Hanover Group Set for So. Cal.
The Hanover Group Inc., which advises companies that want to do business with Africa, will relocate from San Francisco to Los Angeles on Nov. 1.
Dwayne A. Gathers, president of the Hanover Group, said it only makes sense for his company to move from San Francisco— which has been its base for three years—to Los Angeles because the business community is more diverse in Southern California than in Northern California.
“The African clients and projects I’ve had and their requirements have generally led me to execute those projects in Southern California,” said Gathers, who is still looking for an office in the Los Angeles area.
He noted the apparel industry has been active in doing business with South Africa, Kenya, Lesotho and Mauritius ever since the African Growth and Opportunity Act was signed in 2000, allowing some apparel goods from Africa to come into the United States duty- and quota-free.
“I believe there is a lot more opportunity to bring those kinds of partnerships to California apparel and textile manufacturers,” Gathers said.
Gathers said San Francisco’s principal industries of technology and tourism have been slow to recover from the country’s economic doldrums. On the other hand, Los Angeles has a more diverse business community that encompasses the aerospace, apparel, horticulture, entertainment and technology industries.
Prior to launching the Hanover Group, Gathers was director of California’s Trade and Investment Office in South Africa.
—Deborah Belgum
