As the prominence of the 'global village' unfolds, making the world a smaller and more connected place,

so does the ability to reach new and far away markets to create exciting new business opportunities.

 

Conceived according to this basic premise, we wanted to create a business model that takes advantage of print and electronic media allowing people and companies to promote and network on a worldwide scale. In a sense turning the globe into a village. The company's first and increasingly successful exploration into this idea is through the creation of the 'Best of' global book series that is forging a rapid international presence in showcasing global business, tourism and lifestyles. Detailing success stories of people and companies making positive inroads into the commercial fibre of both mature and emerging markets not only supports entrepreneurial spirit, it also bridges cultures, establishes powerful global networks and creates individual brand awareness.

 

 

Group Chairman: Sven Boermeester is a citizen of the world afflicted by the publishing bug. As a dual nationality Belgian South-African publishing entrepreneur who has successfully published over 40 diverse books, magazines and journals in New Zealand and South Africa, he initiated the Global Village Partnerships (GVP) concept in Dubai in 2004. As the founder, shareholder and International Group Publisher of GVP Sven brings a wealth of pragmatic publishing expertise to this exciting yet sometimes challenging sector.

Managing Group Editor: Lisa Durante is an Anglo-Italian media junkie who has worked in diverse editorial capacities worldwide. From a trainee feature writer at the Financial Times, during her post-graduate tenure in Journalism at City University in London, she moved eastwards and worked as a development journalist for a United Nations project in the Bay of Bengal region. She later hopped continents and genre, edited several top consumer magazines in the Middle East, was headhunted by Global Village Partnerships Chairman, Sven Boermeester, before finding her true calling as the group’s Managing Editor and shareholder. Lisa’s strong writing skills, relentless enthusiasm and supreme networking prowess is an invaluable asset to the rapidly expanding GVP network.

 

Finance and Partnerships Director:Charles Neil is a Scottish-Brazilian economist and banker who, after a successful finance career in London and South America, moved to the Middle East where he headed a top British commercial-retail bank, and later, one from the United Arab Emirates. Today he holds a senior position in Dubai’s International Financial Centre and as GVP’s Finance Director and shareholder, ensures that the group’s accounts and business practices are kept on an even keel at all times. Charles is the calming and reliable voice of left-brain reasoning in the otherwise often unpredictable world of international book publishing. 

 

There are three types of people, those who watch things happen, those who make things happen and those who wonder what happened. It is clear Thapelo Letsholo is neither a good spectator nor one to wonder what happened, as in the last couple of years, he has been an extremely busy spokesperson for a leading beverage company in Botswana. Furthermore, Thapelo has been responsible for determining the company’s Corporate Affairs agenda, setting the strategic Corporate Affairs priorities, and enhancing the engagement capability of the business.   A University of Cape Town psychology graduate, Thapelo has immense experience in marketing, communications and public relations solutions. His professional expertise includes strategy development, crisis management, brand positioning and corporate reputation management. Thapelo is a technically savvy professional who cleverly links strategic communications with commercial objectives, drawing on his early experience in senior retail management for a large financial institution, as well as his executive experience as Strategy and Corporate Affairs Director for a leading beverage company.

 

 

Thapelo Letsholo is Partner at Global Village Publishing and is Founder of Red Pepper PR & Communications Consultancy. He has also led the establishment of Fast and Furious International, an international logistics company.

 

Just as most people were beginning to wonder what is next for him, Thapelo has pulled off an impressive Best of Botswana book whose objective is to showcase the best that Botswana has to offer in the realms of business, lifestyle, travel and tourism.

