4x Accra = 4x Menschen und Ihre Zukunft

DER TRENDBEOBACHTER. Mathias Haas auf der AFRICAN MINDSET TOUR, ja… die ersten Gespräche haben stattgefunden und es sind die kleinen Details, die dann doch die Haltung und Sichtweisen beschreiben.

Ganz sicher sind es (auch) die Power-Frauen!

Es sind die Power-Frauen, die Accra fordern. Aber auch die Start-ups. Und manchmal sprechen wir von den selben Einheiten. Vielleicht trügt der Eindruck von Mathias Haas tatsächlich, aber “die Treiber” der Innovation und neuen Geschäftsmodelle sind wohl oft Menschen, die auch schon außerhalb Ghanas waren und zurückgekommen sind. Und natürlich “Fremde”, die den Braten riechen. Zum Beispiel der Franzose Adrien Bouillot, der tatsächlich in einer “der” Vorstädte von Paris verlassen hat (er war der Einzige aus seinem Viertel!). Hier seine Antwort und seine Sicht der Dinge:

NAME: Adrien Bouillot
TITLE: CEO and Founder
COMPANY: Chalkboard Education
CITY: Accra, Ghana

1. If you think of your job: Where do you see yourself in 5 years’ time?

I see myself on top of Chalkboard Education serving universities in Africa by using data to ensure that we understand students learning and create happier grades. In five years from now, we should be in more than 20 countries.

 

2. Imagine 2022 – 5 years away: What scares you most?

Corruption. This is a big, big problem. I fear that the government fails to solve this major problem.

 

3. Again, 5 years into the future: What’s your greatest hope?

For Ghana, I just hope they keep on going – moving – driving the positive change. This is the most successful democratic country in Africa!

 

4. What is it that you do to make sure that your children will be fit for the future?

I think in Ghana I would teach English & French as well as Coding & Accounting. If you can deal with these skills, you can be autonomous and you are set up for your future.

 

5. What would you say: What object, what device is the best symbol for “future”?

The cell phone!

 

6. What’s stressing you most during your daily life?

I am not really stressed. If I dig hard it is about providing everything to our staff members. I want to ensure that they can be happy and they have hopes!

 

7. What products or services will your company offer in 5 years?

We provide basically an e-Learning platform, and this is being adapted by the people teaching. So, in the future, we will give you an easy exercise if we (the system) realize you get tired.

 

8. What should the ideal manager, what should he or she be like to be fit for the future?

It is all about feedback! It should be mandatory to give feedback. Managers to team members but also the other way around. Let’s say on a monthly basis.

 

9. What role does Ghana play within a global economy?

It provides most of the cocoa in the world as well as lots of gold, silver, petrol… but it is a small country which, however, can create innovation!

 

10. In your eyes: Where do you see Germany in this context?

I think Germany is definitely leading Europe and Europe is a leader in “something”. Germany has a role to play (together with France) and at the end of the day I believe Germans are decent people.

 

Und dann die knüppelharten Antworten zweier Damen, die dann doch deutlich werden!

 

NAME: El-Yesha Puplampu
TITLE: Gallery Manager
COMPANY: Gallery1957
CITY: Accra, Ghana

1. If you think of your job: Where do you see yourself in 5 years’ time?

Well… at the moment, we are planning with a second location for the Gallery! We have this great location at the Kempinski Hotel Gold Coast City, but there could be more – in Accra or in London, for example.

 

2. Imagine 2022 – 5 years away: What scares you most?

I think things can only be better. So, I am more hopeful, that… you know you have two options in this country: A. you become part of the system – sooner or later. Or B. you leave Ghana. Yes, there is a brain drain!

 

3. Again, 5 years into the future: What’s your greatest hope?

You know, possibilities are endless! We have peace, the location… if you do things right… endless! Just think about solar and railways… we are blessed – if we do it right!

