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APO Group Strengthens Advisory Leadership with the Promotion of João Marques to Executive Director, Strategic Advisory

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APO Group

Seasoned strategist to expand APO Group’s high-level advisory offering and enhance C-suite support across Africa and global markets

JOHANNESBURG, South Africa, February 3, 2026/APO Group/ –APO Group (www.APO-opa.com), the leading multi-award-winning, pan-African communications consultancy and press release distribution service, is pleased to announce the promotion of João Marques to Executive Director, Strategic Advisory. The appointment, effective 1 December 2025, reflects APO Group’s commitment to strengthening its strategic advisory capabilities for clients across Africa and around the world.

João, who previously served as Director of Strategy, brings more than 15 years of experience in international strategy, corporate positioning, and high-level advisory support. Since joining APO Group, he has led the company’s Strategy Division, advancing its narrative design frameworks, thought-leadership programmes, and executive advisory offerings for governments, global corporates, and development institutions.

A multilingual strategist fluent in English, Portuguese, French, and Spanish, João has worked across Africa, Europe, Asia, and Latin America, advising organisations such as the United Nations Global Compact, Nestlé, Emirates, Canon, NBA Africa, and Afreximbank. His expertise blends strategic consulting with creative storytelling, helping clients articulate policy and business priorities with clarity, credibility, and global resonance. João is also a published author and a recognised speaker and moderator, bringing deep expertise in geopolitical and sectoral issues to senior leaders navigating Africa’s communications landscape.

João has been a driving force in elevating our strategic advisory practice and strengthening our value proposition to businesses across the continent and beyond

In his new role as Executive Director, Strategic Advisory, João will oversee APO Group’s strategic consulting portfolio, expand C-suite advisory services, and strengthen the company’s positioning as a trusted partner for organisations seeking to enhance reputation, influence, and impact across Africa’s key markets.  He will also lead the development of strategic pathways for high-growth industries and deepen APO Group’s ability to convert advisory work into long-term commercial value.

Bas Wijne, CEO of APO Group, said, “João has been a driving force in elevating our strategic advisory practice and strengthening our value proposition to businesses across the continent and beyond. His appointment as Executive Director is a natural evolution of his contributions to APO Group’s growth, reputation, and strategic direction. I look forward to working even more closely with him as we continue to expand our advisory capabilities and deliver world-class strategic counsel to our clients.”

“Africa’s communications landscape is transforming, and organisations across the continent need partners who can help them articulate ambition, build trust, and shape narratives with long-term impact. I am proud to take on this role at a moment when APO Group is expanding its strategic advisory footprint, and I look forward to contributing to work that strengthens African institutions, industries, and ideas,” added João.

João also serves as a strategic advisor to various international initiatives that support innovation and sustainable development in emerging markets, further reinforcing APO Group’s commitment to driving positive impact across Africa.

With this appointment, APO Group continues to invest in top-tier strategic talent and strengthen its leadership in the African communications and advisory landscape.

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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