Two inspirational figures in Africa’s retail landscape celebrated with Lifetime Achievement Awards

Raymond Ackerman, former chairman of Pick n Pay, with his wife

Two inspirational figures in Africa’s retail landscape celebrated with Lifetime Achievement Awards

BRAND ACTIVITY

Nov 15th, 09:26

Raymond Ackerman, Chairman, Pick n Pay Holdings Limited
Richard Maponya, Founder and Chairman, Maponya Holdings

At this week’s inaugural World Retail Congress Africa 2013, Raymond Ackerman, former Chairman, Pick n Pay Holdings and Richard Maponya, Founder and Chairman, Maponya Holdings have been awarded Lifetime Achievement Awards for their contribution to the African retail landscape.

Retail leaders and industry experts gathered to celebrate the presentation of the awards over the two day Congress in Sandton, Johannesburg. The Awards celebrate the careers of two outstanding leaders who have driven change, innovation and growth with inspirational vision and foresight in African retail.

Raymond Ackerman founded the Pick n Pay Group, a supermarket chain with over 1,000 stores in South Africa, Zimbabwe and other Southern African States. Revenues of the publicly traded group are expected to reach $7.0 billion in the year through February 2014.

Ackerman built a strong reputation as a consumer champion, fighting supplier cartels in bread, petrol, cigarettes and many other industries. The Ackerman Family Educational Trust supports university education for hundreds of students and aids the mentally and physically disabled.

Raymond's grandfather Meyer Ackerman moved to South Africa from Europe at the end of the 19th century. His son Gus Ackerman, with two friends, opened the first Chain Store in South Africa “Ackermans”, which still operates today.

Richard John Pelwana Maponya, “the father of black retail” in South Africa, is an entrepreneur and property developer who, over the years, has established a substantial business empire in the Johannesburg suburb of Soweto.

Though he trained as a teacher, his first job was as a stock-taker at a clothing retail store in the Johannesburg central business district. Maponya started in the clothing retail business, but had to move on as it was closed down by the apartheid authorities. Using the money he had saved from the short-lived business, Maponya, together with his wife Marina, opened a dairy products shop and delivery service in Soweto that employed 100 bicycle delivery men. Maponya’s dairy business soon expanded, becoming a general provisions store. In time, Maponya ventured into other parts of Soweto, exploring business ventures in sectors as varied as the motor, construction, retail and service industries. His empire grew to include a car-rental agency, horse-racing stables and stud farm, funeral parlour and business services division. One of his most recent accomplishments was the development of the R450-million Maponya Mall in Soweto – one of the largest in the country.

World Retail Congress Africa 2013 has seen over 250 respected retailers and business leaders gather from across the continent to address issues affecting the industry and the region. Key-note speakers have provided insight into the complexities of retailing across the region and shared their practices required to be successful.