Dimension Data, founded in 1983, was listed on the Johannesburg Stock Exchange in 1987. By 2000, the company had grown into a provider of global network integration services and global end-to-end i-Commerce to corporations, telecommunication service providers and new economy companies. It was represented on five continents, in over 30 countries and employed more than 10 000 staff. Market value increased from R30 million in 1987 to R53.2 billion by March 2000. The group was not only the largest IT company in South Africa, but one of the largest integration service businesses in the world.

A cathartic moment had been reached for the Africa operation of Barclays PLC when Barclays Africa CEO, Dominic Bruynseels presented two options to his team in January 2003. The bank’s performance on the continent had been declining since 1986. It could either sell off the Africa operation within the next 12 months, or, if his team could demonstrate an ability to manage risk on the continent and deliver returns for the group in the following year, it could make a major acquisition in Africa.

Aiming to increase the globalisation efforts for South African Breweries (SAB), group chief executive of SAB, Graham Mackay, decided to shift SAB’s headquarters to London and listed on the London Stock Exchange in March 1999. While the global brewing industry remained highly fragmented in early 2000, the race for consolidation among the major players had begun in earnest. Despite SAB’s movement overseas, SAB was primarily an ‘emerging market’ brewer. SAB’s ratings on the international financial markets were inevitably affected, and raising capital was an expensive proposition.

In July 2015, Stefanie Pietzsch, guest relations and marketing manager of The Fairway Hotel, Spa & Golf Resort, a Johannesburg-based luxury city resort owned by property developer Guvon Investments, considered introducing a loyalty programme to reward her loyal guests. In recent years, hotels in Johannesburg had experienced the effects of slow economic conditions with an overall drop in room occupancy, which had resulted in increased competition.

In July 1997, Maurice Radebe moved from a successful, eight-year career at Shell Oil South Africa to take up the position of retail manager at Exel Petroleum, a black economic empowerment (BEE) company newly started by energy and chemical company Sasol Oil and a consortium of black shareholders. His career prospects at Shell had been good. But South Africa was at an interesting juncture in its history, spirits were high because of the successful 1994 elections, and BEE was in its infancy.

In July 1997, Maurice Radebe moved from a successful, eight-year career at Shell Oil South Africa to take up the position of retail manager at Exel Petroleum, a black economic empowerment (BEE) company newly started by energy and chemical company Sasol Oil and a consortium of black shareholders. His career prospects at Shell had been good. But South Africa was at an interesting juncture in its history, spirits were high because of the successful 1994 elections, and BEE was in its infancy.

Rob Angel, CEO of Engen, was concerned about the future of his company. By early 1998, the fall-out of the Asian crisis had affected world markets, including the JSE. A low stock price and global industry conglomeration increased the possibility of a hostile take-over, and the end of much of what Angel had accomplished. In June 1998, Petronas formally offered to buy out all the shareholders of Engen Petroleum Ltd. Angel needed to have a clear recommendation ready for the Engen board meeting planned to discuss the Petronas offer.

On 1 September 2009, as financial services firm, Discovery Ltd was about to release its annual results for 2008/2009, its chief executive officer (CEO) and founder Adrian Gore, took some time to consider the company’s trajectory since its inception 16 years ago. Discovery was now in the top 40 on the Johannesburg Stock Exchange (JSE). This year’s results were excellent: in the context of the global economic crisis, operating profit had grown by 32%. Still, Gore was not one to remain satisfied with these achievements.

In September 2012, IT firm Dimension Data paid out R1.26 billion to the various participants in a broad-based black economic empowerment (BBBEE) deal that the company had signed eight years earlier. When Dimension Data had first embarked on its empowerment journey, legislated BEE in South Africa had been in its fledgling stages and, to a large extent, companies such as Dimension Data had to write their own rules.

In September 2012, IT firm Dimension Data paid out R1.26 billion to the various participants in a broad-based black economic empowerment (BBBEE) deal that the company had signed eight years earlier. When Dimension Data had first embarked on its empowerment journey, legislated BEE in South Africa had been in its fledgling stages and, to a large extent, companies such as Dimension Data had to write their own rules.