silver
jubilee
magazine
Finance | Management | Development
conquer
Essentials
Moving from basic accounting and audit services,
the firm has over the last twenty-five years been
structured into a Group in order to offer a value
proposition to its many clients to include, inter
alia, global business management, cross-border
corporate finance, socio-economic studies and
accounts outsourcing services in three different
languages.
When you reach the 25-year line and look back
it makes no doubt that the route has been quite
long with many ups and downs. But when you
put together the immense amount of professional
work done, the panoply of services developed,
the profusion of client satisfaction and the great
number of men and women who have put
their hands together to keep the flag flying over
APPAVOO BUSINESS CENTRE, the clock seems to
have stopped for us for some time. Twenty-five
years seem too short to accommodate all that
we have realized!
From a meager start on 1 January 1989, the small
firm set-up amongst the host of ironmongery shops
in the busy Royal Street in Port-Louis has made
important strides in the Accountancy profession
to become an important player in the business
landscape of Mauritius. Built on the premise of
a long-term vision for business services which
will focus on the needs of its client, APPAVOO
GROUP has over the years invested in the right
mix of knowledge framework, technology, work
tool infrastructure and people in order to help its
clients start business, grow and flourish.
1
Today APPAVOO GROUP prides itself for having
changed the lives of different people: small
businesses have been transformed into giant
players, business models have been re-invented
to adapt to the economic development of
Mauritius, and above all, the development of
the pool of human capital has been permanent.
Employees who have been trained by the
Group are now employed in different economic
activities and our clients have been given the
necessary confidence to take risks at the right
time by going to new heights in business and
achieve success.
While the Group continues its growth in a
sustainable manner, it is good to look back at
our tremendous achievement… This calls for
celebration!
This special anniversary edition is the perfect occasion for us to reflect on the strong values built up
by Appavoo Group over the last 25 years. Our determination to add value to our clients’ businesses,
our desire to satisfy them and retain them, and our capacity to adapt to the complex and evolving
economic environment of Mauritius since the late 1980’s are the cornerstone of our service offering.
From a small accounting firm, Appavoo Group has emerged as a major player today, reckoning not
less than 10 business service clusters.
The engine of growth of our Group is fuelled by a simple
principle: there is no fixed position in business! If you
do not continue to innovate and grow, you are sure to
stagnate and move backwards. When we decided to
go beyond the frontiers of the accounting profession,
we have brought together the required expertise to
the development of peripheral services capable of
answering each and every single need of our clients.
Our goal today is to better manage the communication
of our services on a larger scale, mainly through an
extended rebranding campaign started in 2012: new
visual identity, marketing supports and diffusion
channels. A new design for our website is underway and
we have enhanced the use of technology in different
service areas. We strongly believe that there is no
success without risk or setback, and we work every day
towards the reinvention of our profession.
The Value Proposition of Appavoo Group
L. Clensy Appavoo
CEO of Appavoo Group
Appavoo Accounting & Taxation
HLB Appavoo & Associates
Appavoo Corporate
Business systems & enterprise organisation
E-Accounting
Payroll
Outsourcing
Taxation
Audit
Taxation
Business Advisory
Corporate recovery & Insolvency practice
Business structuring
Corporate secretariat
Expatriate services
Hospitality & real estate development
Appavoo Global Business
Formation of global business companies
Administration
International tax planning & structuring
Fund management and administration
Appavoo Consulting
Finance | Management | Development
Business advisory
Forensic accounting
CSR & Corporate governance
Corporate finance
SME Desk
Appavoo HR & Recruitment
Appavoo Education
InspiRED Design Studio
Payroll administration
Human resource management
Organisational and human resource audit
Recruitment
Labour outsourcing
Faculty of Accountancy & Finance (FACT)
Faculty of Management (FOM)
Faculty of ICT (FICT)
Training Needs Analysis (TNA)
Naming & Branding
Conception & Design
Advertising & media planning
Communication advisory
Marketing advisory
2
imagine
Motion
Appavoo & Associates, la première société du Groupe, démarre ses opérations en janvier 1989 avec
3 employés dans un petit local de la capitale. L’équipe occupe alors l’étage d’un bâtiment situé à
la rue Royale parmi les quincailleries et propose des services de comptabilité et de conformité, de
fiscalité et d’audit, ainsi que des services de secrétariat juridique. Appavoo & Associates forge sa
renommée grâce à un service d’accompagnement personnalisé, assistant ses clients dans chacune
de leurs démarches administratives et de mise en place de leurs projets ; ce sont les débuts d’un
service qui deviendra une pierre angulaire du développement du Groupe Appavoo : le service
conseil. Le succès est tel qu’en quelques années, la société compte une vingtaine d’employés et
éprouve le besoin de s’agrandir et de se doter d’une infrastructure moderne.
