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APO Group appoints Bas Wijne as Chief Operating Officer

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Wijne

Wijne will look to help the company continue its impressive growth trajectory after year-over-year revenue increases of 40% in 2021 and 60% in 2022

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JOHANNESBURG, South Africa, March 5, 2024/APO Group/ — 

APO Group (www.APO-opa.com), the premier award-winning Pan-African communications consultancy and press release distribution service, is delighted to announce the appointment of Bas Wijne as Chief Operating Officer (COO).

In his new role, Bas will look to help the company continue its impressive growth trajectory after year-over-year revenue increases of 40% in 2021 and 60% in 2022. Bas will be responsible for enhancing operational processes, coordinating the integration of new technical innovations, and driving efficiencies in all areas of the business.

One of Bas’s key objectives will be to oversee several projects that incorporate artificial intelligence (AI), both in terms of APO Group’s internal and external operations, with a particular focus on how the company can harness the power of AI to better serve its clients.

With more than 20 years’ experience in the media and technology industries, Bas is perfectly placed to manage the development of both APO Group’s core services. The company’s unique Public Relations department delivers truly Pan-African communications support to some of the most prominent companies operating on the continent, while its press release distribution service is the most comprehensive in Africa.

Bas has a long-standing relationship with APO Group that included a spell as Chief Technology Officer (CTO) from 2019-21. His appointment as COO will allow him to demonstrate his data-driven approach and passion for technological innovation.

APO Group has long fostered a unique environment where technical evolution and human expertise can flourish together. As COO, Bas places great emphasis on the power of simplification, recognizing it as the cornerstone of operational excellence. He is committed to making processes lighter and simplifying the customer user experience to create a culture of transparency and agility for APO Group’s colleagues and clients.

As I have already seen over the last few years, there is a wonderful, natural mix of great people, great ideas and cutting edge technology here

Bas has enjoyed a distinguished career as a senior executive on the global stage. His expertise has taken him around the world, from The Netherlands to South Africa, Australia, Hong Kong, USA, Uganda, China and the United Arab Emirates.

He worked for more than a decade at leading broadcast media company OSN, where he was responsible for establishing a new ‘Business Services’ Team (an internal team of Project Managers and Business Analysts) to improve the company’s operations and customer experience.

His roles have included CEO, CTO, and Vice-President positions, and he has led a series of digital transformation projects, operational optimisations, and strategic growth initiatives, while also being responsible for managing large teams of operational staff.

This global experience makes him well-equipped to coordinate APO Group’s diverse workforce.  As the only genuinely Pan-African Public Relations agency, APO Group has colleagues operating ‘on the ground’ in every corner of the continent, so Bas’s ability to inspire cross-cultural teams and foster collaboration will be vitally important.

“We couldn’t have asked for a better fit for the role of Chief Operating Officer,” said Nicolas Pompigne-Mognard, Founder and Chairman of APO Group. “Not only is Bas a veteran of many successful senior management positions at some of the biggest media companies in the world, he has also worked closely with our team before, building a level of trust and confidence we could not have found with any other candidate. We are thrilled to have Bas working with us as we continue to grow.”

“I have always felt that APO Group is a unique company to work for,” said Bas Wijne, Chief Operating Officer of APO Group. “As I have already seen over the last few years, there is a wonderful, natural mix of great people, great ideas and cutting edge technology here, and we lead the way in African communications with our unique model of press release distribution and Public Relations expertise. I look forward to exploring new ways to add value to our clients in my new role.”

Distributed by APO Group on behalf of APO Group.

Business

Canada–Africa Financing Forum to Convene Investors and Decision-Makers in Cape Town – May 14, 2026

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Ateau Zola

This timely Forum comes on the heels of commitments announced by Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney, deepening Canada–Africa commercial ties and expanding investment partnerships

TORONTO, Canada, April 29, 2026/APO Group/ –The Canada–Africa Chamber of Business (https://CanadaAfrica.ca) will convene investors, financiers, policymakers, and industry leaders in Cape Town on May 14, 2026 for the Canada–Africa Financing Forum—a high-level platform focused on unlocking capital and accelerating deal flow across African markets.

Registration is open (http://apo-opa.co/4vZN6oV)

This timely Forum comes on the heels of commitments announced by Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney, deepening Canada–Africa commercial ties and expanding investment partnerships. The program connects leaders from venture capital, private equity, and institutional investors to examine where capital is moving—and where the next opportunities lie—supported by Canadian project partners with proven capacity to deliver on-the-ground.

Delegates will engage directly with finance and investment decision-makers, following the program opening, featuring messages from President Cyril Ramaphosa and Prime Minister Mark Carney, in addition to high-level Ministerial representation.

This Forum is about capital deployment, not just conversation

“This Forum is about capital deployment, not just conversation,” said Garreth Bloor, President of the Canada–Africa Chamber of Business. “We are convening investors, institutions, and project leaders who are actively shaping transactions across Africa—and connecting them directly with Canadian partners who are ready to work together.”

