Anticip and Risk&Co appoint a new director for their South African subsidiary
Following Nigeria, now is the turn for Anticip and Risk&Co’s South African subsidiary to experience the arrival of a new Managing director: Christophe GUIGNON. Former officer of the French army, ex-military advisor and managing director of several subsidiaries of defence and aerospace groups around the world, his extensive expertise and knowledge of South Africa will be key assets in providing regional support to our corporate clients.
Anticip and Risk&Co are present among the leading African economic powers
South Africa is the most developed and “sophisticated” market on the entire African continent. With a population of 56.7 million and a GDP of US $370 billion (62% of Southern Africa’s GDP and 21% of Sub-Saharan Africa’s GDP), South Africa is the continent’s second largest economy after Nigeria, ahead of Egypt.
Finally, South Africa is the only country on the African continent to be a member of the G20 and BRICS (a group of five countries that have been meeting annually since 2011: Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa). The country thus plays a very important diplomatic role on the international scene.
South Africa offers very wide opportunities to French companies
Following the acquisition of Risk&Co, Anticip can know rely on 12 years of corporate experience in Johannesburg, the country’s economic capital. Anticip and Risk&Co’s long-standing presence in the sub-region makes it a reference partner for the protection of several listed major companies, notably those active on the commodities market.
The South African economy -the most diversified of the continent- offers a very wide range of opportunities to French companies wishing to expand their operations: agricultural equipment, food products, energy, mining, transport, construction materials, health, cosmetics and luxury, ICT (Information and Communication Technologies), or even the distribution of services constitute some of the most promising sectors to explore.
In additions to the above-mentioned assets, the country proves particularly keen on hosting foreign companies, with few barriers (both financial and non-financial) preventing them to penetrate the domestic market. This particularly favourable environment allows Anticip-Risk&Co to support not just major companies but also French SMEs in their development in South Africa.
Christophe GUIGNON, new director of Anticip and Risk&Co’s subsidiary in Johannesburg.
A graduate of the Special Military School of Saint-Cyr-Coëtquidan, trilingual, Christophe GUIGNON began his career as an officer in the French army, serving as head of unit in the 1st Marine Infantry Parachute Regiment (1st RPIMa). After spending 5 years commanding a section of the 8th Marine Infantry Parachute Regiment (8th RPIMa), Christophe left active service in 1997 to become the military advisor and marketing manager of the anti-tank weapon systems division of Aérospatiale-Matra and Euromissile (now MBDA).
From 2001 to 2007, he served as regional director in Latin America, sub-Saharan Africa, the Middle East and the Maghreb. In 2007, Christophe joined the DCNS, now known as Naval Group, as sales director for Africa. He developed his specific expertise of South Africa as Managing director of the South African branch of the Airbus Group, based in Pretoria.
“Both my initial training at the Special Military School of Saint-Cyr and my career path within the Army, or the various positions held within defence groups, allow me today to fully understand and manage the full scope of services offered by Anticip and Risk&Co. Operations and safety engineering have been part of my daily life for 30 years and I now looking forward to assuming the management of the Johannesburg subsidiary!” – Christophe Guignon.
