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DHL announces new heads for key Africa regions
CAPE-TOWN – DHL Global Forwarding has promoted two African country heads to take regional roles in a continent poised for renewed growth.
Former managing director, South Africa, Lubabalo ‘Twine’ Mtya becomes the new CEO for the Southern Africa region while Pramod Bagalwadi, currently Country Manager DHL Global Forwarding Ghana, has been named Eastern Africa CEO and Kenya head with immediate effect.
Lubabalo ‘Twine’ Mtya, who took over his new post in February after three years with DHL Global Forwarding, will now be responsible for Mozambique, Namibia and Zambia, as well as South Africa. Pramod Bagalwadi takes charge of Uganda, Tanzania, Madagascar and Mauritius in Eastern Africa as well as being Country Manager for Kenya.
Both Twine and Pramod will report to Roger Olsson, CEO, DHL Global Forwarding Sub-Saharan Africa (SSA). Said Roger: “DHL Global Forwarding has been growing steadily across the Southern African and Eastern African regions, however the untapped market is still huge. More investments and global customers are coming into Africa every day and we need to be ready to serve them with excellence. That requires a great team, led by great management. Both Twine and Pramod’s operational backgrounds combined with leadership experience and business acumen are welcome additions to our senior leadership team in Africa, and their promotions to regional roles are well-deserved and ones that both are eminently equipped to fulfill.”
Twine joined DHL Global Forwarding as Chief Operating Officer in March 2011, taking responsibility for the operational performance of the company in South Africa. In that role he streamlined the South African operations, which resulted in the business achieving all its targets. He was promoted to Managing Director of DHL Global Forwarding South Africa two years ago, and since then South Africa’s profitability and success path has been on the increase, with continuous growth and investments.
Lubabalo ‘Twine’ Mtya, said: “This is an expanded role for me and I welcome the opportunities to develop the freight forwarding opportunities in Mozambique, Namibia and Zambia and work with our teams there as well as in South Africa. Intra-African trade, and especially Southern Africa Development corridors has tremendous potential for growth and we will focus on the synergies of these markets and the benefits for our local, regional and global clients.”
Pramod joined DHL Global Forwarding in 2003 as Trade Lane Manager for Africa, and later became Commercial Manager for Nigeria. In 2008, he was promoted to Country Manager for Ghana with the creation of DGF in Ghana. Under Pramod’s leadership, the business grew significantly over five years, and he has been instrumental in shaping and developing the in-country organization, while consistently delivering positive results.
Pramod Bagalwadi said: “A regional role in the exciting Eastern Africa region and Kenya gives me an opportunity to continue and expand on the success our teams have had in Ghana both operationally and commercially to provide services and solutions for our clients.” Pramod will continue as acting Country Manager for DHL Global Forwarding Ghana until a suitable replacement is found. He replaces Lars Nees who is leaving DHL after one year to pursue other interests.
Twine, who has a Master of Business Leadership from the University of South Africa among other degrees, has more than 13 years’ experience in the logistics industry in general management, supply chain optimization, domestic courier and distribution, project management and business process re-engineering. Prior to joining DHL Global Forwarding, Twine worked for 10 years in various roles at UTI South Africa, one of the country’s leading distribution companies.
Pramod has a Master of Business Administration with specializations in Supply Chain Management from institutes in both London and India. He spent five years in procurement and 17 years in Logistics with 14 years based in Africa covering the entire range of services from Courier to Charter Services. Prior to joining DHL Global Forwarding he worked for UTi and SDV Bollore for 8 years in different roles in India and East Africa.
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Painkillers Damaged My Kidney, Says Ufoma McDermott[VIDEO]
Nollywood actress, Ufoma McDermott has shared how her long-term painkiller use led to kidney disease.
In a recent interview with media personality Chude Jideonwo, she opened up about her 12-year struggle with the illness and urged the public to prioritize their health.
While revealing that her condition was a side effect of long-term painkiller abuse, McDermott said; “I really wish everyone would understand the importance of health. My brother was diagnosed late on stage 4 of kidney disease and he goes straight into dialysis and has complications.
