Digital advertising firm bolsters management team for regional expansion

Building on the momentum of robust regional expansion and recent client wins, Sub-Saharan Africa’s leading digital advertising firm Squad Digital has today announced the appointment of Manish Sardana as the Managing Director for Kenya and Tanzania.

Mr. Sardana was the immediate General Manager for Squad Digital Kenya and he now takes up the mandate to lead the growth of Squad Digital and will now elevate the quality of service and business results that firm offers to its clients.

A digital entrepreneur with over 10 years spread experience across E-commerce, digital and traditional advertising, Mr. Sardana will combine his deep understanding of the Advertising sector with the skills and expertise demonstrated in storytelling, a strong business network and acumen to expand Squad Digital’s regional footprint.

His appointment comes during a period of significant new business growth in the Kenyan office and award winning exploits including being recognized by Global Website Awards, Awwwards, for ‘great talent and creativity’ of the website (www.squaddigital.com), becoming the first Kenyan company to be recognized by the global awards system.

“We are thrilled to have Manish leading our Kenya and Tanzania offices,” said Gaurav Singh, WPP-Scangroup Chief Digital Officer. “Our focus has been to provide business solutions beyond digital marketing services for our clients. Manish’s experience in driving business value through digital channels that go beyond social media campaign management is critical for us in our bid to offer higher value services to our clients”, Gaurav added.

Manish holds an MBA degree in Marketing/Finance with a graduate degree in Economics. He has authored Economics textbooks, is a keen amateur photographer, a half-marathon man and an avid reader.

Squad Digital is Sub Saharan Africa’s leading digital advertising firm providing digital marketing services. With offices in Kenya, Ghana, Tanzania, Nigeria, Dubai, Squad provides businesses with the tools, knowledge and trends to leverage internet technologies to deliver communication and engage with audiences.

MasterCard launches partnership programme for startups in Africa

Global Electronic Payment Solutions Provider MasterCard has today launched Start Path Global – a unique six-month mentorship/partnership and capacity building Programme for startups. 
 

The partnership is an extension of the company’s existing footprint to a greater number of countries globally in Asia Pacific, Middle East, Africa and Latin America. 

The Start Path Global programme will allow innovators and young entrepreneurs to gain access to over 60 MasterCard experts and benefit from the opportunity to pilot their innovations or ideas with MasterCard or MasterCard customers around the world.  

“Start Path thoughtfully connects the right partners with the right startups to build the future of commerce together,” said Stephane Wyper, Global Lead of MasterCard Start Path.  “Our global expansion targets a broader range of startups and help them achieve success, " noted Wyper. 

Start Path Global programme has been designed to put the start-up first by allowing them to grow at their own space and pace. There is no need for a start-up to relocate, neither is there need for equity to be taken and allows full ownership for any intellectual property (IP) developed.

With this international expansion, startups from around the world and especially Africa, will also benefit from access to Start Path Partners, a group of more than 20 leading companies in banking, retail, and technology including Samsung Card, Target, Bank of Montreal, and Santander Innoventures. 

“Start Path Partners was created to provide carefully selected MasterCard customers with a first look at unique technologies and to offer startups a direct line into these corporates to test their solutions,” explained Mr. Wyper. 

How to Apply to Start Path Global:

Each quarter, MasterCard Start Path will recruit a new class of startups to embark on the six-month virtual programme. The call for applications to join the next class is open until September 18, 2015.  To enter, visit: www.startpath.com. The programme is open to all non-US based startups who meet the following criteria:

•       Solution live in market;

•       Established and experienced team;

•       Targeting sizeable market opportunity in the retail and financial technology space;

•       Demonstrable unfair advantage over competitors;

•       Seed or Series A investment recently secured.

Up to 18 promising startups will be invited to pitch their commerce solution to the MasterCard Start Path team in London on October 27 and 28, 2015. From there, a final list of six to eight companies will be chosen for the upcoming global class which will begin in early November.  Members of the next class will also be invited to attend the first Start Path Global Partner Summit to be held in Berlin on November 16 and 17, where they’ll have the chance to engage with prospective Start Path Partners and industry thought leaders.

To learn more about the application process and to find out more information about MasterCard Start Path, visit www.startpath.com or follow us on Twitter @MAStartPath.

Kenya to host first global PR conference in November

Kenya will host the first ever World Conference on Public Relations in Emerging Economies (WCPREE) from 15^th to 18^th November 2015 at the Kenyatta International Convention Centre (KICC), Nairobi.

The event organized by the Public Relations Society of Kenya (PRSK) supported by the Global Alliance for Public Relations & Communication Management (GA) will be attended by thousands of delegates drawn from Asia, Europe, US and Africa and is expected to be a big boost to the country’s tourism market.

“It is a welcome prospect to know that Nairobi will host the world foremost professionals in the PR industry. The Government of Kenya through the PRSK’s Patron Ministry of ICT, has walked side by side with the PRSK to make this conference a reality. We are proud to announce the choice of Kenya as a destination for the conference,” said Mr. Joseph Tiampati ole Musuni, Principal Secretary, Ministry of Information, Communication & Technology (ICT).

Mr. Tiampati, who was speaking during the launch of delegate registration and sponsorship in Nairobi, added that hosting the premier WCPREE conference was good news for Kenya as the country refocus on promoting conference tourism segment, which is rapidly growing especially in Nairobi.

The WCPREE conference is expected to bring the international communication community together in Nairobi to debate crucial issues affecting emerging economies such as jobs and growth, health, sustainability and climate change and will bring some of the big names and thinkers to position emerging economies as centres for hard thinking, innovation and action.

Speakers and panelists during the four-day meeting will include global entrepreneurs in the communication industry, Public Relations scholars and heads of renowned global corporate brands among others. Apart from the conference plenary and parallel sessions, there is a careful blend of academic discourse, mentorship and skills set workshop for students pursuing studies in PR as well as master classes targeting professionals working in diverse economic sectors.

“With a wide appeal to emerging economies in Africa, Asia and South America, the conference will also be of interest to developed economies on how the world is going to change and how business will be different in the future,” said Ms. Jane Gitau, Chairperson of the Public Relations Society of Kenya.

Mombasa County Senator Hassan Omar Hassan, Safaricom CEO Bob Collymore and the Cabinet Secretary of ICT Dr. Fred Matiang’i are among the confirmed Kenyan speakers. A number of global PR giants with local affiliates will also be represented in the conference including Burson Marsteller, Weber Shandwick, Huntsworth PLC, Porter Novelli and Wide Awake Communications among others.

The Principal Secretary called on corporate organizations and individuals to participate in sponsorship and to take up exhibition opportunities during the event.

“There will be various levels of sponsorship opportunities from Platinum to bronze. There will be opportunity to showcase PR and innovation at the exhibition stands,” he said.

Organizations and individuals will also get opportunities to associate as partners of the various social events and conference needs that include WCPREE gala dinner, Welcome Reception, Patron’s Dinner, Session Partners, Media Centre Partner and Mobile App Partner.

PRSK has launched delegate registration at Ksh.76, 000 per person.