Shawn Theunissen of South African small business developer Property Point, a Growthpoint Properties initiative, has been named 2018 Aspen Network of Development Entrepreneurs (ANDE) Global Member of the Year.

The announcement was made at the ANDE Global Conference held this October in New York, as members from around the world came together to propel entrepreneurship in emerging markets.

ANDE has 291 members operating in more than 150 countries and supporting tens of thousands of small business entrepreneurs. Its members provide critical finance, education and business support services to small and growing businesses, which help to improve national business environments.

Theunissen, Head of Corporate Social Responsibility at Growthpoint Properties, Founder of Property Point and ANDE’s South Africa Chapter steering committee member, accepted the award which is given to individuals who go above and beyond in support of ANDE in the collaborative spirit that serves the bigger picture of the network

Jenny Everett, ANDE's Managing Director, says, “Theunissen has proved invaluable to the effectiveness and growth of the ANDE South Africa chapter. He has mobilised the entire Property Point team - to help ANDE achieve its goals of building thriving regional chapters and effective entrepreneurial ecosystems."

ANDE helps entrepreneurs working to drive prosperity in developing countries. A neutral, global organisation, ANDE supports locally-driven solutions that help entrepreneurs build self-sustaining businesses that not only create jobs but a better, cleaner, healthier and more inclusive world. ANDE believs that small businesses have the power to help lift families, and entire nations, out of poverty.

Theunissen comments, “We’re thrilled to get this award from a respected global initiative like ANDE. Its members believe that small and growing businesses are the key to creating jobs, stimulating long-term economic growth and environmental and social benefits. Property Point shares this belief and we are proud to collaborate with ANDE while building small businesses.”

Property Point has successfully developed sustainable small businesses for the property sector for over a decade with Theunissen at its helm. Over the past 10 years it has facilitated market opportunities worth R1.14bn for the 168 SMEs that have taken part in its two-year enterprise and supplier development programmes. It has also created more than 2 405 full-time jobs. Its SMEs report an average 44% growth in revenue.

Pioneering collaboration across the property industry and beyond, Property Point works with both the public and the private sector. Its partners include Attacq Limited and the South African Department of Small Business Development (DSBD).

Property Point is a member of Washington-based ANDE and works closely with its South African office, which is one of eight ANDE offices in emerging market countries. ANDE is part of the Aspen Institute, a nonpartisan forum for values-based leadership and the exchange of ideas.

The ANDE teams build strong ecosystems for entrepreneurial growth. They develop unique initiatives to address systemic challenges and seize opportunities that can only be approached through collective action.


Released by:
Property Point
Shawn Theunissen, Head of Corporate Social Responsibility at Growthpoint Properties and Founder of Property Point
Tel: +27 (0) 11 833 0340
www.ettp.co.za
Facebook: Entrepreneurship To The Point
Twitter: @eToThePoint
Instagram: @e_tothepoint

Aspen Network of Development Entrepreneurs (ANDE)
Michelle Yorke, Regional Chapter Manager South Africa
www.andeglobal.org
Facebook: @ANDE_ZA For more information, or to book an interview, please contact Mahlatse Bojanyane on 011 783 0700 or on 083 453 6668 or email Mahlatse@marketingconcepts.co.za.