"We are launching this CEO's Club in Uganda to ensure that top executives in the country are involved in a discussion on the future of this country, especially at this critical time when the economy is angling to hit into double digit economic growth," Jawad Jaffer, project director and associate publisher, Superbrands East Africa said at the opening of of the club. The association was unveiled by the Minister of state for Planning Prof. Kamuntu Ephraim, at the Kampala Serena Hotel on Thursday, 21 October 2010.
Jaffer added that the new forum equally provides a networking opportunity for CEOs, especially those representing firms that have achieved Superbrands certification. Top brands of four local companies were ushered into the Superbrands league during the launch of the club. The brands include; the Daily Monitor newspaper, WBS TV, Radio One and Madhvani Foundation. The brands were chosen through a survey that sought consumers' opinions on 2,000 brands in East Africa. The survey was conducted by TNS Reseach International, a research partner of Superbrands East Africa.
Senior executives of the firms were awarded Superbrands certificates which symbolise their official entry into the Superbrands league of companies in the world. Jaffer said the Superbrands selections process is an ongoing program and more Ugandan companies are expected to join the Superbrands program by the end of 2010.
Speaking at the launch, Prof. Kamuntu noted that Superbrands CEO's Club will provide resource personnel from both the private and public sectors to shed light on some predominant factors of the time that could have an effect on business growth and the general economic development.
"I am convinced that this club therefore; is a vital opportunity for the business community to share knowledge and strategies that would be essential to the growth agenda of the region," Prof. Kamuntu told the business executives.
"It also enables the top executives to shape the region's agenda and influence national policy development that would in turn, facilitate a rapid increase in foreign direct investments in the region," he explained.
The first CEO's Club was launched in Nairobi, Kenya earlier this year. The CEO's Club in Kenya has helped the country's Superbrands understand the importance of serving and reaching the bottom end of the pyramid. Through the topic, CEOs learnt that it can be very rewarding for companies to review their business models and structure products for the low end of the market.
Commenting further on the CEO's Club, Jaffer added; "It is critical to Uganda in that it will facilitate cross-fertilisation of ideas as the region focuses on cross-border trade under the auspices of the East Africa Community."
The launch of the EAC Common Market Protocol in August has already created new opportunities that all CEOs will be keen to exploit to boost partnerships with their peers in the region. "We anticipate that the CEO's Club will help to increase the visibility and uptake of indigenous East African brands across the region and within other economic blocs in the continent such as SADC."
