CEO Column: Annual General Meeting

Last week the Cape Chamber 2025 AGM concluded a year of innovation and renewal.  

The event was an opportunity to reflect on some notable achievements, and to welcome new Chamber board appointees and committee members.

Three years ago, the Cape Chamber shifted strategic direction to add more value to members and make a greater impact on our local economic ecosystem. We articulated a new vision of standing up together to shape a better future. Our slogans at the time -- ‘Shape a better future’ and ‘Networks unlock opportunities’ -- are now clearly evident in the work we have since done.  

This work includes uniting all the industry associations to establish our Network of Industry Networks. Our business environment impediment survey identified the key priorities to address.  

We have consistently promoted several core ideas, one of them being that Government should allow the private sector to solve many of the problems the public sector struggles with.

We are encouraged to see this message echoed by other economic stakeholder institutions. There is now broad consensus around the idea of the private sector unlocking opportunities, by doing things together on a bigger scale.

This year we also strengthened our member offering. We have enlarged the scale of benefits and improved the way they can be accessed. The year also marked a pivotal shift in our membership model.  

Rather than price membership according to employee numbers, we now offer four packages of differentiated value. Members can buy what they need. Our marketing efforts need to step up to ensure that all members and stakeholders properly understand this richer new set of available opportunities.

As we evaluate our progress over the previous financial year, it is evident that we now have systemic and structured cooperation dialogues with the City of Cape Town, Western Cape Government departments, the SAPS, and other public sector partners. This too will strengthen the work we do.  

In order to dialogue more effectively, it was necessary to adapt Council structures, activities and processes. The Chamber Constitution has been updated accordingly.  

Loyiso Ngqwemla was appointed as the new Cape Chamber deputy President. Jennifer Reddy (Morar Incorporated) and I will serve as new board members.  

I would like to thank our Board for their excellent guidance, and our Council leaders for being the backbone of our Network of Industry Networks. They centre our communities of interest, drive their portfolio agendas, and provide leadership at various events.

2025 was another good year. We look forward to more success in 2026.

John Lawson
CEO of the Cape Chamber of Commerce and Industry