A Must Event: Retail Congress Africa -18 - 19 November 2014 at Sandton Convention Center, Johannesburg

Topic: Ghana: Rising middle class creates Africa’s new retail hotspot

14:30 - 15:15 | Tuesday 18 November 2014

 

As the gateway to West Africa with over 250 million consumers, political stability and cultural tolerance, Ghana is setting an interesting example for a positive business environment. The size of the middle class is still small, but is growing at a rapid pace, thereby providing the base for the demand for convenience and variety that is offered by super- and hypermarkets.

• What is the future of this promising hot-spot and how can retail business grow sustainably in Ghana?

This session will discuss strategies for reaching the rising local middle class

Source: https://www.worldretailcongressafrica.com/session/ghana-rising-middle-class-creates-africa%E2%80%99s-new-retail-hotspot



Paulina says: I think Retail Congress Africa 2014 is a must for all in the high-end retail market in Ghana/Africa and beyond. If you're thinking of getting into said industry or expanding in Africa -you must be part of this event. Also, fab industry insiders imparting wisdom include: Chris Bishop, Editor in Chief for Forbes Africa, Yaw Nsarkoh, Managing Director, Unilever East and Southern Africa, --Therese Gearhart, President of Coca-Cola Southern Africa -- and Jose Gomez, Senior Vice President, International Expansion for Mango. To register your interest visit: https://www.worldretailcongressafrica.com/content/register-your-interest

For more info visit: https://www.worldretailcongressafrica.com/


More Info:
In November 2013, the first Retail Congress Africa brought together Pan-African and international retail stakeholders to discuss the bright future everyone is talking about. Over 300 of the most senior retail professionals met to understand the opportunities, explore growth strategies and assess how best to reach the savvy new consumers of Africa.
As we look towards 2014, the 2nd Retail Congress Africa will build on its success, providing deeper insight into the African retail opportunities and challenges. Once again, the retail industry will give their input, the entire value chain of the global ecosystem will be represented and the industry will once again have the chance to shape and define its future

The only platform to discuss the future of the pan-African retail industry.

What's new for 2014?

1. Transformed agenda: In-depth research with international and regional retail stakeholders is shaping the Retail Congress Africa agenda from scratch. Experts share their thoughts and beliefs on what will make the exciting African retail industry tick and actively define the topics for discussion
2. More retailers -Meet the right people to do business with in Africa. With over 75% of attendees being retailers, you’ll meet your peers and be part of the crucial discussions around the future of African retail
3. Facilitated networking activities - Lunch briefings, roundtables, drinks and networking activities are at the core of the Retail Congress Africa to ensure you meet the right people to grow your business
4. Enhanced speaker faculty - the 2014 speaker faculty will feature over 70 retail expert speakers including inspirational keynotes and real how to case studies of entering new markets and understanding the new African consumer 

 

"Nothing happens until something moves." Albert-Einstein

 

"Before something great happens, everything falls apart."

Paulina says: Here's to hoping better times are coming to Ghana -Amen.

"To be authentic and true, sometimes you have to be alone. Not because you don't want friends, or value people or want people around you, but because where you are at -right now is not for the faint hearted, and because you are surviving that 'place' by God's merciful grace -one unrelenting minute at a time." Paulina Opoku-Gyimah

 

"Its becoming far too expensive to be a Ghanaian." Paulina Opoku-Gyimah

 

"As we speak today, every Ghanaian, including babies who are born as we speak owe GHC 2, 000,” Osei Kyei Mensah Bonsu

 

The Next Big Thing in Music: A.I. (Ayisi Ican)

Do remember to watch via: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1TsrcUFsgTo


Title: Ghanaian R&B/Hip-Hop Artiste wins US-based competition
dated: 16th -5-2014

The International Songwriting Competition (ISC), widely recognized as the world’s most prestigious and respected songwriting competition, has announced its 2013 winners.
For the first time in ISC’s 13-year history, an artiste from Ghana, A.I. (Ayisi Ican), has won First Place in a category, taking home the prestigious award in R&B/Hip-Hop for his song “Anger Management.”

Established in 2002, ISC awards more than $150,000 in cash and prizes to amateur and professional songwriters around the world. Past ISC winners include Gotye, Bastille, The Band Perry, Passenger, Kasey Chambers, King Charles, Lindsey Stirling, Andrew Bird, NZ phenoms Gin Wigmore and Kimbra, and many more.

