PALO ALTO, Calif. (June 7, 2010) - CMO Council Expands Programs + Presence in Africa

Geo expansion in sub-Saharan Africa has become a top priority for multi-national brands and new global contenders from China, India, Korea, Japan, Taiwan, South Africa, Turkey and the UAE. All see lucrative business and trade potential across a fast growing, rapidly evolving regional market with over one billion consumers, 53 countries and a GDP of $2.2 trillion.

With more than 450 million mobile phone subscribers and half its population under the age of 15, Africa has become the world leader and innovator in mobile banking and money transfers. Later this month the global spotlight will be on Africa and the 2010 FIFA World Cup, when the attention and interest of billions of football fans will be on the host nation South Africa.

Already, the CMO Council has hundreds of members in Africa and is ramping up communications and outreach to leading marketers across the continent. An active advisory board is in place /www.cmocouncil.org/advisory-board/africa and new country representatives have been signed to target some of the faster growing country markets.

This week, GlobalFluency, the CMO Council’s back-end operator, announced a partnership with africapractice, a leading strategic communications firm, to provide the CMO Council with additional presence and capability in 15 African countries. These include South Africa, Kenya, Nigeria, Ghana, Tanzania, Angola, Botswana, Egypt, Ethiopia, Mozambique, Namibia, Senegal, Uganda, Gabon and Zambia.

The CMO Council and its sister organization, the Business Performance Innovation (BPI) Network are readying a new campaign with Microsoft and other sponsors to promote African ingenuity and entrepreneurship in a challenged and changing continent. Dubbed Inspirations Overcoming Limitations, the Internet and mobile telephony driven program will embrace governments, NGOs, higher education institutions, banks, wireless operators, media companies, as well as IT solution and service providers.

Later this year, the CMO Council will be conducting a global survey of multi-national companies to determine Africa market intentions and perceptions. And it will conduct a second audit of African business leaders to determine how they rate the state of their marketing teams and programs across the continent.

CMO Council members interested in participating or learning more about accessing or engaging with key constituencies in sub-Saharan Africa should contact Bryan DeRose at 650.433.4144 or bderose@cmocouncil.org.