Festival time!

CN&CO Festivals was recently launched, adding a focused (and, we daresay, fabulous) event management service to our already wide-spectrum people-and-brand offering. Yes, we’ve always done events – largely headed by our events guru Rikus Kok – but the introduction of CN&CO Festivals has come with a dedicated team of experienced event managers ready to take on projects of any size.

“It’s a slight shift in focus that will see us managing events as self-standing projects, rather than as part of a larger client marketing strategy,” says CN&CO chief señor Carel Nolte. “We’ve also gained two new team members, Llewellyn du Plessis and Francois Joubert, who come with loads of experience in handling large and small functions. The duo, also known as Urban Motion, will work closely with Rikus and other members of the team. Not only will they support our partners with their events, but they will also work on CN&CO owned exhibitions and festivals.

“I am also excited at how this experienced trio will grow and mentor young (mainly women and black) talent in the event space.”

Says Llewellyn, “We’re really excited to join the CN&CO fold. It’s great to be part of a team with such diverse skills. I see great things in store for CN&CO Festivals in the future.

“We’ve already got quite a full plate in the next few months, with the two big insurance conferences – African Insurance Exchange and African Insurance Organisation – in June and July, an evening with Armand Aucamp in July, followed by the FIA Awards in August, the promo of Anna Pasternak’s latest book in September, and the FIA Summit and Jozi Film Festival in October.”  

Rikus adds: “I am very excited that Llewellyn and Francois have joined the team. Like me, they love doing great work for clients and putting on events that grow businesses – and that we are proud to work on. The past five years has seen the events side of our business grow. And you’ve not seen anything yet! We’ll keep you posted on a few of our festivals and exhibition plans in the near future.”

African Insurance Exchange

The AIE is South Africa’s largest gathering of insurance professionals in a conference environment, attracting around 1 000 delegates a year. This year’s conference (#AIE2019) has been given an overhaul in order to attract individual and group bookings from companies across the insurance spectrum — including life, wealth management, employee benefits, healthcare and short term.

“We have also taken a long, hard look at the logistics and feel confident that this year’s conference will provide a seamless and delightful experience for delegates, from start to finish,” says Thokozile Mahlangu, CEO of the Insurance Institute of South Africa, co-hosts of the conference together with the South African Insurance Association.

So far registration is meeting expected levels — but the industry has been warned not to leave their registration too late.

“We have a finite number of people we can accommodate and industry members are encouraged to register as soon as possible to avoid disappointment,” says Thokozile.

The conference takes place at Sun City from 14 to 17 July. If you haven’t registered yet, BOOK HERE.

African Insurance Organisation annual convention

#AIO2019 takes place this year at Emperors Palace in Johannesburg from 9 to 13 June. The convention is a gathering of leading insurance professionals from across the continent. We expect around 1 100  delegates at this multi-national event, which this year will focus on distribution, micro-insurance and climate change. Members of the South African insurance industry are, of course, welcome to attend. Read more on our blog and click here to make a reservation. 

Armand Kook Kaal

South African actor Armand Aucamp will be hosting dinner and drinks at So Yumin Hyde Park, Joburg, on 31 July. It will be very casual, intimate affair, where guests will get the chance to hear how Armand keeps in shape and sample some of the delicious food that he cooks – both at home and on the show. There will also be copies of his recipe book on sale, which he will gladly sign for you. Here is more info on the event and how to book.

FIA Awards and FIA Summit

The FIA Awards take place on the evening of 1 August and the summit on 10 October (full day). Bookings are not yet open, but make a note in your diary to keep the time open. These two unmissable events, both of which take place in Johannesburg, promise to be bigger and better than ever in 2019.

The Real Wallis Simpson, by Anna Pasternak

What better spot to host a meet-and-greet with international best-selling author, Anna Pasternak, than at Mrs Simpson’s restaurant in Dullstroom! Why? Because Anna’s latest book is all about the late Duchess of Windsor, Wallis Simpson, who is famous for marrying British king Edward VIII. Their marriage caused a constitutional crisis that led to Edward’s abdication. Anna will be in South Africa in September. She will host two events at Mrs Simpson’s, where she will discuss her book and the inspiration behind it. Copies will be on sale, which Anna will gladly sign. For more info, email colin@cnandco.com.

Jozi Film Festival

Hyde Park will also be the venue for the opening night of the 2019 Jozi Film Festival. This year’s is the eighth instalment and we’re proud to say we’ve been massive supporters of the festival since it started in2012. The festival runs from 3 to 6 October 2019 at various interesting venues around Joburg, including The Bioscope, Delta Park and the Eyethu Theatre. Keep an eye on the CN&CO blog for further details.

This is just a highlights package of a few of the events that CN&CO Festivals will be putting on during the year. Keep an eye on our blog and social media for more!