Transformative power of a soap First, I want to begin with the most basic of commodities: a bar of soap. In the early 2000s, Unilever faced a common corporate challenge: their Lifebuoy soap was stagnating in a crowded market. Today, it’s a billion-dollar business. What changed? They didn’t just sell…
The popular economy, dominated by Micro Small and Medium Businesses (MSMBs), is traditionally viewed by as a tax-dodging, unorganized problem to be formalized or eliminated. Ang’s APE framework reframes the popular economy as Africa's most robust adaptive asset; a perspective aligned with Ostrom’s (1990) work on self-governing institutions. The popular…
Akiko*, a Kruger National Park guide, parked by the buffalo thorn tree and then he gave my family and I a glimpse of nature’s creative spirit. That tree, with its paired thorns - one hooked and one strait - offers the Cape buffalo a protective element against predators. The paired…
A few weeks ago, while in Abidjan, Côte d’Ivoire, I had lunch at L’usine Chez Rose, an open space where the community connects over fish. It serves simple food like your grandmother or mother would make it. On my plate, I had a large fish, attièkè and alloco. This is…
In the 1931 novel Night Flight by Antoine de Saint-Exupéry, we are reminded that “even our misfortunes are a part of our belongings.” My first reading comes at a time when I am reimagining the journey to date. In the novel, Rivière, the director of the mail service, believes the…
A colleague recently thanked me for the role I played in her current experience in the corporate world. I reflected on the words. I could not help but think how I was simply an instrument in her orchestra, one of many people who played their part along her way. What…
GBSN at 20 is an opportunity to reflect on the role of business schools in solving the most pressing issues facing the world today. At the intersection of human capital and technology lies the sweet spot of digitalization, financial inclusion, agriculture and climate. In focusing our attention to the opportunity,…
The conversations in Abidjan made me hopeful. Young artists in their trades, from platforms of ideas to cosmetics are writing in indelible ink, the narrative of entrepreneurship with aspirations for local, regional, continental and global markets. There was a clear sense of creating opportunities for current and future generations. As…
Over the years in the fight against AIDS, tuberculosis, and malaria, we have learnt about the effectiveness of purpose-led partnerships. The ongoing COVID-19 pandemic provided us with a sense of urgency in supporting individuals and households to take full advantage of the digital economy. The continent’s response to health emergencies…
Robert Kiyosaki, bestselling author of Rich Dad, Poor Dad and an educational entrepreneur, has long argued for financial literacy to be taught in schools and not only at home. Money enables prosperity and understanding its impact in society is critical. Rich Dad, Poor Dad was published in 1997 and, while financial education in schools still has a…
More than 20 years ago, when I set foot on the campus of the University of Cape Town (UCT), I could not imagine all the places I would go. The well-rounded education I received, equipped me for the changing world and the opportunities that it presented. That gift of knowledge,…
The United Nations Sustainable Development Goals have always been about access. Access to clean water and sanitation, access to sustainable cities and communities among 14 other goals. In designing a pathway for local actions translating into global progress, the UN ensured that actors would leverage on their strengths through partnerships.…
Literacy, the ability to read and to write, enables prosperity. Yet, at least 773 million young people and adults lack basic literacy skills. As technology evolves, users who lack the foundation of learning and education will not reap the benefits of the ongoing digital transformation. The pandemic reinforced the need…
In 2014, the African Union’s “Cost of Hunger” study alerted African ministers of finance and planning to an underappreciated economic headwind that was gaining strength and threatening to stall their development plans. Yet even as the silent hunger pandemic and the current COVID-19 pandemic erode Africa’s human capital, policymakers and…
For the Back to Health: Making Up for Lost Time (watch now) was held on 23rd June 2021. You can view a snippet. Ahead of the conversation, I shared some thoughts for PS Say More. Project Syndicate: At the Back to Health event, you will participate in a panel on…