Articles

Forbes Africa launched last night at a star-studded event where mining tycoon, Patrice Motsepe, was revealed as the man on the cover of the first edition. In the cover story Motsepe refutes nationalization and talks about making money and football.

Motsepe told Forbes Africa: “When the debate has taken place, people will understand that there are some countries that followed nationalization but did not help their people. In fact, the conditions of their people worsened.”

“What I take out of the call by the ANC Youth League is the challenge to assess what we are doing as business to help communities. Without a doubt we are not doing enough.”

Liberian President, Ellen Johnson Sirleaf tops the 20 most influential women in Africa in the magazine’s first ever list.  She narrowly beat Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, Nigeria’s first female Minister of Finance, who was second in the list compiled with strict criteria used by researchers working for Forbes Africa. She is now managing director at the World Bank and head of Makeda Fund, working for change in all of Africa.

Zimbabwe’s Vice President, Joice Mujuru is ranked number 5 while the daughter of Angola’s president, Isabel Dos Santos is number seven and UNICEF goodwill ambassador, Graca Machel (wife Nelson Mandela) is number 15.

Managing Editor, Chris Bishop, said: “It is an honour to be at the helm of the first ever Forbes Africa. We will celebrate the entrepreneurial spirit the length and breadth of the continent. Our lists will be researched rigorously and we hope they will be heeded and debated from Cape Town to Cairo.”

Magazines will be on shelves at selected retailers across the country, including CNA and Exclusive Books from 1 October.