Managing Director, USA
Click image to see Matt's interview on ABC Television's "Washington Business Tonight"

 

Matthew C. Davis is both a Washingtonian and a global citizen with a strong desire to report news and write ‘history-as-it-happens.’ His pride in American accomplishment, and Southern roots, have inspired Matthew to a personal mission and professional vision that sharing the American story will build a bridge with diverse foreign nations and cultures. To further this goal, Matthew writes and publishes innovative history books about our history-makers, with illustrated editorials and case studies that compliment the international BEST OF SERIES titles in the Global Village Publishing & Media (GVPedia) network... a leading source of news, with readership-following-leadership in regional, national, government, diplomacy, economy, environmentalism, education, innovation, realty, law, philanthropy, fashion, arts, culture, sports, healthcare, well-being, travel, tourism, restaurants, and entertainment.

Matthew is a writer, publisher, and partner with Global Village Partnerships, developing strategies for GVP's initiatives in nearly 50 regions worldwide. He provides expertise in regional and national media; serves as the point of contact for media engagements; and establishes liaisons with prominent media outlets, including newspapers, television networks, and radio stations. Matthew also prepares the briefings and drafts necessary to report on significant news happenings with journalists, editors, and bureau chiefs.

In 2004 on Lake Como in Italy, Matthew was personally handed his MBA by Nobel Prize Laureate Dr. Michael Spence (guest speaker at graduation), now Chairman of the Commission on Growth and Development at the World Bank in Washington, DC. Matt's advance studies at the European School of Economics, focused on the competitive edge of knowledge-based economies in emerging markets. His thesis entitled "The Competitive Edge of Knowledge-Based Economies" was later translated into an independent working paper nominated for the Dubai Economics Research Award. This recognition led to his partnership with the founding members of GVPedia.com and his involvement with the international BEST OF SERIES.

Originally from the Greater Washington area, Matthew enlisted in the US Army Airborne Infantry and studied Computer Science and European Languages (while serving on active duty, with tuition assistance from the Montgomery GI Bill). Over the past fifteen years, Matt has travelled in Europe, Africa, the Middle East, and Asia. He is a proud 1988 graduate of the renowned TC Williams in Alexandria, Virginia - depicted in the celebrated Disney film “Remember the Titans” starring Denzel Washington, and remains close to his Washington roots. Matthew speaks fluent Italian, conversational German, basic Spanish and beginner's Arabic. He enjoys travel, reading, cooking, and sports... including the martial art form Hapmudo (taught by Grand Master Yong Sung Lee), meaning “way to combine mind and body power for World Peace.” 

 

CEO & Editor in Chief, GVPIndia: A seasoned journalist who has worked with prestigious newspapers and magazines until she became a media entrepreneur, Sandhya exemplifies the convergence of skills needed for both roles that she plays in the company. She is a post graduate in Political Science and has a PGD in Public Relations.With a keen eye for detail, she heads the editorial team and specialises in incisive copy. She has a yen for travel which she uses to put to good use by opening up new territories for the growing the GVP footprint.  www.raintreemedia.com

Managing Partner – GVP Middle East & Asia: Karl Hougaard is an intrepid sales and marketing specialist, Karl joined GVP in 2007 from the region's biggest mass publisher of weekly and monthly magazines – ITP where he held several management positions, with the latest as Advertising Director at ITP Technology. Before coming to the UAE in 2001, Karl spent five years as a senior manager with Primovie, the Cinema Operations arm of Primedia LTD in South Africa. Today, as owner of Tribe Media FZ LLC, a subsidiary of GVPedia.com, he oversees the UAE operations based out of Dubai.

AMBASSADOR: FUTURE OF TRADE - 53 year old Soweto, Johannesburg born investment and development lobbyist, some of whose large infrastructure projects include: the US$3billion Lesotho Highlands Phase 2 Dam-Hydro-Special Economic Zone Development. He has played a pioneering role from South Africa’s democratic transition to agribusiness, media and cultural industries. He is currently leading an initiative to promote intra-Africa and Africa-emerging markets trade and investment and will, amongst other in 2012, launch the “Africa-Emerging Markets Executive Club” growing out of years of a working relationship and network of contacts with international  institutions including: UNESCO, World Bank, Time Warner, UNFAO, African Union and governments of many African countries.   Mobile +27 (0) 83 982 0658 Fax       +27 (0) 86 693 3353 Email   + mk.k@gvpedia.com

 

 

Managing Director- Qatar & Egypt

 

 

Today, with divers sectors of specific books in the fields of economy, finance, real

estate, religion and traditions as well as training and education that is being

developed in conjunction with the Best Of series, our efforts to build a reader

friendly atlas of corporate stories is gradually growing worldwide. 

