KARIBU.

Happy New Year, I hope you had a wonderful holiday. This year promises to be a defining one for the continent of Africa. The IMF has predicted that the growth rate for sub-Saharan Africa will rise to 6 per cent up from 5 per cent in 2013. Improved global conditions will also increase the number of middle class Africans to more than 200 million and in the process generating a backdrop for an increase of activity in all sectors. In addition, 2014 marks the 20th anniversary of the end of apartheid in South Africa, an auspicious event that the world will be celebrating. As we welcome in the new year we look forward to highlighting the best in business on the continent and featuring the continent’s biggest and most influential personalities.

This month The African Business Journal had the opportunity to speak to Nicky Newton- King, the CEO of the Johannesburg Stock Exchange. An accomplished lawyer and a phenomenal leader, Newton-King exemplifies what we all aspire to: work hard and anything is possible. As our leader of the year, TABJ spoke to Newton-King about her many accomplish- ments, the possibility of a pan-African exchange and what the JSE’s top rankings by the WEF mean for South Africa’s economy.

In this issue, Eki Maria explores ways of finding inspiration in life and work; Sean Rogers of Know Africa, examines what ‘Africa Rising’ means for business and what needs to be done to change the perception of the continent.

In addition, we sit down with Tamara Dawit, a young filmmaker for this month’s Q&A and Christopher McKee writes about what Nigeria’s unstable political situation means for the country’s economic growth.

As always, many thanks to the TABJ team for their hard work.

We’re curious about business and we’re curious about you. Please get in touch if you have a story to tell or would like to be considered for a profile.

I’m at namk@georgemedia.com