How Habanos S.A is on the rise to becoming a leading Cigar producer in Africa.



The kingdom of Morocco is rich with fertile soils, good fertilizer and produces 75% of the world’s best phosphate in the world.



All these qualities are why The Kingdom of Morocco is the home ground for Habanos S.A, a leading producer, and distributor of premium cigars and cigarettes in Africa.



“Cigars are a very important market in Morocco because our country imports 20 million dollars annually on behalf of cigars,” says 29-year-old Moulay Omar Zahraoui, CEO and co-founder of Habanos S.A.



A true proudly Moroccan product, Habanos works with more than with 500 farmers to grow tobacco on 120 hectares of tobacco plantations.



<blockquote class="wp-block-quote is-layout-flow wp-block-quote-is-layout-flow">“We&#8217;re specialized in developing premium &amp; sophisticated handcrafted Moroccan cigars!”<cite>– Moulay Omar Zahraoui</cite></blockquote>



They offer three different products; cigars, cigarillos and cigarettes.



Each cigar they produce is composed of three types of tobacco leaves, the wrapper, the binder, and the filler, all contributing to their premium quality.



Co-founded in 2011 by the successful entrepreneur and his family, Habanos S.A. was created in the industrial zone of Ain Sebaa in Casablanca Morocco.



“We&#8217;re specialized in developing premium &amp; sophisticated handcrafted Moroccan cigars!” he says proudly.



Zahraoui is a representative of the success of science behind the company with great ambitions.



“After the liberalization of the tobacco sector I got the license of tobacco manufacturing and distribution and I wanted to invest in this project,” Zahraoui says.



<figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="685" height="1024" src="https://www.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/04/PHOTO-2020-04-23-16-07-44-685x1024.jpg" alt="" class="wp-image-44762" srcset="https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/04/PHOTO-2020-04-23-16-07-44-685x1024.jpg 685w, https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/04/PHOTO-2020-04-23-16-07-44-300x449.jpg 300w, https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/04/PHOTO-2020-04-23-16-07-44-600x897.jpg 600w, https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/04/PHOTO-2020-04-23-16-07-44-201x300.jpg 201w, https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/04/PHOTO-2020-04-23-16-07-44-768x1148.jpg 768w, https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/04/PHOTO-2020-04-23-16-07-44.jpg 856w" sizes="(max-width: 685px) 100vw, 685px" /></figure>



Today, Habanos S.A. prides itself in being one of the first cigar factories in Africa. The group plans to provide payment flexibility to each of its distributors in Africa



The Moroccan National Company is a leader 100% in the premium cigar industry Handcrafted from the finest tobacco grown in the Kingdom of Morocco.



The cigar manufacturing industry is saturated with multinational competitors and therefore not easy to integrate.



“Our most interesting anecdote is that we were sued by the Cubans and we won the lawsuit and we asked for compensation of twenty million dollars,” he says.



Despite some of these challenges faced by Zahraoui he is still optimistic about the future.



His goal is to open a subsidiary throughout Africa and in the United states, of which they have already signed a contract for.



“Our group will provide payment flexibility for each distributor in African countries for a credit of one million dollars for each distributor of manufactured tobacco. It is thanks to policy of his majesty King Mohamed VI that encourages African countries for the development, industrialization and creation of jobs,” Zahraoui says.



While last year was a milestone for the company as they hosted one of the first cigar trade shows in Africa, this year they plan to invite all cigar aficionados and tobacco distributors to their second cigar trade show in Casablanca, the African Cigar Capital in December.



The company has signed an agreement with the US group of $500 million.



In addition, they expect to achieve export revenues of $1 billion in the near future.



“Africa is full of opportunities for any kind of business and not only ours,” he adds.



<a href="https://www.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/04/Morrocan-cigars.pdf">For more information click here</a>



Content provided by Habanos S.A.

PHOTO-2020-04-23-16-14-10

Premium Cigars Made The Moroccan Way

Brand Voice by Zamani Holdings and ITHUBA 



Group CEO of Zamani Holdings, Charmaine Mabuza was honoured with the Social Impact Award at the 2020 FORBES WOMAN AFRICA Leading Women Summit held in Durban ICC recently. 



