Boeing (www.boeing.com) is to increase its presence in Africa by opening two new offices in Johannesburg (South Africa) and Nairobi (Kenya).

They will be run by Miguel Santos, managing director of Boeing International, which was established in 2001 and is responsible for the company’s international strategy and corporate operations outside the USA.

Mr Santos said: “Taking the necessary steps to establish a firm presence on the continent was an obvious choice. However, Africa is not new territory for Boeing.

“Since the introduction of the jet aeroplane, Boeing aircraft have formed the backbone of the continent’s commercial fleet, and we continue to be one of the largest US-based companies doing business on the continent.

“The aerospace industry needs to start paying closer attention to Africa, because this continent is clearly on the move economically, and all the trends are pointing in the right direction for the expansion of the sector.

“Our job is to be ahead in understanding these emerging trends and opportunities.”