Our story / What we do / Services

Our Story
Our Story
It’s a start-up story driven by purpose (and determination) to connect people and create real impact on two great lands. Scottish and South African business partners Claire Alexander and Nicola Probyn spotted a massive opportunity in the international trade and investment industry to create a new, future thinking, collaborative and proactive international business network built from the majestic continent of Africa.

The second opportunity was the lack of experts connecting businesses across Africa directly with the public and private sectors of Scotland (and vice versa). We’ve since changed that!

Scotland and Africa share a magnificent history. Today, ASBN plays a key role in building business bridges and exchanges intra-Africa and with Scotland, whilst using our collaborative approach to shape a  prosperous future. Africa and Scotland’s key shared economies of energy, education, training, technology, entrepreneurship and agriculture create massive opportunities, for each other, and for the world.

Realising the tremendous capacity to contribute on a large scale to their birthplaces, Claire and Nicola got to work. They built a brand symbolising unity. They built a Board from Scotland, England and Africa and they wrote a business plan based on legacy thinking. Africa Scotland Business Network was launched to the world from Bowmans Law Firm, South Africa 6th November 2019. The rest as they say, is history!

What we do / Services

We connect your business

People to each other and to opportunities through an energising membership experience. Centred on access to a trusted, credible and proactively managed network, our members meet, learn and exchange with quality businesses across Africa, UK and other parts of the world. Our leadership and personable management approach primes your business for connection, learning and business exchange.

We facilitate international trade

and market expansion in Africa and Scotland for our members and non-member companies. We achieve this through our extensive network of companies, professional services, market intelligence consultancies, subscribers, partners and working effectively with the public sector. Please view our additional international business services to find out how we can add further value and assistance to your company.

We create exceptional experiences

Including masterclasses, industry events, speaker opportunities, industry round tables, access to other large event platforms and promotional opportunities. We strategically open some events up for the wider business world if we believe this could maximise opportunities for ASBN and our member companies. Here at ASBN, you will enjoy an annual experience, not an annual subscription!

Our Approach

Our approach to building and leading this network has helped ASBN attract leading global brands not born in Africa or Scotland. KLM, Air France, Hi-Tec and Zoono are great examples. We are also home to business leaders from Germany, The Netherlands, Australia and USA. What an exciting and truly international place to be!

Testimonial

What they say about us