AfricaCom leading a new generation of tech writers

The two young Cape Town bloggers...

Two young Cape Town bloggers will have their dreams come true when they are awarded with a tablet each to capture the industry breaking news at AfricaCom 2012 taking place 13 – 15 November 2012 at the CTICC.

Awarded by Julie Rey, Research Director, Com World Series (AfricaCom 2012), the two young girls, Simone Johnson and Lauren Leonard will spend three days at the continent’s largest digital communications conference and exhibition, getting the low down on what’s happening in the digi-sphere and reporting on it, under the mentorship and guidance of Swift Consultting’s Liron Segev; Africa Telecoms magazine’s Bradley Shaw and Kaz Henderson, founding partner of Networx PR. 

Run in conjunction with SABC2’s youth programme Hectic Nine-9, Johnson and Leonard were selected as the two finalists due to their submissions, easily out classing their nearest rivals.  Johnson, who will be turning 22 years of age on 27 November, aside from receiving an early birthday present, has a project management qualification under her belt and is passionate about communications and aims to make a valuable contribution to the youth interested in following a career in the digi-sphere;

Leonard who is currently studying journalism in Cape Town, was shortlisted for her insight and take on the communications realm saying “Technology educated me. Technology goes beyond cellphones and iPods, it has transformed the human mind”.

While AfricaCom remains a senior business executive focused event, there is a lot happening that the bloggers can get to grips with that will be important to convey to youth considering working in this dynamic and impactful arena.  The Entrepreneurs Incubator Hub, the Apps Developer Workshop and even AfricaCast are three key areas that the girls can explore and feedback on.  The first order of business though, will be for the two young reporters to sit in on the Africa Industry Outlook session which kicks off the conference – their take-out on what’s happening on the continent and how it affects them and their peers, should make for some interesting reading.    

About AfricaCom 2012

AfricaCom is Africa’s largest communications conference & exhibition.  Now in its 15^th year, this trailblazing event gathers together 7,000 senior decision-makers from the telecoms, media and ICT industries.  This year a record 200+ speakers will share their vision of Africa’s future communications landscape and the agenda has expanded to incorporate many more co-located events which will attract new audiences from the apps development, broadcast, digital music, entrepreneur, investment and business sectors.

For further information please contact:

Kaz Henderson – kaz@networxpr.co.za;  M: +27 82 339 1199

Elize Engle – elize@networxpr.co.za; M: +27 74 132 3255