Aprio:
Strategic Financial Communications
Global Strategic
Directing
definedCommunications
messages to the targeted audience
A introduction to Aprio
• Aprio is an independent, 100% South African-owned company focused on
financial communication programmes and reputational enhancement
campaigns
• Aprio has a team of highly experienced specialists that have the necessary
resources to support clients’ communication requirements
• Aprio’s key resources are based in Johannesburg and Cape Town
• Aprio’s financial market relationships are unmatched in the mining
environment, particularly after Aprio was active on numerous
transactions/programmes. Including:
– Xstrata’s (Aprio) proposal to merge with Anglo American;
– ArcelorMittal’s (Aprio) dispute with Kumba Iron Ore (ongoing);
– Xstrata’s (Aprio) proposed merger with Glencore (ongoing).
• Xstrata and ArcelorMittal remain Aprio clients
• Aprio acted for Walmart when it acquired its majority shareholding in
Massmart; and Aprio profiled the Manufacturing Circle in its media and
government communication initiatives
• Aprio was recently selected by Impala Platinum and Edcon to re-define and
implement their communication campaigns
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Strategic Communications
Our media focus
Access to Aprio’s extensive media/opinion former network
•Manage the media strategy:
•Draft media releases and Q&A’s; and
•Manage media invites, interviews and queries
•Manage all other media interactions.
•Op-eds (and other opinion pieces);
•One-on-ones; and
•Media releases, etc.
•Provide media clippings service with analysis
•Logistics
•Identify key issues and tailor messaging
•Develop briefing notes and Q&A’s for key engagements
•Other.
•Identify speaking opportunities; and
•Manage updates to website
Strategic Communications
Our IR focus
Aprio provides dedicated IR support ensuring seamless coordination between the media and IR agendas
Building in-house IR capacity
•Confirm financial reporting timetable
•Contribute to roadshow documentation
•Ensure high quality of IR materials, including Annual Report
•Develop best practice IR website
•Develop investor friendly CSR strategy
•Train new in-house professionals on best practice & regulation
Maintaining Relationships and Information Flow
•Manage investor/analyst database
•Manage interaction between management and analysts/investors
•Manage site visits to operations
•Facilitate/manage information flow between sell-side and media
•Detailed analyst/investor feedback
•Distribute all SENS and media announcements
•Peer group monitoring
Strategic Communications
Selected profiles
Julian Gwillim, Aprio: Johannesburg
Julian was previously involved with a large South African conglomerate, the Anglovaal group for 24 years on internal communication, public relations and investor
relations programs, as well as corporate action processes. He has project managed or worked on various transactions, which include: the split of Anglovaal’s mining
and industrial assets; the listing of Avgold; the sale of Avgold to Harmony; the merger with African Rainbow Minerals; and the IPO of TEAL on the Toronto Stock
Exchange. During and after the IPO he was based in Toronto to start-up and manage TEAL’s investor relations and media program in North America and Europe
(specifically London). Julian founded Aprio, which has advised on some of the largest corporate transactions over recent years. Julian has extensive knowledge and
experience of managing a company’s target investor and media stakeholders.
Tracey Peterson, Aprio: Johannesburg
Tracey Peterson has more than 20 years’ experience and has the capability of providing a full and varied range of services in communications, employee well-being
and social development. She has a broad range of communications skills, including media relations, internal communications, publications/writing and stakeholder
engagement. Tracey spent many years internally at De Beers, and she also worked in-house at Gold Fields. Beyond the communications discipline, Tracey has
experience in managing HIV and Aids in the workplace, having designed, implemented and managed the award-winning programme at De Beers. Tracey also
managed the Corporate Social Investment programme for De Beers, while being accountable for the broader social responsibility of the company in South Africa.
Tracey has contributed, in terms of conceptualising and designing the strategic concept, message formulation and writing, of numerous annual reports, sustainable
development reports and, more recently, integrated annual reports for a number of companies and non-profit organisations.