Appavoo Group has never lost sight of the latest
developments in terms of management policies and
recommendations, technology and information tools,
and the long-term vision of the Government. The result
of this constant awareness and reactivity is a strong
business philosophy built over the years to protect our
clients’ interests and lead ambitious projects. Within
the walls of the Appavoo Business Centre, we can
set up business structures, handle all administrative
and compliance back-office work, develop brands
and design marketing strategies. We can also handle
recruitment of talents, analyse the training needs of
clients’ staff, help them access finance or restructure
their business to achieve growth.
«C’était une équipe jeune et dynamique, encadrée de
superviseurs expérimentés. Comme tous les autres,
j’ai appris le métier sur le tas et j’ai eu l’occasion de
toucher à plusieurs disciplines. On en ressort grandi,
c’est indéniable. La structure ‘open space’ du bureau
encourageait la cohésion du groupe, la communication,
et aussi un esprit de compétition entre les équipes.
C’était à qui bouclerait ses dossiers le plus vite ! Le
tout dans une très bonne ambiance.» raconte Mike,
aujourd’hui responsable d’Appavoo Management
Services Ltd (comptabilité et fiscalité).
As a business service Group,
we have always aspired to be
our clients’ problem-solving
partner
En parallèle, la société entame la construction de
l’Appavoo Business Centre, un immeuble de 7 étages
(voir page 4) inauguré le 1er avril 1995 et qu’il faut
dès lors remplir. Les services sont restructurés et les
équipes étoffées. Un département dédié aux services
conseil est mis sur pied, suivi très vite par un service
Offshore et un service d’Externalisation (BPO).
The long-term project of Appavoo Group towards
a paperless office is launched in 2011, when the
Group released its e-Accounting platform. To date,
72% of our Accounting & Tax clients have adopted
the service and all new clients automatically benefit
from it. The immediate results are: optimisation of
the e-environment; reduced transport costs; clients
keeping their original documents; no more printing
& photocopies; no more physical archiving and
deterioration of documents.
Transformer le
développement intellectuel
en capital humain
3
Dès lors, le Groupe n’a eu de cesse de se développer,
notamment par la structuration de ses services de
gestion des ressources humaines : création d’une agence
de recrutement en 2002 et d’une école de formation
pour professionnels en 2003. Plus récemment,
le Groupe a ouvert un cabinet d’administration
judiciaire (Insolvency practice) et développé une cellule
d’assistance aux expatriés et investisseurs par la
mise en place d’une plateforme d’information en ligne
visant à promouvoir la destination Maurice, et dont la
promotion a débuté à l’échelle internationale il y a de
cela quelques mois.
Our Group’s policy towards intelligent use of resources
has been ever-present in recent years, and energy
consumption was considerably reduced in all our
service operations after gradual investment in new
technologies.
Appavoo Business Centre
4
influence
‘Adding Value to Business’ has remained the tagline of Appavoo Group for more than a decade. It
was replaced in 2011 by the tagline ‘Conquer’ which better illustrates the Group’s awareness and
never-ending search for new disciplines to master. The need for innovation is a principle we try and
instil in our clients by providing all monitoring, analysis and organisational tools to induce them in
taking calculated risks for their businesses. The chart below details part of the mechanism designed
by Appavoo Group to spur business development and growth.
Drive
Shyam Surat, C.S.K
CEO
Antonio Maurer
Director
SKC Group
Chez Popo
We have been among the first
clients of Appavoo Group and
our business has experienced
tremendous growth with the
valuable advisory services
of the Group. The different
consultants, under the leadership of Clensy, have
identified opportunities for our business, they have
structured our operational model with presence in
different countries to make us a leading player in the
fruit and vegetable business. We would like to thank
the Group for their continuous support and wish them
a happy celebration.
