Tag Archives: FNB

Feast at Cape Leopard Trust charity auction 10th anniversary lunch at Leopard’s Leap!

Leopard Trust cover Whale CottageYesterday The Cape Leopard Trust’s celebrated its 10th anniversary with a Charity Auction lunch at Leopard’s Leap, a perfect synergy between the good work done by the Trust, and the winery’s focus on leopards.  We were treated to a fine feast prepared by three chefs, and all left happy that R519000 was raised for The Cape Leopard Trust.

Barbara Lenhard and Florian Gast of Opulent Living are an amazing powerhouse couple in organising events, in addition to publishing their Opulent Living magazine.  They managed to attract 180 guests, at R1500 per head, to attend the Charity Lunch on a picture perfect day in Franschhoek.  Outside Marco Cianfanelli’s sculpture of a leopard welcomed arriving guests. We were offered a glass of Leopard’s Leap Culinaria Brut MCC on arrival, and were shown to our seats, where we were lucky to have great company, including Darryl from The Light House in Paarl, and Dr Tracey and Brett Garner.  Elana Afrika-Bredenkamp of the Expresso Show and her husband Ian Leopard Leap Elana and Ian Bredenkamp Whale CottageBredenkamp of Kfm and Cape Talk were the MCs, keeping a steady pace for the proceedings throughout the afternoon, interviewing chefs, the performers, and sponsors, which included Mercedes-Benz, FNB, and cennergi.

The outgoing CEO of the Cape Leopard Trust, and its founder, Dr Quinton Martins, became very emotional when he spoke, close to tears in seeing so Continue reading →

Tourism Business Index drops sharply in second quarter 2014!

TourismIt was a shock to see that, after a steady improvement in Tourism Confidence in the past few quarters, it has done an about-turn and declined in the second quarter of this year, as reflected in the latest reading of the Tourism Business Council of South Africa FNB Tourism Business Index.

The Tourism Business Index measured 94.7 for the past three months, below the normal average of 100, and far below the 112,4 reading of the first quarter of this year.   Whilst the forecast for the second quarter Tourism Index in the first quarter was 103, actual confidence was ten points lower than expected.  The lower Tourism Index is attributed to travel agents, transport operators, and conference centres, a far more pessimistic tourism segment, in that its average Index was only 86,2, an extreme contrast to the Accommodation segment, which more optimistically measured 105,8.

The Tourism Business Council expressed its concern about the obstacles to the growth in the Tourism industry, including Continue reading →

Book Franschhoek Literary Festival before it’s too late!

FLF2As the 8th Franschhoek Literary Festival draws near, it is advisable to book the writer panel sessions as soon as possible, as they get booked out well in advance.  The more well-known the writer/s on the panels, the quicker they are booked out.   In addition to an intensive programme of talks from Friday until Sunday this coming weekend (16 – 18 May), entertainment is also available in the evenings.

The Festival is noble in generating funds for the Franschhoek Literary Festival Library Fund, for the following:

*  donating books to schools and creches

*  employing a librarian to work with four primary school libraries in the Franschhoek area, and part-time library assistants

*   visiting schools, reading and story-telling

*   Book Week for Young Readers, which is being held this week

*   Wine Writers prizes of R12500 each, in two categories: six to eight short pieces of 1000 words each, from a blog or column; and a long piece of 1000 – 4000 words. Winners to be selected by a panel, usually chaired by John Maytham.  Last year the prize was Continue reading →

Michael Jordaan new Chairman of Wines of South Africa (WOSA)!

WOSA Michael Jordaan (LR)After appointing new CEO Siobhan Thompson, who took over the reigns from Su Birch in November last year, the Board of Wines of South Africa (WOSA) has elected dynamic Dr Michael Jordaan as its Chairman. Both appointments are likely to be a breath of fresh air for the international wine marketing body.

Jordaan had a high profile job as CEO of FNB, turning the bank around in the ten year period he spent there, the bank receiving an accolade as the world’s most innovative bank at the BAI-Finacle Global Banking Innovation Awards in Washington two years ago.  He left the bank late last year, to spend more time with his family on their farm Bartinney on the Helshoogte Pass in Stellenbosch, having commuted between Johannesburg and Stellenbosch for many years.  He remains an Executive Committee Member of FirstRand Banking Group. Jordaan is also Chairman of Social Media platform Mxit.  He has been named CNBC Africa Business Leader of the Year for Southern Africa. He and his wife Rose also own Bartinney wine and champagne bar on trendy Church Continue reading →