This award
recognizes Mabuza for her measurable philanthropy that has positively impacted
the lives of many South Africans for the past 21 years.&nbsp; 



At the top of
her philanthropical projects is the Eric and Charmaine Mabuza Scholarship
Foundation which she founded with her husband, Advocate Eric Mabuza in 1999.
The Scholarship Foundation started in Mpumalanga, where the Mabuza’s business
hub is centered. Speaking to Ukhozi FM in an interview, Charmaine Mabuza said
that together with her husband, they funded this foundation straight from their
pockets. “Both my husband and I come from humble beginnings and we know what
it’s like to not have means to study further, especially when you believe that
education is your way out of poverty. So when we started making good profits
from our small businesses at the time, we decided to dedicate a portion of our
personal income to funding tertiary education fees of previously disadvantaged
children”, said Mabuza. 



Powered by
Zamani Holdings, the Scholarship Foundation later expanded its reach to the
rest of South Africa, supporting over 160 students countrywide, many of which
have qualified as Doctors, Chartered Accountants, Engineers, Quantity Surveyors
and many more. The 2020 Scholarship Foundation programme launched on 13
January, with an intake of 21 students. 



Zamani holdings
has empowered the rest its group of companies to roll out CSI initiatives that
truly transform the lives of ordinary South Africans. At the forefront of these
initiatives is ITHUBA, the South African National Lottery Operator and Zamani’s
flagship company. 



In July 2017,
ITHUBA launched the ITHUBA Female
Retailer Development programme, specially designed to empower women who own
spaza shops and informal supermarkets, who currently sell National Lottery
products, from all around the country. This included women from previously
marginalized communities in the rural outskirts. 



In collaboration
with reputable institutions such as Regenesys and the University of
Johannesburg, this programme has upskilled over 100 women in retail business.
The latest group of 14 women graduated in October 2019 at the University of
Johannesburg’s Kingsway campus, each being awarded a qualification in Advanced Entrepreneurship and Social
Innovation.



Zamani’s Social Responsibility initiatives include: 



<ul><li>ITHUBA
Graduate Programme: An annual skills development programme for graduates
within the Marketing, Finance, IT, PR, HR and Logistics fields, with intake of
13 students in 2020. </li><li>Youth
Enterprise Development:&nbsp; Eradicating
youth unemployment through developing upcoming entrepreneurs and helping them
build sustainable, profit making business.&nbsp;
</li><li>Housing
project: A project that builds houses for employees in the lower income brackets,
who have been in the employment of the company for 10 years and more. </li><li>A media campaign to condemn femicide and
violence against women. </li></ul>



“I firmly
believe that education is key to eradicating poverty and injustice. This is why
all of our initiatives are based on imparting knowledge and skills. Through
education we empower, through education we liberate” said Mabuza.

ithuba

Charmaine Mabuza Honoured With FORBES WOMAN AFRICA Social Impact Award

Brand Voice by Gert-Johan Coetzee 



A &nbsp;fashion designer who believes you can never dream too big, Gert-Johan Coetzee is revered as one of South Africa’s most celebrated designers; synonymous with his signature style, sophistication and panache. Gert-Johan doesn’t simply design dresses, he designs relationships and delivers dreams for his dynamic and esteemed clientele of women in Business, Entertainment, Politics and Royal African Families. 



Fashion courses through Gert-Johan’s veins, and has been his
passion since he was eight years old, designing dresses for his pencils, out of
tissue paper. Over two decades later, his dedication to dressing women how
they’d like to be addressed, has seen Gert-Johan rise to the top of his game in
South Africa; dressing newsworthy women like Former Public Protector Thuli
Madonsela, Miss Universe 2018 Demi-Leigh Nel- Peters, Miss World 2014 Rolene
Strauss, and Media Personalities Minnie Dlamini, Lerato Kganyago and Bonang
Matheba, to name a few. His talent has an international scope of significant
superstars including the likes of Oprah Winfrey, Kourtney Kardashian, Kristin
Cavallari, Lauryn Hill, Kelly Rowland, Fantasia and Tiwa Savage. 