The landmark collaboration
with Appavoo Group has
been the transformation of
our small mini market into a
supermarket on the coastal
road of Trou-aux-Biches.
Besides high-level consultancy services, we continue
to draw enthusiastic benefits from the Group in fiscal,
advisory, audit and assurance works.
A. Alain Arca
PDG
AAA Groupe
Moving clients from
small business units
to giant players
is what we do
Paul Clarenc
Director
Moroil
5
J’ai eu le plaisir de faire la
connaissance
de
Clensy
Appavoo il y a quelques années
seulement. Et depuis, nous
avons collaboré dans des
domaines des plus variés, allant
d’un projet immobilier aux relations industrielles (MEF),
en passant par la formation chez Moroil. En plus du
professionnalisme et de la compétence, ce sont la
disponibilité et le service personnalisé que j’ai surtout
appréciés chez Clensy et l’équipe d’Appavoo Consulting.
Joyeux anniversaire, bonne continuation et longue vie
au Groupe Appavoo.
Lorsque
nous
avons
approché
le
Groupe
Appavoo dans le cadre du
projet de développement
d’un parc hôtelier à l’île
Maurice,
mon
associé
et moi-même avons été séduits par le service de
proximité et l’enthousiasme dont est empreinte la
société dans la conduite des affaires. Nous avons
développé une relation de confiance avec le Groupe et
nous sommes heureux de continuer à travailler avec
eux au développement de nouveaux projets, mais aussi
d’une vision pour l’île Maurice. Nous souhaitons un bon
anniversaire au Groupe et à ses équipes !
Purmanund Hardas
Director
Hardas Brothers
Enterprise
Our family business was
among the first clients of
Appavoo Group. At the time,
we were involved in sugar
cultivation, and the Group
identified the opportunity for us to change business
line. 25 years later, our company is one of the main
producers of eggs and poultry in Mauritius, starting
from grassroots level. We are proud to be a client of
Appavoo Group and to rely on the various fields of
expertise under one roof.
6
Mould
agility
Crossing International Borders
A macro-economic study on poverty in Mauritius
commissioned by the European Union was the first
major consultancy assignment undertaken by Appavoo
Group in 1998, and it has served as a landmark
assignment which has projected Appavoo Group on
the international scene. The Group was then invited
to participate in numerous Consultancy projects
abroad and it was the opportunity to work alongside
inspiring communities and other professionals. In
1999, the Group was appointed to conduct a highlevel international feasibility study for the construction
of a living area for a Zulu community at the heart of
KwaZulu Natal, province of South Africa.
Evènementiel
Building up community living
Lorsque le Groupe Appavoo obtient le contrat de
gestion et de comptabilité du Cirque Roger Lanzac
pour sa venue à l’ile Maurice en 2004, c’est le branlebas de combat. Obtention des licences, gestion de la
billetterie, recherche de sponsors et négociations de
points de vente, préparation et distribution de tracts
et lancement de la campagne de promotion ; toute
l’organisation de cet évènement est prise en charge par
le Groupe, et la comptabilité est tenue au jour le jour
dès le début des opérations, et ce durant des semaines.
Au terme de ce marathon, toute l’équipe est invitée à
profiter elle aussi du spectacle.
Représentation du cirque Roger Lanzac
Recognition
In 2006, Clensy Appavoo is nominated for the TECOMA
‘Entrepreneur of the Year’ Award. Although he did not
win the prestigious trophy, the nomination rewarded 17
years of hard work and achievements for this devoted
entrepreneur and for the Group which he has led to the
forefront of the Mauritian economic scene.
Place aux festivités
La fête de fin d’année du Groupe Appavoo est un
évènement auquel sont conviés chaque année tous les
employés du Groupe et leurs conjoints. L’occasion pour
tous de se retrouver dans un cadre festif et de célébrer
ensemble la fin d’une année laborieuse et l’avènement
d’une année nouvelle. Une équipe est d’ores et déjà à
pied d’œuvre pour les préparatifs des activités de cette
fin d’année qui promet de bien belles surprises à tous
nos collaborateurs.
