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BOCCIM officially changes to Business Botswana

BOCCIM officially changes to Business Botswana

The Botswana Confederation of Commerce, Industry and Manpower (BOCCIM) has officially changed its name to Business Botswana with immediate effect.

A statement from BOCCIM yesterday stated that the change of name is necessitated by the need to modernise the current brand so that it speaks to today’s business clientele.

“Although the name, Botswana Confederation of Commerce, Industry and Manpower, spoke to our mandate and who we represent, it was too long.  The acronym, BOCCIM, though it was popular and widely respected by local business, it did not exactly say who we are to a new investor,” read the statement.

The organisation further indicated that the intention is to create a long-term brand identity that clearly communicates its value proposition to members and stakeholders.

It stated that Business Botswana would continue to be an industry leader in advocating for a conducive business climate in Botswana, promoting good industrial relations and governance.

According to the statement, the new corporate name signifies the organisation’s transformation into an Apex Body that is representative of all businesses in Botswana.

It added that Business Botswana would strive to provide crucial services that are important in empowering its members.

“As part of the transition, we are launching new services to help Botswana enterprises meet the challenges presented by today’s competitive business environment,” said the statement.

to enhance the Business Botswana corporate identity and a more complete view of the corporate brand identity will be revealed at the launch scheduled for later this year.

The change of name means the organisation has officially discarded the name BOCCIM, which it has been using since its establishment in 1971. Earlier on at a general meeting held in Gaborone, BOCCIM president Lekwalo Mosienyane said the move to become an apex body does not suggest that the organisation will shed off its previous roles, but that rather it is an effort to further broaden the mandate of BOCCIM so that it represents the entire private sector and offer better services to its members.

He also noted that the development of the restructuring framework has been a long journey, noting that they started in April 2014 with the assistance of the Belgian and Paris Chambers of Commerce. Through that process, Mosienyane said various stakeholders and private sector associations were consulted.

He stated that members and the various business groupings also made it clear that BOCCIM would need to change its name to usher in a fresh and renewed approach to delivering the mandate of the various private sector groupings in Botswana.

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