A decade of designing is a formidable feat, as the Fashion
Industry is fast-paced, and as an Entrepreneur in an ever-evolving environment;
in order to achieve the commercial and creative success that Gert-Johan has
enjoyed in his ten year tenure, requires passion, perseverance, determination
and a delicate balance between business and creativity.&nbsp; 



His successful collaborations with global brands such as
McDonald’s and Ferrari speak of his commercial understanding of business, which
is a rarity in the creative world of Fashion. Without self-discipline, success
is impossible, and in the enterprise of Fashion, success is not exclusively
measured on making profits, but in the creation of brand value; which
Gert-Johan has mastered with his eponymous empire. In addition to his Couture
and Bespoke Bridal Collections, Gert-Johan has created GERT, his Casual Wear
Collection as well as an exclusive Ready-To-Wear Range available at selected
luxury boutiques. His Menswear range adds to his impressive portfolio.



Gert-Johan has become an influential individual in his own
right, and debuted his career in television as a mentor on Project Runway South
Africa. With a passion for mentorship and sharing opportunities and knowledge,
Gert-Johan has established a bursary programme that sponsors two new students
annually, with three-year bursaries in Fashion Studies at his alma mater, The
Northwest School of Design.&nbsp; 



Gert-Johan is also a Social Activist who uses the power of
his platform to highlight social issues. From breaking down prejudices to
breast cancer awareness, from championing education to addressing violence
against women; as well as raising awareness about endangered wildlife and
eco-consciousness in fashion, Gert-Johan’s bi-annual collections, shown at SA
Fashion Week, have sparked conversations with their social focus.



Gert-Johan has won numerous awards, including South Africa’s
Most Promising Young Designer in 2006, at the age of 19, and South African
Designer of the Year in 2010. He’s also shown at International Fashion Weeks in
Canada, Angola and Nigeria and has a growing following across the African
continent. 



In his illustrious career, Gert-Johan has created some of South Africa’s most memorable masterpieces, and together with opening SA Fashion Week SS20 in April this year; the upcoming Gert-Johan Coetzee Retrospective, taking place in Sandton City&#8217;s Diamond Walk, in collaboration with Martini Dolce 0.0. from the 19th of March until the 26th of April 2020, will showcase some of his most iconic creations as well as the women who wore them. 



In addition to the Retrospective, in celebration of a decade
of Gert-Johan Coetzee, comes a passion project expertly crafted in the heart of
Grasse, the perfume capital of the world on the French Riviera, in the same
perfumerie where some of the greatest fragrances such as Jean Paul Gaultier,
Maison Francis Kurkdjian, Dior and Balmain are manufactured. A signature scent
that is anchored in authenticity, inspired by Africa and reflecting her
essence; but artfully constructed by the finest French noses, comes Gert-Johan
Coetzee’s first foray into fragrance. 



Double Platinum Eau de Parfum by Gert-Johan Coetzee
comprises a cocktail of memory and emotion; and is reminiscent of Rustenburg’s
signature platinum mines, where Gert-Johan grew up. Designed for the diverse
South African men and women who wear Gert-Johan Coetzee’s Collections, the
delicate combination of the softness of rose, which represents feminine
fragility, paired with the smoke of masculinity, comes a sophisticated scent
offering aromatic abundance in every spritz. 



“A signature symphony of success,” every detail of Double
Platinum is deliberate, and Sarah Langa, the face of Double Platinum Eau de
Parfum, embodies the epitome of a Gert-Johan Coetzee woman – confident, kind,
powerful and graceful with a sophisticated soupçon of sex appeal.



This is the beautiful beginning of a brand new direction for
Gert-Johan and his Business Partner, Brand Manager and husband Vicky Visagie,
as they branch into diverse dimensions for the Gert-Johan Coetzee brand.



Double Platinum Eau de Parfum was launched on the 27th
February at Skins Cosmetics in Sandton City, Johannesburg, and will be
exclusively sold at this outlet.

IMG_0481

A Decade of Gert-Johan Coetzee

Inspiring
women to lead in the energy sector and industry at large to improve the
imbalance of representation, is an ambition to be realised by all, according to
Mariam Kane-Garcia, the newly appointed CEO and Managing Director of Total
South Africa. 