On April 6, 2011, Clensy becomes the 27th President of
the Mauritius Employers’ Federation (MEF) for a twoyear term, and in 2012, he spearheads the celebration
of the 50th Anniversary of the Federation.
Hon. Shakeel Mohamed, Minister of Labour, and Clensy
Appavoo during the MEF 50th anniversary ceremony.
Clensy was also the Honorary Consul of the Republic of
Congo in Mauritius from 2002 to 2004.
Fête de fin d’année ‘Blue Lagoon & White Sand’
Bridging Business Cultures
A Social Dimension
Before joining Appavoo Group,
I have been working in the
busy City of London as an
Accountant in different business
environments. Coming to an
Island was a real challenge for
me apart from the many good
things which have motivated my
move and which made me opt
for a one-way ticket.
With the advent of the gradual integration of business
with society in Mauritius, the Group has not spared any
occasion to contribute to the well-being of the poor and
the most vulnerable communities.
We have offered free advisory and audit services to
various NGOs and Appavoo Group is a founder member
of Morisiens Sans Frontières, an association which
offers medical assistance to underprivileged children.
We have also participated in the setting-up of the MEF
CSR Fund which offers the opportunity to businesses
to entrust the MEF with their social contributions to
fund major social projects.
7
Our children. Our future
I learned French in Mauritius and have been working
with Appavoo Group as a Business Development
Director which has made me focus on the Group’s
philosophy: Customer Centricity!
Every effort is done to nurture customer confidence
and I have learned that customer relationship is much
more important than making a sale.
The rigour and discipline at work, the team spirit, the
marketing approach, were all very close to the British
business culture and I did not feel to be a fish out of
water. I have had the opportunity to see the active
participation of Appavoo Group on the international
scene as a member of HLB International and this has
been a very rich experience for me.
I wish the Group happy celebrations and many years of
success to come!
Monica Appavoo
8
hlb appavoo & associates
hlb international
HLB International’s network is present in more than
100 countries in the world.
When Appavoo & Associates obtained its affiliation
with HLB International in 1996, it became the network’s
member firm in Mauritius and changed its name to HLB
Appavoo & Associates. Present in over 100 countries,
HLB International has developed a comprehensive
range of services and expertise, servicing multi-national
clients across all industry sectors. The network has
assisted us in securing contracts for major consulting
works and national tenders by providing cross-border
contacts and expertise.
Fully aware of the importance of Africa as the final
growth frontier, HLB International has structured a
Middle East and Africa (MEA) Federation of firms since
2012. The objective is to strengthen the activities
of HLB firms in the region and increase the visibility
of the HLB brand. The upcoming MEA Conference
in November 2013 to be held in Dubai will focus on
strategies to further develop the network’s presence in
Eastern, Southern and Central Africa.
Stand of Mauritius during HLB Annual Conference held in
Saigon, Vietnam in 2007
The experience acquired through such collaborations
has been hugely beneficial for all people involved and
has helped us forge strong organisational capabilities.
In fact, this affiliation has hasten the development of
new services, and today HLB Appavoo & Associates, as
an Audit Firm, is equipped to create value for its clients
and act as a multi-disciplinary advisor.
Spurred by a customer-centric approach and guided by
a long-term business vision, HLB Appavoo & Associates
has fostered the development of other service
companies within the Group. Appavoo Management
Services, Appavoo Corporate, and Appavoo Consulting,
are three sister companies of HLB Appavoo & Associates
which have benefited from the latter’s experience and
network to develop and structure their services.
Congratulations to Shaheenaz Goulvaden (right), Audit Senior at
HLB Appavoo & Associates, for coming first in ACCA (paper P7)
in Mauritius in 2013.
One of the publications of HLB Appavoo & Associates
is the ‘Doing Business in Mauritius’ booklet, which is
updated regularly for the use of clients, partners and
staff of other HLB International member firms. A
free copy (French or English) can be obtained at our
premises or from our website.
9
HLB’s perspective is strengthened by an international corporate
identity, projecting a consistent and distinctive image worldwide.
Indeed, HLB International applies a rigorous selection
process for prospective member firms, which includes
due diligence procedures and a quality assurance
review comprising an assessment of the prospective
firm’s ability to service companies with international
operations.
