How GRIT Makes Inaccessible Markets Accessible! Bronwyn Knight

Bronwyn Knight, Founder & CEO of GRIT Real Estate Income Group

“People like to be competitive, they like to beat everyone else to that finish line, but there’s no finish line in Africa. It’s only a collaborative effort actually. There’s enough to go around on a collaborative story.” Bronwyn Knight

“Leading from the front means that you really do need a team that is fully invested in the business and what you do and why you do it.” Bronwyn Knight

Bronwyn Knight – BIO

Bronwyn Knight is the Co-founder & CEO of the Grit Real Estate Income Group. Grit, was founded in 2014, and is a diversified real estate income company that partners with multinational blue-chip tenants across Africa. Grit is the largest Africa focused real estate income group listed on the Stock Exchange of Mauritius. Following a nail-biting capital raise of $132Million, the company listed on the London Stock Exchange on 31 July 2018 making it the first Mauritian company to list on the LSE. By 2020 Grit had built a portfolio of 47 income producing assets worth more than $825M. Bronwyn is also the co-founder of Gateway Real Estate Africa (GREA) offering turnkey developments. She’s a SA Chartered Accountant & Past winner of the South African Institute for Chartered Accountants’ “Top 35 under 35”competition. She’s also the 2019 Winner of the Southern Africa chapter of Ernst & Young World Entrepreneur Awards in the Exceptional category. Bronwyn is an exceptional leader who holds her own in diverse, very tough territories and also supports causes that empower the continent’s women, wildlife, and oceans. She has two gorgeous daughters who adore her and display her guts and independence. She works hard but plays hard too and makes sure fitness & wellness is one of her top priorities.

Episode Description

How do you clock up a string of firsts in unchartered, ungoverned, undeveloped markets that offer highly lucrative investment opportunities but are inaccessible to the developed world? This is the mission Bronwyn Knight and her team took on. In this episode we explore the Game Changer business approach and unique nuances that has led to a number of firsts in a very complex market.  Bronwyn, goes where others fear to tread and takes on formidable challenges, engaging global and local role players as part of her relationship driven strategy to sustain real impact on the ground. As a premium listed company on the London Stock Exchange governance is an imperative, which is part of the Grit success story. GRIT has created a governed pathway for the 1st world to access Africa. This episode is a fascinating account of what it takes to succeed in unchartered waters where the barriers go beyond physical locality, language and legalities…It takes true GRIT, baring it all, and guts and  resilience second to none. Bronwyn shares some unconventional and practical tips on leading her team through compex challenges, drops a power wizbomb and gives us a taste of what’s made this a remarkable growth story.  It’s the first Female led African real estate story, first Mauritian business with a premium listing on the London stock exchange that’s brought the highest form of governance to unchartered territories….and they will continue to clock up firsts because for Bronwyn there is no finish line in Africa. For Bronwyn and her team its truly about creating something that leaves a mark beyond her lifetime. They’re doing what it takes to make a Game Changer Difference our world needs…by igniting the furnace of growth in Africa!

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