“I was diagnosed earlier, so I have lived on medication for almost 12 years now. When my brother I ran to my cardiologist. My parents were scared, thinking if this is genetic? We had to trace the kidney disease and we learned it was from drug abuse.
“I grew up with migraines, headaches and eyeaches, and I never wore my glasses because they made me look like a geek. I’d take painkillers for my migraine. I took strong painkillers and not the ordinary painkillers because I wanted the pain to go away.”
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Music Icon Quincy Jones Passes Away At 91
Quincy Jones, the legendary music producer, composer, and cultural icon whose career spanned over seven decades, has passed away at the age of 91.
Jones died peacefully on Sunday night at his Bel Air home, surrounded by family, according to his publicist, Arnold Robinson.
“Tonight, with full but broken hearts, we must share the news of our father and brother Quincy Jones’ passing,” his family said in a statement. “And although this is an incredible loss for our family, we celebrate the great life that he lived and know there will never be another like him.”
Renowned for his unmatched versatility, Jones collaborated with some of the greatest musical talents of the 20th and 21st centuries, including Michael Jackson, Frank Sinatra, Aretha Franklin, and Will Smith. He played an integral role in producing Jackson’s groundbreaking albums Off the Wall, Thriller, and Bad, which catapulted the pop star to global superstardom and earned Jones worldwide acclaim.
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Born in Chicago in 1933, Jones’ journey into music began early. His childhood introduction came from a neighbor’s piano playing and his mother’s singing. After moving to Washington state following his parents’ divorce, he honed his skills in his high school band and began playing with a young Ray Charles in Seattle’s vibrant club scene.
Jones’ career took off in New York, where he played trumpet in Elvis Presley’s early TV performances and worked with bebop legends like Charlie Parker and Miles Davis. By 1958, he was working with Frank Sinatra, arranging for the singer’s band at the request of Princess Grace Kelly. Their partnership flourished, spanning several projects including Sinatra’s final album LA Is My Lady in 1984.
Throughout the 1960s and 70s, Jones’ talents extended into film and television scores, composing music for films such as The Italian Job, In the Heat of the Night, and the acclaimed The Color Purple, for which he earned three Oscar nominations. He also scored hit TV shows including The Bill Cosby Show and Roots.
In 1985, Jones produced and co-conducted the charity anthem “We Are the World” alongside Michael Jackson and Lionel Richie, raising millions for Ethiopian famine relief. Despite personal and professional challenges—including surviving a near-fatal brain aneurysm in 1974—Jones’s career continued to thrive.
Jones’ influence wasn’t limited to music. In 1990, he founded Quincy Jones Entertainment, the company behind the popular sitcom The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air, which launched the career of Will Smith. His media ventures also included the creation of Qwest TV, an on-demand music streaming service, and the magazine Vibe, which celebrated Black music and culture.
Over his career, Jones earned 80 Grammy nominations, winning 28—making him one of the most decorated artists in the award’s history. Tributes poured in following news of his death. Actor Michael Caine, who shared Jones’ birthdate, called him “a wonderful and unique human being.” Music artists such as LL Cool J expressed gratitude, saying, “You were a father and example at a time when I truly needed one. Music would not be music without you.”
Jones is survived by his seven children, leaving behind an indelible legacy that will resonate through generations to come. His life’s work transformed music, television, and culture, proving that there truly was no limit to what Quincy Jones could accomplish.
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Prayers Won’t Build Roads, Fund Children’s Education – Jesse Jagz To Nigerians
Singer and rapper Jesse Jagz has called on Nigerians to rethink their approach to religion.
Jagz suggested that African traditional religious gods have become ineffective, attributing this to the excessive alcohol given to them during rituals, which, according to him, has made them obese, diabetic, and unable to aid their worshipers.
Speaking on the ‘Big Talk’ podcast, the rapper also criticized followers of foreign religions for relying solely on prayer and expecting miracles without putting in the necessary effort. He stressed that prayers alone cannot provide essential social services or infrastructure.
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“When you go to a shrine and you see the priest pouring gin on the gods, Google how much a bottle of gin was in slavery. 40 slaves.
“Our gods are drunk on alcohol and meat. They are obese and diabetic.
“They can’t help us do anything. Prayers do not build roads or buy books for children. We have forgotten humanity,” he said.