In 2013, HLB International has appointed top firms
in Bahrain, Qatar, Egypt, Niger, Senegal, Ivory Coast,
Guinea-Bissau, Mali, Togo, Benin and Eritrea. Already,
a number of prospective firms have been earmarked
to join the network in 2014, with presence in Kenya,
Uganda, Tanzania, Mozambique, Cameroon and Central
Africa.
Commenting on the 25th anniversary celebration
of HLB Appavoo & Associates, Rob Tautges, CEO
of HLB International, stated: «We are delighted to
be associated to the silver jubilee of HLB Appavoo &
Associates, a firm who joined the network in 1996 and
has grown substantially over the years. We wish the
firm plenty of success ahead, and particularly in its
endeavours to service clients on the African Continent
along with other HLB firms.»
Formed in 1969, HLB International is a world-wide
network of independent professional accounting
firms and business advisers focused on quality and
personal service. The network comprises member
firms in over 100 countries who collectively have
1,800 partners and 14,000 staff in over 500 offices
across all continents.
HLB member firms are well-established
independent firms of high local standing, who
have developed their practices on the basis of their
strong local knowledge and contacts, with many
firms ranked among the top twelve nationally.
Close contact is maintained between members
through international referral engagements,
regular meetings, bulletins and news flashes from
the central office and through the use of a global
intranet.
Appavoo Group provides various investment solutions to
businesses and promotes Mauritius as the ideal platform for
investment into Africa.
10
soul
19
20
20
years
years
years
Lourdes Chavagnan
Sheila Legallant
Lourdes is the Senior Office
Attendant and she has been
taking care of our place of work
over nearly two decades. She
has seen many faces in view of
the host of employees who have
worked and obtained training in
the Group.
Sheila joined Appavoo Group
as a Receptionist in 1993. She
has been the mirror of the
Group and has met numerous
people who have gone through
Appavoo Business Centre. She
endows the Group’s rigourous
communication culture and is
a key staff in the coordination
with clients.
Parvatee Dawonauth
Parvatee started as a DPO
in 1993 and is one of the
most experienced of our
Accounting & Tax staff. As
an Accounts Coordinator,
Parvatee is in charge of a
team of Accounts Preparers
and she remains a stalwart
of Appavoo Management
Services.
years
Sehzad Bauboo
When Sehzad applied for his
first job in 2001, he did not yet
imagine the career he would
have with us. After a successful
start as an Audit Junior, Sehzad
climbed to the post of Supervisor
in 2009 and was responsible of a
team of 10 people. The following
year, he became Assistant Manager, then Manager of
HLB Appavoo & Associates in 2012, after his achieving
professional qualification as an ACCA member.
20
years
19
Vimala Aroonasalon
years
Mike Dhacoo
Mike started as an Audit
Junior in 1994. He gradually
picked up management skills
and became an Accounts
Supervisor, before moving
further up the career ladder.
He is now the COO of Appavoo
Management Services and
has been a key figure in the
design and implementation
of our e-accounting services.
11
12
Vimala joined the Group as
a Data Processing Officer
(DPO) in 1993 and she had the
opportunity to manage a team
as Senior DPO for numerous
years. Her experience and
knowledge of the Group has
been a decisive factor in her
appointment for the job of Personal Assistant to
Managers of Appavoo Management Services and
HLB Appavoo & Associates which she occupies
today.
15
years
Faeza Yeadally Khan
Faeza joined the Group in
1998. She heads the ‘Dun &
Bradstreet’ department and
participates actively on a day to
day basis in financial research.
She obtained a Correspondent
Diploma from the D&B UK Office
in 2003 and was named D&B
Accredited Correspondent since then. She also plays
an integral role in Appavoo Corporate as well as in the
Group’s Insolvency Practice.
12
www.think-inspired.com
If you have the will, your strength will be to the
level of your dream. Si tu as la volonté, ta force
sera à la mesure de ton désir.
Head Office
Appavoo Business Centre
T (230) 203 3900
accounting & tax
29 bis, Mère Barthélemy St, Port Louis, Mauritius
F (230) 211 3152
info@appavoo.com
corporate
global business
hr & recruitment
www.appavoo.com
consulting
education