Winners were selected by a panel of judges which included, among others, Imagine Dragons, Martina McBride, Joshua Redman, Josh Turner, Keane, Garbage, Dido, Jon Secada, Darryl McDaniels (Run D.M.C.), James Cotton, Boney James, Jason Isbell, and Anoushka Shankar.

Judges also included the top echelon of music industry executives, including Monte Lipman (Founder, Chairman, and Chief Executive Officer, Republic Records), Dan McCarroll (President, Warner Bros. Records), Alison Donald (Co-President, Columbia Records UK) and many more.

Founder and Director Candace Avery states, “We are thrilled that an artiste from Ghana has won First Place in one of the competition’s categories. This is the first time that this has happened, so now we are hoping that more artistes from Ghana will enter and excel. A.I. is an exceptionally talented songwriter and performer, and he greatly deserves this honor.”

Born in Accra, Ghana, Emmanuel Kwadwo Oware, known by his stage name as A.I. (Ayisi Ican), is a Ghanaian Afro pop, Hip-Hop and R&B artiste.

In 2009, he was discovered by executives of an independent record company, 2Ligit Records. Since his signing to 2Ligit Records he has recorded over 200 songs at 2Ligit’s AfricanZone Studio. Mixtape Mayhem, his debut mixtape, was released in December, 2013 and has over 800,000 plays.

A.I.’s music is inspired by songs by artistes such as 2pac and Youssou Ndour. A.I has performed at shows where he shared the stage with internationally recognized Ghanaian artistes such as Sarkodie, Wanlov The Kubolor, and Mensah.

A.I’s style of writing and versatility has made him a very unique artiste in the Ghanaian community.

The overall 2013 Grand Prize is awarded to a Japanese artist: jazz trumpeter, composer, and arranger Shunzo Ohno for his song “Musashi.” This is the first time in ISC’s 13-year history that the Grand Prize has been awarded to either a songwriter in the Jazz category or an artist from Japan. One of the leading jazz trumpet players in his native Japan by the age of 19, Shunzo Ohno moved to New York City in 1974 to perform with jazz legend Art Blakey & The Messengers.

Since then, he has performed and toured with many of the world’s greatest jazz artists, including Art Blakey, Herbie Hancock, Wayne Shorter, Gil Evans, Larry Coryell, Machito & His Afro-Cuban Orchestra, and many more. With numerous recordings under his own name as a leader, he has also appeared on over 30 more as a sideman and has collaborated on two Grammy winning recordings.

Surviving both a serious car accident in which his teeth and lips were permanently damaged and a later bout of throat cancer which forced him to relearn his playing, he is a testament to determination and courage, even inspiring a biography and documentary in Japan about his life.


Credit/Source: http://ghanalinx.com/ghanaian-rbhip-hop-artiste-wins-us-based-competition/




Paulina says: Beyond happy to have stumbled upon the talent that is A.I via the Ghana Link website. Truly, its been sometime since I felt a buzz for a musician -and I believe Emmanuel Kwadwo Oware aka A.I. (Ayisi Ican) is the real deal and the, 'Next Big Thing' ....thus, I'm really excited and will be keeping my Ghana Rising eye on him. I will endeavour to keep you in the loop. For more information about A.I visit: http://www.reverbnation.com/AIgh

　

More info:
Versatility and sublime talent describe this Hip-Hop, Pop and R&B artist hailing from Adenta in Accra. AI brings fourth an eclectic style which is not confined to the traditional genre barriers.

A.I’s primary interest in music stemmed from his father who was a drummer in a London church band called "Tema Highway Lights". Whenever he returned home, he brought with him countless musical instruments and albums, slowly cultivating the young artist within.

Creatively, A.I had some brief encounters with music, studying keyboard at African Studies, Legon and taking up drumming lessons at the Assemblies of God Church when he was in primary school. It was not until Senor Secondary School 3, however, that he started taking music seriously, recording his first track with Storm and Lyrics.

Prior to signing on to 2ligit Records, AI released hit singles "Tonight" and "Certified Love" which received airplay from numerous radio stations subsequently attracting attentions from the labels A&R department . He is currently recording his debut album under 2ligit, which will be comprised of mainly Hip Hop, pop and R&B tracks. This album is scheduled to be released Christmas 2012.

AI’s music is inspired by Big L, Notorious BIG, 2Pak Shakur and Desmond Dekker.