South Africa’s AVI has acquired footwear manufacturer and retailer Green Cross, it has been announced.

AVI, whose licenced brands include Lavazza and Douwe Egberts Cafitesse in the food and beverage sector; and fashion names including Kurt Geiger and Lacoste, said the transaction represents a rare opportunity to acquire an established, category-leading brand of relevant scale with a solid record of profitable operations.

Google has released a major new study into the use of social tools in the workplace, which gathered opinions from 2,700 professionals across Europe.

The research revealed that 71 percent of senior executives are using social tools at work at least once a week compared to 49 percent of those in more junior roles – going against the stereotype that social media in business is most popular with younger generations.

German utility company E.ON has sold its gas transmission company in Germany, Open Grid Europe, to a consortium for €3.2 billion.  

The consortium consists of Macquarie European Infrastructure Fund 4, Infinity Investments, British Columbia Investment Management Corporation, and MEAG MUNICH ERGO Asset Management.

As part of an on-going upgrade of health services in the area, the Niagara Health System is on the verge of completing a state-of-the-art new hospital for the St Catharines area. Jane McCallion talks to chief planning and development officer Gloria Kain to discover how you turn one million square feet of building into one million square feet of care.

Barrick Gold holds some of the world’s most exciting gold projects in its South American portfolio, and is determined to lead the mining industry in responsible mining. Julia Smith reports on its contribution to sustainable development and environmental best practice.

SGS is the world’s leading inspection, verification, testing and certification company; and in West Africa, demand for its services is as high as ever, as Alan Swaby discovers.

Anyone working or simply taking an interest in gold mining will know full well that nothing can be said to potential investors about the value of a prospect that isn’t backed up by independent verification. In fact, as service providers go, there can’t be many that are as busy as those involved with testing and certification.

Twelve years after listing on the Johannesburg exchange, South Africa-based logistics company OneLogix is poised for exponential growth. CEO Ian Lourens talks to Gay Sutton about the importance of balancing entrepreneurial spirit with meticulous attention to detail.

Mike Hollett, chief executive officer of National Lifestyle Villages, tells Andrew Pelis how the company has diversified and grown into a $50 million business since the turn of the century.

In the 20 years from 1992, the Harris sisters built their company from nothing to a R200 million organisation. CEO Caron Harris spoke to Ruari McCallion.