The African Odyssey to sail in honour of Kim Porter

South Africans woke up to the sad news of the passing away of US actress Kim Porter on Friday morning. Porter, 47, was billed as one of the attractions for next week’s African Odyssey Fashion and Beauty Business Summit 2018.

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Founder Carol Bouwer, had secured her services to speak on a panel about how humanitarianism makes business sense. Porter was a long term partner of hip hop mogul Diddy (formerly known as Puff Daddy or Puffy) who is one of the sponsors of The African Odyssey.

Bouwer shared: ‘We at African Odyssey cannot fully express how devastating the passing of Ms Porter has been. It’s a difficult development as we haven’t just lost a speaker, but a sister and a true humanitarian. We carefully curate our speakers for our event and had identified Kim’s immense passion and hard work as a philanthropist as of great value to our attendants.

‘We were looking forward to hosting her in Johannesburg next week and learning from her journey, sadly it was not meant to be. We send our condolences to her family, especially her four children, Mr Combs, otherwise known as Diddy, friends and fans who supported her career.’

The African Odyssey has accordingly decided to dedicate this year’s edition in Porter’s honour and memory.

The luxurious event goes ahead on Wednesday, 28 November 2018 in Bryanston, Johannesburg and will feature an impressive list of speakers who all share an abiding determination to impact women in business with tangible tools they can use to build their enterprises, over the four sessions of the day.

Luxury expert and former GQ France editor Louis Orlianges will share his pearls of wisdom in a panel of international experts facilitated by Desiree Chauke on how to help renegotiate our place as purveyors of luxury. Other panellists are Vika Shipalana of VBS Luxury, Emilie Gambade ex Elle SA editor, and Potsi Bobes from the IDC.

Also on the bill in other panels are Namate Moyo from Lancome and Anina Malherbe of Vivid Luxury unpacking the business of image. Elsewhere on the programme reputation management expert Janine Hills deals with keeping your word.

Actress and UN Goodwill Ambassador Nomzamo Mbatha will facilitate the Humanitarianism Makes Business Sense panel which would have included Porter.

To wind down the business of the day, a cocktail evening delivered by an all male ensemble that includes DJ Fresh, Chef Coco and Sanjay Wijesekera, head of UNICEF in Southern Africa will be the perfect tonic.

Clive Mathibe of Carol Bouwer Productions promises a memorable day. ‘We have lined up a holistic experience that will be a sensory delight, from the production right down to the menu our guests will not be short of enchantment. Lessons from last year were that attendants appreciated that African Odyssey was a solutions based platform and not a talk shop, that’s the spirit we continue in,’ he commented.

The evening will be in support of the children of South Africa with items auctioned off for UNICEF. Among donors are leading artist Nelson Makamo, opera rising star and Mbokodo Women in the Arts winner Zandile Mzazi and DJ Fresh.

The annual African Odyssey Fashion and Beauty Business Summit 2018 presented by Carol Bouwer Productions will be held at 22 On Sloane, Bryanston, Johannesburg on Wednesday 28 November 2019 from 9am to 11pm. A full access ticket is R2 500 at Quicket.co.za

Image Courtesy: essence.com

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