According to Engineering News, South African multidisciplinary engineering consultancy Gibb, which marked its sixtieth anniversary in late June, is aiming to materially expand its African footprint and has set a target of deriving 30% of its yearly revenues of around R1-billion from the rest of the continent.
The company has transformed from a two-person partnership in Cape Town in 1956 to South Africa’s largest black-owned engineering and architectural firm, with some 900 employees and black ownership of 67%.
CEO Richard Vries says: “Africa has a huge infrastructure requirement of around $100-billion a year, but there is still a dearth of bankable projects.” He reports that Gibb is to pursue infrastructure opportunities in southern, western and eastern Africa.
Gibbs’ 60th anniversary celebrations were addressed by black business personality
Don Mkhwanazi (63), who was also Gibb chairperson. He described Gibb as “testament to how a large black-owned business can work effectively and consistently to demonstrate excellence”. Mkhwanazi died following a heart attack in Durban on the night of Friday July 1.