She wants
to encourage and inspire people to push the boundaries of possibility,
regardless of the minority groups they belong to; while at the same time emphasising
the importance of not doing so at the expense or the credibility of minority
groups, specifically women in leadership. 



She
lives with the conviction that a diverse workforce and management team drives
the competitiveness of the business, the ability to innovate, the ability to
attract opportunities and their social license to operate. 



“At
Total, we enable all our employees to develop their professional skills and
advance in their career without discrimination of any kind.” 



However,
the presence of women leadership in the energy sector is still insufficient,
despite progress. The ‘Global Energy Talent Index Report 2020’, found that
women make up only 8% of the workforce in the global oil &amp; gas sector, 9%
in each of the petrochemical and power sectors, 12% in the nuclear sector, and
15% in the renewables sector.



Furthermore,
says the report, only 17% of women (of an already small pool) are placed on
leadership training programmes, compared to 22% of men. And the fact that women
have shown preference to training, learning and development suggests that
they’re still coming up against a glass ceiling and are eager for opportunities
to smash through it.



Mariam
emphasises that there is an opportunity for all in tackling the imbalance and
being catalysts for change instead of casualties for change. Diversity is a key
performance lever for success and both men and women have a critical role to
play in realising much change to rebalance industries. The task is not to
shoulder the typical roles assigned in industry, but for women and men to
interlink as the connective fibre that will materialise the successful growth
of industries in a notable way, as well as the economy. 



The
reasons for women’s underrepresentation in the sector are complex. There are
historical factors. Even today, research suggest that young girls are not
encouraged to eye careers in what is considered a technical, or masculine
industry. 



With
that in mind, it’s critical that women pursue and embrace the opportunities
that come their way, says Mariam Kane-Garcia, who is the first woman to hold
the senior position at Total South Africa. “Total offered me a managed career
path and I seized these opportunities successfully,” she says.



This
reciprocal relationship with Total has kept Kane-Garcia with the company for
nearly 20 years. She grew up in West Africa – Mauritania and Côte d&#8217;Ivoire –
and attended the ESCP Business School in Paris. She joined Total shortly after
finishing at the ESCP in 2001, and has held a series of positions in finance,
strategy, and business development at group offices in France, the UK,
Singapore and Vietnam. In 2019, she moved to South Africa as Executive Vice President
for marketing and services Southern Africa, and as CEO and Managing Director of
Total South Africa.



As a
vocal champion for diversity and inclusivity, she feels strongly that women
should be represented, not as a minority, but because they are deserving. This
will ensure that the wrong message is not sent and that it does not dilute the
impact of their performance in achieving their status. 



Not
only do women have to be placed in more leadership positions, but they also
need more exposure to technical roles, starting with education and vocational
training. 



Total
South Africa is committed to long term partnerships within the communities in
which it operates and has partnered with the Department of Agriculture,
Forestry and Fisheries Female Entrepreneurship Awards since 2003. Total South
Africa also supports other talent linked initiatives like Buskaid and Afrika
Tikkun, to create shared value and ensure the development of women at
grassroots.



In
2006, the company created its own Total Women Initiative for Communication and
Exchange (TWICE) Network as a platform to help women find their way and fulfil
their potential in the company, and Kane-Garcia herself set up the Twice Network
for Total UK’s upstream operations. 



When
it comes to gender equality, both women and men have to contribute.



We
stand to benefit from women and men’s unique contributions to truly propel the
energy sector forward. We need to create solutions with a business model as to
not simply place a band-aid on issues but rather create sustainable solutions
with a long-term commitment to solve and defy barriers. 



She concludes that, “If we are more inclusive, we are more connected; and if we are more diverse, we are more creative in solving the challenges we face.”



Content provided by Total

DSCF7750

Here’s how Mariam Kane-Garcia is leading the way at Total South Africa

Top
Employers Institute is the global HR authority on certifying excellence in
employee conditions. For over 28 years, our firm has been dedicated to
accelerating the impact of people strategies to enrich the world of work through
certification, benchmarking, and connecting Top Employers around the world.



