The Nelson Mandela Bay Business Chamber has entered into a three-year strategic partnership with BKB aimed at strengthening the work of the Chamber’s Projects Desk, the implementation arm of its Local Economic Reinvention Think Tank. The Projects Desk is responsible for proactively identifying and developing potential projects and undertaking pre-feasibility studies for initiatives that could potentially create investment and employment opportunities in the metro. BKB is one of South Africa’s largest and oldest agribusiness companies, operating across a broad range of agricultural value chains. Its support of the Projects Desk reflects a shared commitment to advancing economic growth, investment and job creation in Nelson Mandela Bay through innovative and forward-thinking approaches.
Through the partnership, BKB will join ABSA Bank in providing support to the Chamber’s Projects Desk, enabling it to expand its research capabilities, undertake feasibility studies and further establish itself as a leading economic think tank on the African continent.
The Projects Desk serves as the central platform for identifying high-potential investment projects that can contribute to the metro’s long-term economic strategy. Its role is to move beyond high-level concepts by actively researching, structuring and advancing future-focused, investment-ready opportunities.
Commenting on the agreement, Nelson Mandela Bay Business Chamber Chief Executive Officer Denise van Huyssteen said the partnership demonstrates the importance of collaboration between the private sector and organisations committed to the long-term growth and prosperity of the metro.
“This partnership with BKB represents an important investment in Nelson Mandela Bay’s economic future. At a time when the metro requires a deeper understanding of its economic potential and the opportunities that align with a future-orientated vision, partnerships of this nature strengthen the work of the Projects Desk and enhance our ability to generate ideas that can be developed into projects capable of unlocking investment and stimulating economic growth.”
“By supporting this work, BKB is making a meaningful contribution to creating an environment that encourages investment confidence, business expansion and economic activity.”
“Economic growth requires forward thinking, deliberate planning, strong partnerships and a shared commitment to driving investment and enterprise development. This agreement reflects a common vision for a more diverse, innovative and investment-ready metro, while reinforcing the important role the private sector can play in catalysing sustainable economic development opportunities.”
The partnership underscores a shared commitment to strengthening Nelson Mandela Bay’s investment ecosystem, improving coordination around strategic projects and unlocking the metro’s potential as a destination for investment, industrial development and business growth.
BKB General Manager for Corporate Marketing and Public Relations, Jacobus A. le Roux, said the company views the Projects Desk as an important mechanism for translating ideas into tangible economic outcomes.
“At BKB, we recognise that sustainable economic growth requires deliberate planning, rigorous research and the identification of opportunities that can be translated into investment and job creation outcomes. The Chamber’s Projects Desk provides a critical platform for this work by moving beyond discussion and actively developing strategic projects that have the potential to unlock new economic opportunities for the metro,” said le Roux.
“As a company with a long-standing commitment to supporting economic development and thriving communities, we are proud to partner with the Chamber in strengthening the capacity of the Projects Desk. We believe its work is essential in identifying future-focused opportunities, undertaking the necessary pre-feasibility assessments and building a pipeline of credible, investment-ready projects that can contribute meaningfully to the growth and diversification of the local economy.”
“Our participation reflects BKB’s confidence in the value of collaboration between business and development-focused institutions. By supporting the Projects Desk, we are investing in a mechanism that can help attract investment, stimulate enterprise development and create opportunities that benefit both the business community and the broader region.”
The partnership underscores a shared commitment to strengthening Nelson Mandela Bay’s investment ecosystem, improving coordination around strategic projects and unlocking the metro’s potential as a destination for investment, industrial development and business growth.