 

4. What is it that you do to make sure that your children will be fit for the future?

I would encourage them to ask thousands of questions – every day! They should read books… it is broadening your view. In Ghana you very often hear something like “That’s not how we do it!” but we need to change this.

 

5. What would you say: What object, what device is the best symbol for “future”?

Our hands! It is what we make out of our lives…

 

6. What’s stressing you most during your daily life?

The mentality in Ghana. Often, things are slow – no urgency at all. Many people do not value time. This is very obvious if it comes to service, for example.

 

7. What products or services will your company offer in 5 years?

Our clientele will have grown and our positioning will be even stronger – also amongst your artists which we have exclusively. Simply because we do much more than showing their art pieces.

 

8. What should the ideal manager, what should he or she be like to be fit for the future?

He or she should be available and lead by example. They should not expect something from their employees they would not do themselves. In Ghana in particular, an ideal manager should keep a certain distance – so you get respect.

 

9. What role does Ghana play within a global economy?

I could not tell you. In cocoa, for example, we lost ground to Ivory Coast and gold is being driven out of South Africa – in both markets we have been very, very strong. Ideally we would diversify… in reality we are still enslaved, in our minds. We need to develop in this dimension!

 

10. In your eyes: Where do you see Germany in this context?

I love Merkel, she is so objective! Having the types of decisions as she has at the moment you cannot be a “lovely mother”. Maybe I am a little bit like her – in fact, sometimes I feel a little bit lonely being an “abstract thinker” as well.

NAME: Stephania Manfreda
TITLE: Creative Director elle lokko & lokko’08
COMPANY: elle lokko & lokko’08
CITY: Accra, Ghana

1. If you think of your job: Where do you see yourself in 5 years’ time?

People will soon know more about us. Also beyond Ghana! Also because of eCommerce.

 

2. Imagine 2022 – 5 years away: What scares you most?

We are very quickly hurdling to a society which is less educated, less energetic. People are frustrated and a lot more aggressive in traffic, for example. Yes, there is more chaos and we need three things: Light, water, education. And surprise: education is the most important one.

 

3. Again, 5 years into the future: What’s your greatest hope?

The creatives, of all types. The creative pool of upcoming young people… not only on a nationwide level, also and especially in local communities.

 

4. What is it that you do to make sure that your children will be fit for the future?

Kids should have (more) spaces where they can build physically. This is why I am part of the “maker scene” in Accra and why I have a space on our property. It is all about attention to detail which is what children learn once they “build”.

 

5. What would you say: What object, what device is the best symbol for “future”?

Well, as much as I hate to say it, but it is the cell phone or any kind of mobile device.

 

6. What’s stressing you most during your daily life?

Getting used to the speed of things… as you see my phone is ringing since we have start talking. I try to be available all the time and it is never enough.

 

7. What products or services will your company offer in 5 years?

We will add on services and we do already do a lot of different things: Styling, Personal Shopping, and Consulting.

 

8. What should the ideal manager, what should he or she be like to be fit for the future?

An ideal manager should live the human elements! This “profit driven formula” does not work for me.

 

9. What role does Ghana play within a global economy?

Ghana is very important because of our oil, cacao, gold… but unfortunately, it is badly managed. Since we became independent, it is our biggest problem that we do bad deals. Yes, this is corruption in the management of our main treasures.

 

10. In your eyes: Where do you see Germany in this context?

Germany stands for precision, everything works in your country. And well… you guys seem to be very serious and disciplined – maybe not so happy people.

Und abschließend hier der deutsche Botschafter mit dem “politisch korrekten Helikopter-Blick” für den DER TRENDBEOBACHTER. nicht minder dankbar ist!

