Brainchild Burson-Marsteller initiative to boost innovation in business

Innovation in business and public service processes is a vital catalyst for better and sustainable economic growth. However, most Ugandan businesses and public bodies are yet to fully embrace a culture of innovation that matches global standards.

To stimulate innovation in business and service delivery, brainchild Burson-Marsteller, the public relations agency, NBS TV, EasyTicket, an online and mobile ticketing solutions provider, and Riley Media on Tuesday unveiled the Innovation Series, a pack of new thought leadership events to be held in Kampala, thrice a year.

The interactive events will bring together business leaders, managers, policy makers, government technocrats and the media under one roof to discuss and demonstrate innovation in business, to drive strategic growth of businesses, and by extension, the economy.

“Through the Innovation Series, brainchild Burson-Marsteller and partners seek to bridge the current innovation gap in the country by inspiring business owners to invent and seek new solutions to their challenges and those of their consumers,” said Walter Wafula, Business Unit Head-PR, brainchild Burson-Marsteller.

The Global Innovation Index, 2017, a report published by Cornell University, INSEAD, and the World Intellectual Property Organization, ranks Uganda among the least innovative countries in the world. Uganda is ranked number 102 out of 127 countries in the world that innovate in institutions, business, marketing, infrastructure, knowledge & technology, creative outputs and human capital and research.

The inaugural brainchild Burson-Marsteller Innovation Series is slated for 13th September 2017, at Hotel Africana in Kampala and will focus on innovation in product packaging, under the theme: Packaging Products for the 21st Century Consumer.

The keynote speaker at the first event will be Ms Helen Too, the Marketing Operations Director, Tetra Pack East Africa.

“For many businesses in Uganda, delivering high-quality products in world-class packaging to the final consumer remains a big challenge and yet a number of solutions exist among us. Our first Innovation Series event will help combat the current challenge in this space by providing practical solutions to business owners and managers,” Wafula said.

Edwin Danze, NBS TV’s Digital Marketing Manager, commented, “We are pleased to join hands with brainchild Burson-Marsteller to spur innovation in our market because it’s a catalyst for business growth and economic development. We have no doubt that the Innovation Series will significantly impact how entrepreneurs and managers treat their businesses.”

NBS TV has committed up to Shs360million towards the event over the next three years, according to its digital marketing manager, Edwin Danze, because it’s a knowledge sharing and learning platform for entrepreneurs in Uganda.

Altogether, the organiser and sponsors have put aside Shs440 million for the events.

The event has also attracted support from Centenary Bank, Vacker Company, Riley Media and EasyTicket. It is expected to gather up to 300 attendees and speakers from East Africa’s leading packaging firms.

To register for the event, participants are required to dial *210# use the code 08783, then follow instructions.