Rio Matlhaku, Aprio: Johannesburg
Rio began working in public relations in 2001 at Beachhead Media & Investor Relations, which later became Financial Dynamics (and is today known as FTI
Consulting). His forte over the last decade has been working closely with the South African financial media – across numerous sectors and all outlets including
print, broadcast, radio, online, etc - and he also has wide-ranging communication and public relations experience. Rio has worked on accounts such as Alexander
Forbes, Discovery Group, the Financial Planning Institute, Nedbank, Assupol Life, Airports Company of South Africa, Blue Catalyst and Samancor Chrome. Rio was
also responsible for the media work relating to the re-launching of the South African Competition Commission. Rio now works closely on ArcelorMittal, Hosmed, the
Manufacturing Circle, among other clients.
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Strategic Communications
Selected profiles
Del-Maree English, Aprio: Cape Town
Del-Maree was previously a managing partner of a communications company, Communications Services, subsequently establishing its financial PR department:
international clients included Guinness PLC, Seagram and CNN International. Del-Maree has worked with clients across a wide range of industries, including
consumer/retail (Famous Brands, Italtile Ltd, KWV Holdings, McCarthy Retail and Rainbow Chicken), banking and insurance (Santam Ltd and Saambou Ltd),
construction (Ceramic Industries), mining (Royal Bafokeng Holdings and JCI Ltd), petrochemicals (Sasol) and parastatals (SAA Cargo and Spoornet). More recently,
Del-Maree has worked on Walmart’s acquisition of South Africa’s Massmart; Italtile’s acquisition of Ceramic Industries; and the IPO on the JSE of BK One in
December 2011.
Di Munro, Aprio: Johannesburg
Di has worked for a number of years advising large multi-national companies (including MTN, Sanlam, Sasol and Absa) and parastatals on financial
communications, investor relations and issues management. She has experience across a wide variety of industries with her most recent projects being in the
financial and mobile phone sectors in Sub Saharan Africa and managing a public affairs project for a business coalition, Private Investors for Africa. Di was also
intimately involved with the Telkom IPO. She has worked as both an independent consultant and was also a partner of the UK based communications firm,
Brunswick. Prior to this, Di worked in investment banking as a financial analyst.
Thomas McLachlan, Aprio: Johannesburg
Thomas has had extensive experience in financial journalism, having worked with media brands including London’s Financial Times Group as well as local brands
Sunday Times and Business Day. He has covered numerous corporate action situations for the FT’s specialist investor media product MergerMarket and its
subsidiary dealReporter. During this time he was responsible for covering various sectors of the Johannesburg Stock Exchange and built up a significant base of
professional advisory contacts as a result. He also appeared on numerous television and radio shows including CNBC and 702 for his insights into the structure of
large-scale mergers and acquisitions. Prior to this, he was Media Editor at Business Day, one of SA’s foremost business publications, covering the listed and
unlisted media sector (including the advertising industry). Following his career in Journalism and prior to joining Aprio, Thomas ran a successful freelance financial
writing business, compiling integrated annual reports as well as other strategic written content
Michelle Bartkunsky, Aprio: Johannesburg
Michelle has, since 2006, worked in both Public Relations and a research positions. While working in the public relations field, Michelle has worked with a variety
of clients such as Wesiziwe Platinum, Nestle South Arica, the Consumer Goods Council of South Africa, Business Process Outsourcing and Call Centre Industry
Association, ContactinGuateng, the Concrete Manufacturers Association, the Nepad Business Foundation and Business Unity of South Africa, amongst others. She
has extensive experience in writing editorial such as newsletters, corporate brochures, press releases and articles. Michelle also compiled the Wesizwe Platinum
sponsored community newspaper, entitled, the Ledig Sun for two years, while working on the Wesizwe Platinum account. Michelle has also worked closely with the
media and within the community in Ledig, which is situated near Rustenburg. Michelle holds a BA in Corporate Communications and a BA Honours in Corporate
Communication Management.
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Strategic Communications
APRIO
Suite 5, No 5 Fricker Road, Illovo, Johannesburg, South Africa
Tel: +27 11 268 0616 | www.aprio.co.za
Julian Gwillim
+27 (0) 82 452 4389
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Strategic Communications