The Nelson Mandela Bay Business Chamber continues to make headway in mobilising businesses in the metro around areas of common interest with the establishment of a new geographic cluster in Walmer, bringing the total number of clusters under its banner to 10.
The establishment of the new cluster adds to a long list of already operational clusters across the Metro namely Baakens Valley, Beachfront, Deal Party, Fairview, Kariega, Neave/Korsten, North End, Perseverance and Struandale.
An interim executive committee consisting of Cameron Harvey from Elvee’s Properties as Chairperson, Claudia Daniels (Airports Company SA), John Parry (Caltex Walmer); Julie Mundell (Gutsche Investments); Simon le Gras (Simon Says), Leonard Michau (Gutsche Investments), Paola Horak (Chamber Cluster Board Lead), Denise van Huyssteen (Chamber) and Ashwin Daya (Chamber) was appointed to begin the work of formalising the cluster.
Chamber chief executive Denise van Huyssteen says it is encouraging seeing the growing number of local businesses who are embracing the Chamber’s action-orientated and activist stance, volunteering time and resources to implement solutions as a collective to address challenges impacting the ease of doing business within their geographical locations.
“The cluster concept is a key platform to enable businesses to collaborate and address shared challenges in their areas of operation, and to work with the relevant stakeholders to find implementable solutions. As businesses, operating in a fast changing and very unpredictable environment, we need to all put our intellectual and other resources together to ensure our collective sustainability. Our efforts must be focused on doing all we can to protect investment and jobs, and being proactive to ensure that we have an enabling environment in place to achieve this,” says Van Huyssteen.
She further elaborates that what makes businesses in the Metro unique is “our willingness to collaborate and our focus on taking action”. “I am especially impressed with the mindset of local business leaders who understand that in this environment of extreme challenges, a team orientated approach works best. The focus is firmly being placed on being inclusive and injecting energy into the common issues which unite us.”
The Chamber now has a How to Establish a Geographic Cluster Guide in place based on lessons learnt thus far from the clusters. “This demonstrates commitment to sharing best practices and promoting a standardised approach to collaborative business solutions, while at the same time also facilitating agility, speed and innovation.”
“As a business community we have hope in the future – we know that this is the Bay of Opportunity. It starts with all of us believing in the potential and taking action to drive things forward in the right direction,” she says.
Newly appointed Chairperson Harvey says the coming together of businesses from the Walmer area underscores the importance of leveraging their relations to address issues as a collective as opposed to working in silos.
“We’re happy that businesses have come as a collective to drive meaningful change in the area for the benefit of both residents and the business community. As we begin immersing ourselves in the formalisation of the cluster, we hope that more businesses will see the need for participation so we can have a stronger voice as a unit,” says Harvey.