Through our
HR Best Practices Survey, we enable organisations to assess and improve their
workplace environment. Recognition through our programme helps companies become
elevated as an employer of choice. We certify organisations worldwide. We
recognise Top Employers based on a global four-stage programme governed by a
strict standardised process. The leading-edge international research we conduct
each year determines whether an organisation meets the required standard of
excellence for Top Employer certification.



Africa’s Top
Employers for 2020 were officially announced in November last year at the
annual Top Employer’s Certification Dinner. A record 230 organisations officially
registered to participate in the 2020 programme, 210 organisations spanning 32
African countries and 23 industry sectors were certified throughout the
evening. 96 organisations will now carry the South African certification, while
114 Top Employers from 31 other African territories will carry their country
specific certification. Top Employers Institute also recognised 17 continental
Top Employers who have achieved certification in 4 or more countries.



Billy
Elliott, Top Employers Institute Regional Manager: Africa, says that the
certification provides employers with an important quality metric that enables
them to position their brands more effectively in the attraction, retention,
and engagement of top talent. “The Top Employers Institute is not just about
certifying Africa’s Top Employers. We have seen a progression of HR in Africa
over the last few years, and it is our role to empower and advance people
strategies across the world. We are driven not just to certify but to benchmark
and connect outstanding employers around the world,” he said.



These are
organisations of the highest calibre, continuously working hard to create,
implement and advance their people practices. This group of Top Employers
provide an outstanding workplace experience, empower employees, and make the
working world a greater place.



Read more about Africa’s 2020 Top Employers in the Forbes Africa supplement <a href="https://www.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/01/Top-Employers.pdf">[HERE]</a>



Have you got
what it takes to be a Top Employer?



Visit <a href="http://www.top-employers.com/en-ZA/get-certified">www.top-employers.com/en-ZA/get-certified</a> for more information.

Website image 4

Africa’s Top Employers 2020

For Continental Tyre, it is critical for its employees to know and understand how wealth is created and distributed.
&nbsp;
By Genevieve Jozaffe-Naidoo, Training Management and Organisational Development (TMOD) Manager
&nbsp;
Care is a verb at Continental Tyre South Africa, which is why the company has consistently been named a Top Employer in South Africa.
It is critical for all employees to know and understand how wealth is created and distributed within the organisation.
Equally, every employee needs to appreciate their individual contribution towards common goals. To this end, our leadership team has established line-of-sight for each employee. 
Growth and profitability can only be achieved through shared purpose and values (Trust, Passion to Win, For One Another and Freedom to Act), coupled with employees’ talents, motivation and willingness to learn.
Our values unify how we engage and challenge our actions, results, successes and opportunities. Trust and transparency talk to just some of the lived values of our leadership team – sacrificing short-term gains for long-term growth. The leadership team have committed their time, efforts and minds being of service down the line to create “one Continental”.
Over the past few years, there has been significant investment in building our people capability. Hosting development programmes aimed at enhancing critical skills was just one of the interventions we undertook.
2018 has certainly challenged our business. This year – in the spirit of building capability – business sustainability and humanising the scoreboard has been our priority. Political and economic uncertainty, both locally and globally, has created added pressure to deliver affordable, quality products consistently. These challenges have brought us full circle to our values.
Our people have responded well to these challenging times. Dialogues and joint action planning define our culture, with various platforms accommodating multi-faceted conversations. We are motivated to change our lived experiences by creating alliance and value, striving always to be an attractive and progressive employer.
Participating in the Top Employer awards has been of tremendous use in raising our awareness on policy, process and practice. Additionally, it has added value to our brand. Continental Tyre South Africa’s 70-year presence in South Africa is evidence of our leadership and learning agility. Our organisation is fully geared toward shaping our future in motion.
OUR PEOPLE, OUR CULTURE, OUR FUTURE.

Tag: Brand voice

FORBES AFRICA SOCIAL MEDIA

Premium Cigars Made The Moroccan Way

Charmaine Mabuza Honoured With FORBES WOMAN AFRICA Social Impact Award

A Decade of Gert-Johan Coetzee

Here’s how Mariam Kane-Garcia is leading the way at Total South Africa

Africa’s Top Employers 2020

Continental Tyre’s Values Create Value