 

 

 

NAME: Christoph Retzlaff
TITLE: Botschafter
COMPANY: Embassy of the Federal Republic of Germany
CITY: Accra, Ghana

1. Imagine 2022 – 5 years away: What scares you most?

Mit Blick auf Ghana ist elementar, dass die neue Regierung wirklich nachhaltiges und inklusives  Wachstum realisieren kann. Die Jugend drängt auf neue Möglichkeiten, Arbeitsplätze und Perspektive. Die Jugend ist schlichtweg die größte Gruppe hier im Land. Sie will und sie muss in Ghana die Chance für ein gutes Leben bekommen.  Das darf nicht schiefgehen. Die Konsequenzen wären schwerwiegend..

 

2. Again, 5 years into the future: What’s your greatest hope?

Das enorme kreative Potential hier im Land ist wirklich nennenswert! Meine größte Hoffnung ist, dass es gelingt, aus Ghana ein Erfolgsmodell für ganz Afrika zu machen. .

 

3. What is it that you do to make sure that your children will be fit for the future?

Der Schlüssel ist eindeutig Bildung, Bildung und Bildung! Gepaart mit dem Glauben, dass man es packen kann. Ein tolles Beispiel ist Ken Ofori-Atta (Minister of Finance, Ghana), der als uneheliches Kind den unglaublichen Weg vom Dorf über die Columbia University, Yale und die Wall Street gegangen ist und wieder zurückkam, um hier wertvolle Arbeit zu leisten. Solche echten Geschichten sind natürlich unfassbare Vorbilder.

 

4. What would you say: What object, what device is the best symbol for “future”?

Gallery1957. Dort sehen Sie aktuell eine Ausstellung zum Verhältnis Ghanas zum lieben Geld. „All That Glitters“ von Yaw Owusu sagt sehr, sehr viel. Schauen Sie sich das an! „Die Kunst“ gibt hier schon mächtig Gas!

 

5. What’s stressing you most during your daily life?

Verkehr in Accra während der Rush hour.

 

6. What products or services will your company offer in 5 years?

Als Botschaft werden wir noch mehr Reichweite in die Gesellschaft haben. Ich bin seit einem Jahr hier, und wir haben damit bereits begonnen.

 

7. What should the ideal manager, what should he or she be like to be fit for the future?

In Bezug auf diese Region: Mehr Feingefühl gegenüber der Tatsache, dass Kooperation nichts mit Lehrstunden für Afrika zu tun hat. Ein Europäer oder auch ein Amerikaner ist nicht der Lehrmeister nur aufgrund des eigenen Reisepasses.

 

8. What role does Ghana play within a global economy?

Die Rolle ist relativ reduziert, am Wichtigsten sind  Kakao und Gold. Jetzt durch den G 20  „Compact with Africa“, die Initiative zur Förderung von privaten Investitionen und Investitionen in Infrastruktur, könnte sich das Blatt wieder wenden.

 

9. In your eyes: Where do you see Germany in this context?

Deutschland hat ein wirklich gutes Image hier in Ghana – vielleicht sogar manchmal schon etwas zu glänzend.zu. Die Arbeit macht hier wirklich Spaß. Es ist toll, Deutschland hier in Westafrika vertreten zu dürfen.

Ja, vier Menschen mit vier verschiedenen Sichtweisen… und das sind ja nur die Gespräch, die im “O-Ton” dokumentiert sind. Der Redner und Moderator, der Wandlungshelfer Haas stellt Fragen “was das Zeug hält”. Gesprächspartner findet DER TRENDBEOBACHTER. am Flughafen, im Taxi, im Supermarkt!

Ja, Trendbeobachtung ist eben keine Wissenschaft, denn Mathias Haas zweifelt ernsthaft, ob “Zukunft” mit Modellen und nagelfester Wissenschaft erfasst werden kann. Haas ist eben der Pragmatiker im Markt, der Trendexperte, der sich selbst ein Bild macht und daraus seine Schlüsse zieht.

Vielen Dank für diese Interviews!

Mehr in diesem Programm – mehr von der AFRICAN MINDSET TOUR – in diesem Blog!