Trading electronically makes great strategic sense for buyers and suppliers alike; but technical complexity can be a barrier to realising the benefits of enhanced supply chain visibility, as David Grosvenor explains.

The priority of most private investors is to see a healthy return on their outlay—with ethical considerations coming second. But the two do not have to be mutually exclusive, as Becky Done finds out from Lawrie Smith, co-founder of ethical investment company Greenleaf Global.

Celebrating its 20th anniversary this year, The Lanesborough is renowned for quality and service. Front of house manager Michael Naylor-Leyland explains to Gay Sutton how this enviable reputation has been achieved.

The Brussels-based EFQM, formerly the European Foundation for Quality Management, has had a busy 12 months—and its schedule for the coming year doesn’t look to be any less hectic either. Becky Done finds out what changes the Foundation has made in order to reflect today’s business environment, and how it is looking ahead to tomorrow.

A public-private partnership (PPP) project for police facilities in the Canadian province of Ontario has been awarded to German-owned HOCHTIEF Concessions.

Its subsidiary HOCHTIEF PPP Solutions North America has been contracted to design, build, finance and maintain a total of 18 provincial police facilities.

HOCHTIEF PPP Solutions has a 50 percent stake in the project company Shield Infrastructure Partnership. Over the 30-year term of the agreement, the project has a contract volume of C$412 million. The investment volume is C$117 million.

South Africa’s construction boom has proved a lucrative time for a raft of new elevator and escalator companies. The rise in demand prompted Schindler South Africa, one of the established players, to review its approach to business. Pankaj Sinha, newly appointed managing director, tells Andrew Pelis how the company has transformed its operations.

Landing the World Cup brought some difficult decisions for the South African National Roads Agency (SANRAL) when planning the Gauteng Freeway Improvement Project. Project manager Alex van Niekerk outlined these to John O’Hanlon.

The founder and chairman of the Hashoo Group Sadruddin Hashwani speaks to John O’Hanlon about the purchase of Shell’s LPG marketing assets in Pakistan and the continuing growth of Orient Petroleum International Inc (OPII).

Olayan Descon is continuing to expand its industrial construction and maintenance capabilities to support the industrialisation of Saudi Arabia. Muhammad Naveed talks to Gay Sutton about the latest move: to provide end-to-end engineering, procurement and construction services.

Sometimes success brings problems rather than rewards; but as Alan Swaby learns, the resourceful manager will find ways of solving them.