Wits Business School (WBS) is proud to soon be launching a new Africa-focused journal that aims to bridge the gap between academia and practice, and place Africa at the heart of global conversations about business transformation, innovation and strategic management. 

The Wits Business Review - officially the Wits Business School Review of Business, Management and Strategy - will be launched in early December 2025, representing the start of a new era in Africa-rooted business research.

The journal aims to reshape how business and management research is conceived and applied across Africa, says Professor Jones Odei-Mensah, Associate Professor in Economics and Finance at WBS and editor of the Wits Business Review (WBR).

“The vision and scope of the WBR go far beyond that of an academic journal – we see it as a dynamic platform for critical enquiry, strategic insight, and actionable knowledge. The aim is to foster a high-impact intellectual ecosystem that empowers researchers, practitioners and policymakers to co-create knowledge that reflects the realities and diversity of African markets and translates academic theory into practical strategies,” says Prof Odei-Mensah.

To that end, the WBR encourages original, context-specific, and inter-disciplinary contributions that inform both theory and practice.

The launch of the WBR reinforces WBS’s standing as a leading research institution in Africa. The school has the largest postdoctoral programme in South Africa, with over 50% of candidates being students from other parts of the continent.  By highlighting Africa’s business innovations, contextual challenges, and entrepreneurial spirit, the WBR will serve as a knowledge hub that aligns with the school’s mission of academic excellence, societal relevance, and global influence.

“As African academics, we recognise that many of our stories, strategies and innovations remain under-represented in global discourse. The WBR will address these persistent gaps in the literature by creating a forum for research that reflects the diversity of African markets and enterprises, champions African-led thinking, and promotes sustainable, inclusive and ethical business practices across the continent,” says Professor Imhotep Alagidede, editor-in-chief of the WBR and professor in Finance and Economics at WBS. 

WBS will also be strongly represented at the African Review of Economics and Finance (AREF) Conference from 19 to 23 November 2025 hosted by the University of Ghana Business School and co-chaired by Prof Odei-Mensah. 

The annual AREF conference serves as the premier African platform for scholars, policymakers, business leaders, and development practitioners to engage in frontier debates on Africa’s economic and financial reinvention. Under the theme “The Africa Acceleration: Reinventing Capital, Trade & Infrastructure for Exponential Growth”, the 2025 will attract over 150 delegates, creating a vibrant space for interdisciplinary exchange and collaborative problem-solving.

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For more information on the Wits Business Review please email: Imhotep.alagidede@wits.ac.za or jones.odei-mensah@wits.ac.za

Website: www.wbr.com

For more information on the AREF Conference 2025 please email:

jones.odei-mensah@wits.ac.za

Website: www.african-review.com/conference

For media enquiries please contact Alison Gaylard: alison.gaylard@wits.ac.za