New ambassadors set to elevate Cape Town’s global investment profile
At a special ceremony in the Council Chamber on Thursday, 27 November, the City’s Mayoral Committee Member for Economic Growth, Alderman James Vos, officially appointed the new Invest Cape Town Ambassadors, a select group of globally recognised leaders who will help take Cape Town’s investment positioning to the next level. This initiative forms part of the City’s mission to unlock new avenues for growth by mobilising influential voices who know Cape Town, believe in its potential, and can champion its strengths on the world stage. Read more below:
The City has now formally launched the Invest Cape Town Ambassador Programme, bringing together a strategically chosen network of global leaders tasked with elevating the metro’s business and investment profile abroad.
The programme’s inaugural group of 15 professionals spans a range of sectors, including the arts, tourism and events, technology, and business process outsourcing. All ambassadors are required to have lived or worked in Cape Town and must be respected experts in their fields. See the ambassadors.
‘Between January 2003 and July 2023, Cape Town landed 744 foreign direct investment (FDI) projects, amounting to a capital injection of R114,76 billion and facilitating the creation of approximately 23 652 employment opportunities. But the world is becoming increasingly competitive, and we must deploy every tool available to ensure Cape Town stands out as the preferred destination for growth and innovation.
‘I’m incredibly excited about this new ambassador programme taking shape. These are remarkable leaders who have achieved success in their professions, and they all have a personal story about how Cape Town helped shape that success. Their insights, networks and influence will open new avenues for us. They are going to help carry Cape Town’s story into boardrooms, embassies, conferences and decision-making tables around the world,’ said Alderman Vos.
Modelled on the Copenhagen Goodwill Ambassador Programme, the initiative mirrors Denmark’s successful approach of empowering globally based leaders to promote the goods, services and attractions of their home city or country.
Similarly, the Invest Cape Town Ambassadors will facilitate engagements with international decision-makers, identify potential investors, share ongoing strategic intelligence on global markets, actively promote Cape Town’s strengths through their professional and social networks, and unlock opportunities to position the metro as a premier destination for business and investment.
The Cape Town cohort all received official Invest Cape Town Ambassador pins crafted by Charmaine Taylor of the Legacy Collection. Each pin incorporates genuine fence wire recovered from the Robben Island prison, a symbolic reminder of resilience and the power of South African stories.
Ambassadors were also presented with an Ambassador Guide containing key information on Cape Town’s economic priorities and programmes. They will attend quarterly sessions to share updates on their ambassadorial work and receive briefings on relevant City initiatives. Participation in the programme is entirely voluntary, with no remuneration.
‘Cape Town has the infrastructure, good governance, and forward planning that give investors confidence. Added to this are the City’s investment support mechanisms, including the Ease of Doing Business programme, funding of Special Purpose Vehicles across multiple industries, and a dedicated Investment Facilitation Branch, all of which demonstrate our capacity to land and expand major projects. Cape Town has a good story to tell, and our new ambassadors will be sharing it with the world,’ said Alderman Vos.