 

We look forward to joining forces with you in our joint efforts towards making the

global village a reality to everyone. On behalf of our team here and worldwide,

we would like to thank you for taking this leap of faith with us and celebrating

building a world class atlas of success, sustainability and culture together.  

Ricky Mugabi is a Ugandan Information Technology expert with over fourteen years in the industry. A holder of a Bachelors degree in Information Technology and an Advanced Diploma in Software Engineering; Ricky has great ambitions in ensuring that everyone has access to a computer at the lowest cost possible. As a result, thousands of workstations have already been deployed across the country from a small internet cafe to upscale law firms, commercial banks, schools and universities.   For the last five years, Ricky’s drive to explore better information technology antidotes has led him to venture into the deep end through entrepreneurship by creating Intelligent Solutions Limited. ISL provides low-cost and low-energy computing solutions as well as network security solutions to a wide variety of clientele including government, education and the private sector. ISL has partnerships with major international technology brands that support its activities. Ricky conducts the prime of his business with the incorruptible thesis; “staying straight always brings the customers back to us because we do the job without strings attached.’ With such a drive to succeed and unquestionable objectives, it is apparent that he is determined to lead Uganda to the heights of technological excellence.

Editor, GVP-Italy: Alp Ejder Kantoglu is a thoroughbred Istanbuli who has spent all his life spanning  both sides of Bosphorus, one day in Asia one day in Europe. A graduate of Istanbul University in Classical Philology, with a specialty in Latin, Literature, Art and History; he is still very much in Istanbul publishing   books about the ‘Byzantine Empire’ and ‘Ancient Rome & Ancient Greek Civilizations’ in his own company, TB Publishing House.  Currently onboard the  ‘Best Of...’ ship sailing towards a productive new editorial adventure as an editor of the first edition of Best of Turkey, he is delighted to be part of the BEST team in the world.

 

GVP - Pakistan: Aneek Saleh Mohammad, CEO, Revelation Inc. An entrepreneur with an edge, Aneek's dynamism and exceptional creative and strategic skills are what makes each venture he undertakes an instant success. He holds a Masters degree in Business Administration from the Institute of Business Administration, and with over 10 years of experience in the field of brand management, advertising and media, he has a versatile portfolio. He is always striving to explore new ideas and concepts and plays a pivotal role in their execution as well. The name behind the game, he is certainly a man with a vision, and the live wire of the group; pushing himself and his teams to achieve greater heights. In addition to his commitments at Revelation, he shares his expertise with the industry by being a regular columnist for trade publications like Aurora, Synergyzer, Slogan and Marketing Review.

Genc Metohu is an expert with a recent background from the tourism sector. A graduate in architecture he extended his experience with the academic knowledge in tourism he gained from Surrey University (UK) where he was awarded a Master Degree in Tourism Management in 1997. He served for almost fifteen years at the Albania National Tourism Administration as a tourism expert, even headed for two years its Tourism Marketing and Promotion Department, too, to go after that in consultancy where marketing has been one of his strong assignments.   Being isolated for almost fifty years from the rest of the world by one of the most dictatorial communist regimes in the world, Albania after joining western institutions and recently NATO in 2009 is looking forward now to be part of the European family, the European Union.   Notwithstanding its rich three millennia cultural heritage and traditions, even after twenty years in democracy, there is not enough awareness of Albania abroad. Genc joined on

the board of the Global Village with the aim to make “Best of Albania” part of the “Best of Series”. So, that “Best of Albania” be a publication of proud that could contribute, even a little, to boost Albania’s perception and awareness and improve its image internationally and be a useful marketing tool for successful businesses and entrepreneurs operating in the country.