Multinational firm begins operations in Kigali

A Belgium based private firm, Regus, has begun operations in the country in a bid to support businesses to cut down on costs especially in hiring office space, a move seen to facilitate the country’s private sector. Its chief executive officer, Mark Dixon, says that as a result of recent growth of local businesses, there is need for them to access flexible workplaces.“We are launching a new centre in Rwanda to provide businesses with smarter, flexible ways to grow and explore the opportunities created by economic growth in East Africa,” he said in a statement. Dixon noted that the growth of the Regus network has helped more companies to open up new revenue streams in Africa’s emerging and frontier markets, “without the high upfront costs of taking on long-term space abroad.”Headquartered in Luxembourg City, Luxembourg and listed at the London Stock Exchange, it is considered to be the world’s largest provider of flexible workplaces. Its customers include Google, GlaxoSmithKline, and Nokia among thousands of growing small and medium businesses. The multinational has a total of 1,100 business centres in 85 countries.Nevertheless, Dixon said that Regus would provide work-ready offices, meeting rooms and a business lounge where mobile workers can drop in to meet people, send emails, make calls or print documents. “We welcome the initiative, because there are businesses which cannot manage hiring offices for a long time,” Albert Nzamukwereka, President of Junior Chamber International-Rwanda said.Nzamukwereka added, “Provided they have friendly costs that we can manage as businesses, we will be more willing to use their services.”Indeed, most businesses especially small scale ones with minimal turnovers are forced to work without offices due to the high costs incurred in hiring offices.“The centre’s advanced facilities include business class internet access and it is conveniently placed to the international airport, which is 15 minutes away by road,” Dixon noted.He added, “We help them to do so at minimal upfront cost, without committing themselves to long-term premises.”The corporation says it allows it clientele to focus on its core activities. Over 800,000 customers a day benefit from Regus facilities spread across a global footprint of 1,200 locations in 550 cities and 95 countries, which allow individuals and companies to work wherever, however and whenever they want to.Experts predict that due to the drastic growth of economies in the region, its services would ignite growth in the private sector to spur further growth.“We are aware of the growing demand for our services in East Africa and across Africa and we intend to double the size of our network by 2014,” he added“Demand for the company’s service increased by 47 per cent in the region and 40 percent yearly growth in enquiries across the continent.”Rwanda now joins Uganda, Kenya, Zambia, Tanzania, Madagascar and Mauritius as the company’s continental presence with over 97 offices globally.

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Multinational firm begins operations in Kigali