading World Retail Congress. The World Retail Congress, part of i2i Events Group portfolio, was launched in 2007, to be a platform for senior retail executives to meet and discuss the most important topics affecting retailers across the world. It has been held in Barcelona (2007-9), Berlin (2010-11), London (2012) and Paris (2013-14) and is attended by up to 1,000 industry leaders from more than 60 countries. The programme is developed in conjunction with the Congress Advisory Board which represents retailers such as Gap, Kingfisher, Macys, Reliance Lifestyle, Myer, Alshaya, Netto, Inditex and Tesco. 2013 was the launch of World Retail Congress Africa which focused solely on doing business across Africa.

About i2i Events Group

i2i Events Group delivers world-class exhibitions and large scale events in key sectors including home and gift, fashion, retail, healthcare, energy, environment, education, technology and media. Its portfolio of world-wide events includes World Retail Congress, Bett, Spring Fair, RWM, CWIEME, BVE and Pure London. It prides itself on opening up possibilities for its customers and each year brings more than 250,000 decision makers together to network, source, test, buy and sell brilliant products, services, ideas and solutions. The company is headed up by Mark Shashoua who joined EMAP as Group MD of EMAP Connect in November 2011 and became CEO of i2i Events Group in March 2012. i2i Events Group is powered by Top Right Group, formerly known as Emap International Ltd.