Uber and Out
The US multibillion-dollar brand Uber is synonymous with smart living.
Whether it be getting from A to B at the touch of a button or ordering your favourite takeaway, app-based transactions are becoming more commonplace by the day.
Our cover story looks at how the company continues to make life easier for people across the African continent. Frans Hiemstra is the firm’s General Manager for Sub-Saharan Africa, and here he takes time out to speak to us about Uber’s advances in several markets, including South Africa, Nigeria, Ghana, Kenya, Tanzania, Uganda and the Ivory Coast.
“When we entered the market seven years ago, we knew we were going to be part of one of the world’s richest cultural bio-diversities, with a massive population of well over one billion, and saw this as one of our greatest opportunities,” he says.
This issue also focuses heavily on food, drink and agriculture thanks to exclusive interviews with the likes of South Africa family farming dynasty ZZ2, craft brewer Darling Brew and Nigeria’s Grand Cereals.
Elsewhere you will find an Expert Eye contribution from tech multinational Orange, a sustainability-themed exclusive from Omnia Group and education-themed topical focus in the form of a Q&A with Luis Lopez, CEO of Honoris United Universities.
Finally, it is with sadness that I announce this to be my final issue as Editor of Outlook Publishing. It has been a privilege to speak with business leaders across a tremendous array of industries, each with different and inspiring stories to tell. Likewise, I must thank the brilliant Outlook team who continue to produce quality storytelling content that showcases the best of African business and innovation – good news stories that, frankly, the world needs right now given the hardships brought about during an extraordinary 2020.
After more than two thoroughly enjoyable years at the helm, the time has come to handover to our extremely capable editorial team, each of whom has contributed to this edition. Africa Outlook is certainly in safe hands.
Enjoy the read!