The Botswana Confederation of Commerce Industry and Manpower (BOCCIM) last week embarked on a re-naming and re-branding exercise that will herald in a new name and logo, as part of its on-going restructuring exercise, which will culminate in the organization morphing into an Apex body.
A BOCCIM Special General Meeting (SGM) on Wednesday approved the proposed name change to Business Botswana, after being presented with an option of another name, Botswana Chambers of Commerce. Briefing the media on the latest developments, BOCCIM Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Maria Machailo-Ellis said the change of name and logo will ensure brand reinforcement and help the organization keep up with emerging business processes. On the other hand, she said, the re-branding will create a long term impression that will complement the organization’s new business model and the new services that it will offer to members.
“The name BOCCIM carried a lot of baggage because a lot has happened in the past. The BOCCIM logo was designed in the 70`s when the organization was formed as an employers’ federation. We needed a fresh start,” said Machailo-Ellis.
She further said there was a need to modernize the name and logo so that it speaks to today’s business clientele. The re-branding was also meant to create a fresh identity that clearly communicates the value of BOCCIM as it transitions to the Apex model. BOCCIM members and the general public were informed, engaged and educated about the re-branding process through various media platforms.
“The trend around the world is that business associations are aligning themselves to the mandate of business. There is more focus on competitiveness and we have re-branded and changed our name to reflect increased focus on business,” she said.
However, Machailo- Ellis said the role of BOCCIM as an employer organization still remains and need to be embraced. BOCCIM will soon launch a competition for the design and drawing of its new logo. The competition will attract P10, 000 in prize money. Machailo- Ellis explained that the new logo should be attractive and leave a lasting impression, have a unique look, reflect the personality of BOCCIM and also be stylish and elegant. BOCCIM’s new brand will be rolled out through a well-publicized event that will be attended by relevant stakeholders and the media, followed by a series of road shows around the country to introduce the new brand and the new Apex model to the business community.
For his part, BOCCIM President Lekwalo Mosienyane said aligning with the Apex model does not mean that the organisation will shed off its previous roles. Rather, he said, it will further broaden BOCCIM’s mandate so that it represents the entire private sector and offer better services to its members, while ensuring better coordination of the advocacy and lobbying requirements of business in Botswana.
“The development of the restructuring framework has been a long journey. We started in April 2014 with the assistance of the Belgian and Paris Chambers of Commerce,” said Mosienyane.
The process entailed consultation with various stakeholders and private sector associations, who all made it very clear that an Apex organisation was not only overdue but also necessary to consolidate the voice of business in Botswana.
“It was on that basis that as BOCCIM we took the initiative to set in motion the various processes that will facilitate restructuring,” he said.
