In This Issue

There is a massive disconnect that fundamentally exists within African business education today. The classic MBA was built for markets driven by rough equilibrium and modest change. Yet Africa’s growth and expansion are occurring amid persistent turbulence, enduring imbalances, intersecting intricate systems, and a collective drive for home-grown intellectual and technological power. An innovative African MBA must disrupt the culture of business schools, shifting from mimicking non-African models to inventing frameworks that speak to the nature of markets and economies across the continent.

The publication of the King V Code on Corporate Governance for South Africa 2025 (‘the Code’) marks more than just an update - it signals a profound philosophical shift. This new Code is engineered to restore and solidify stakeholder trust by providing verifiable assurance that companies are led with integrity and are effectively managed. It is a powerful move designed to drive transparent, long-term governance impacts and fundamentally end the era of "tick-box" compliance.

Consider this scenario. You have invested ten years into building your business. It has supported your lifestyle, paid salaries, funded personal expenses and allowed you to draw dividends. Your accountant has helped you minimise tax by reducing reported profit and keeping the balance sheet light. At the time, it felt efficient and responsible. Then you decide it is time to sell, and suddenly the numbers that helped you save money now work against you.

Austrian economists argue that capital is more than just money, it is a living process in which private individuals set aside present consumption, conserve resources, and pour those resources into ventures they believe will yield increase later. That choice demands patience, sound judgment and - above all - ownership.

Most companies hide behind the warm fiction of being “a family.” Netflix didn’t. It called itself a team - and built a $300 billion powerhouse on that single, uncomfortable truth. Few workplace cultures are as controversial or as misunderstood, yet none are as clear about the price of greatness: average performance earns a generous severance package; excellence earns radical trust and total freedom.

Succession planning and integrating the next generation remain critical and challenging issues for many family businesses. Without a thoughtful and structured approach, business owners risk undermining their legacy. They also risk weakening the long-term sustainability of the enterprise. This happens when family, ownership, and business systems are not prepared for the transition.

Read our exclusive cover story titled The keeper test - when “good enough” isn’t enough? by Carl Ranger, Head of Training, CEO SA, plus a host of other topical management articles written by professionals, consultants and academics.

The need for us to work together with other nations in crucial, but how can we focus on building international relations when our own country is falling apart? Shouldn’t leaders fix their problems first, before showing off a ‘world class city’, that doesn’t exist.

With the growing challenges of fraud in today’s complex operational environments, organisations require a rigorous and adaptable framework to protect themselves against risks. ISO 37003 emerges as the new international standard specifically designed to offer comprehensive guidance for developing, implementing and maintaining a Fraud Control Management System (FCMS).

In the evolving landscape of South African business families, the concept of wealth has expanded beyond mere financial accumulation. This aligns with the global shift from traditional wealth creation focused solely on financial assets to a broader definition that includes human and social capital.