The Canada–Africa Financing Forum reflects the Chamber’s role as a privately financed, market-led platform advancing Canada-Africa trade and investment through world-class networking and information-sharing events.

Why Attend

  • Direct access to active dealmakers and capital allocators
  • Insights into where capital is being deployed and key players delivering major projects
  • Opportunities to build partnerships across Canada and African markets
  • Participation in a curated, high-level environment focused on execution

Secure Your Place

Space is limited and demand is strong.

Apply to secure your place (http://apo-opa.co/4vXb9oz)

Read More and View the Program (http://apo-opa.co/4vZN6oV)

Distributed by APO Group on behalf of The Canada-Africa Chamber of Business.

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ORUN and 1xBET Partner to Support a Dynamic Creative Africa

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MIR Holding

During the MASA 2026 edition, held from April 11 to 18, 2026, ORUN and 1xBET implemented the We Champion Talent program, an initiative aimed at promoting African talent and advancing the development of Cultural and Creative Industries (CCIs)

ABIDJAN, Ivory Coast, April 28, 2026/APO Group/ –As part of the Innovation Village co-organized with MASA at the Palais de la Culture in Abidjan from April 14 to 18, ORUN (https://ORUN.Africa) announces the rollout of its partnership with 1xBET to support a creative Africa that is structuring itself, professionalizing, and scaling across the continent.

We aim to demonstrate that it is possible to support African talent, narratives, and creative ecosystems over the long term, with ambition and consistency

Designed as a space of convergence between heritage, innovation, and knowledge transmission, the Innovation Village features scenography crafted by Ivorian artisans, a program of panels and masterclasses on creative industries, an immersive experience produced by Orun Studios, and a major institutional highlight on April 17. Its narrative platform is built around three pillars: memory, structure, and transmission. The initiative aims to position cultural and creative industries as an economic driver for the continent.

“The Innovation Village was conceived as an act of construction. By partnering with organizations such as 1xBET, we aim to demonstrate that it is possible to support African talent, narratives, and creative ecosystems over the long term, with ambition and consistency,” said Habyba Thiero, CEO of Africa Currency Network and President of ORUN.

This vision aligns with ORUN’s broader ambition to produce, structure, and internationalize African creative industries through events, content, and strategic partnerships.

Distributed by APO Group on behalf of ORUN, part of African Currency Network (ACN).

 

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MIR Holding Reaffirms Its Commitment to African Creative Industries Alongside ORUN at Marché des Arts du Spectacle Africain d’Abidjan (MASA) 2026

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MIR Holding

More than event support, this partnership reflects a commitment to backing platforms capable of structuring value chains, increasing the visibility of talent, and fostering the emergence of strong African creative infrastructures

ABIDJAN, Ivory Coast, April 28, 2026/APO Group/ –On the occasion of MASA 2026, held from April 11 to 18 in Abidjan, MIR Holding (https://MIRHolding.odoo.com) reaffirmed its commitment to supporting the growth of African creative industries by partnering with ORUN as part of the Innovation Village, hosted at the Palais de la Culture in Abidjan. This presence reflects a clear intention to support the scaling of cultural and creative industries so they can fully contribute to job creation and value generation across the continent.

 

Co-organized by ORUN and MASA, the Innovation Village brought together over several days scenography designed by Ivorian artisans, a program of panels and masterclasses dedicated to creative industries, an immersive experience produced by Orun Studios, and a key institutional highlight on April 17.

At MIR Holding, we believe that Africa’s future will also be shaped by its ability to structure its narratives, its talent, and its creative value chains

Built around three pillars — memory, structure, and transmission — the initiative carried a renewed ambition for culture: positioning it as a concrete lever for economic structuring and African projection.

By supporting this initiative, MIR Holding aligns with a broader dynamic aimed at strengthening connections between creation, entrepreneurship, content, youth, and growth ecosystems. More than event support, this partnership reflects a commitment to backing platforms capable of structuring value chains, increasing the visibility of talent, and fostering the emergence of strong African creative infrastructures. MIR Holding stands among the main partners of the Village, alongside Africa Currency Network and other stakeholders engaged in this vision.

“With ORUN, we are not only seeking to make culture visible. We aim to help provide it with a framework, a reach, and a trajectory. What is at stake here is the continent’s ability to better transform its creative energy into sustainable value, real opportunities, and influence,” said Habyba Thiero, CEO of Africa Currency Network and President of ORUN.

Mouhamed Dieng, President of MIR Holding, added: “Supporting Africa’s creative industries is not about backing a secondary sector. It is about investing in one of the continent’s most powerful spaces for storytelling, youth, innovation, and competitiveness. At MIR Holding, we believe that Africa’s future will also be shaped by its ability to structure its narratives, its talent, and its creative value chains.”

Distributed by APO Group on behalf of MIR Holding.

 

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