Simon Littlewood

Oct 31, 2024 | gfmag.com | Simon Littlewood |John Njiraini |Laura Spinale |Andrea Murad

United Bank for Africa (UBA) is celebrating its 75th anniversary. Among its hallmarks is an unwavering commitment to driving the growth of small and midsize enterprises (SMEs) in Africa. For UBA—boasting $20 billion in assets, $454.2 million in pretax profits in 2023, and a presence in 20 markets on the continent and four global centers—empowering SMEs means fueling Africa’s economic development. Its home market of Nigeria is a poster case.

Oct 6, 2024 | gfmag.com | Simon Littlewood

Bhutan is banking on a unique mix of abundant energy, a clean environment, and wellness entrepreneurism to lure foreign investors. A constitutional monarchy of 800,000 people, Bhutan is nestled in a region that’s home to nearly 3 billion. Bordered by China to the north and India to the east, west and south, the Himalayan nation installed a new government in January under Prime Minister Tshering Tobgay, who returned to office after an earlier five-year stint that ended in 2018.

Jun 7, 2024 | gfmag.com | Simon Littlewood

“ASEAN is a bright spot,” says Federico Burgoni, head of Group Strategy and Transformation at Singapore’s United Overseas Bank. Founded as a five-nation political and economic community in 1967, the Association of South-East Asian Nations today counts 10 countries and 647 million people under its umbrella, boasting a 2023 GDP of $2.9 trillion.

Mar 2, 2024 | gfmag.com | Simon Littlewood

Prabowo Subianto, a former army general with a controversial past and minister of defence in the current administration, has been elected president of Indonesia. This was his third presidential run. Prabowo holds the dubious distinction of having been banned from entering the US due to allegations of atrocities in East Timor, a ban only lifted in 2020. He will assume the presidency at what would otherwise be a propitious time.

Mar 2, 2024 | gfmag.com | Simon Littlewood

Prabowo Subianto, a former army general with a controversial past and minister of defence in the current administration, has been elected president of Indonesia. This was his third presidential run. Prabowo holds the dubious distinction of having been banned from entering the US due to allegations of atrocities in East Timor, a ban only lifted in 2020. He will assume the presidency at what would otherwise be a propitious time.