Success in Africa
CEO Insights from a Continent on the Rise
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- $19.99
Publisher Description
In an era of slowing growth, Africa is home to a trillion-dollar, resource-rich economy, and six of the ten fastest growing markets in the world. Success in Africa introduces the ambitious CEOs who are building the continent. These stories of growth, technology, and tradition bring life to one of the most important stories of the global economy: a successful Africa.
The CEOs of General Electric, The Coca Cola Company, and Tullow Oil join Africa's leading CEOs to share insights on what wins in this fast-growth market. With twenty years of experience in frontier markets, including a decade working in Africa, author Jonathan Berman engages with top business leaders on the vast opportunities and challenges of the continent. Success in Africa pushes past the headlines on Africa's growth to answer the questions often asked by companies and investors: Who do I work with there and what drives them? How do I deal with government? What about war, disease, and poverty? What about China? How do I win?
Success in Africa provides on-the-ground perspective, personal stories, and insight that Robert Rubin calls essential reading for all who are interested in Africa for reasons of business, investment, policy, or curiosity.
PUBLISHERS WEEKLY
As strategy consultant Berman explains in his first book, the 54 countries on the African continent contain six of the 10 fastest-growing markets in the world, and 60% of the world's future farming potential. There are more than 150 $1 billion companies in Africa, and more than 500 with annual sales of $100 million. Here, Berman, who has lived and worked in Asia and worked in Africa, informs readers about perspectives on Africa, who works there (including budding CEOs), and why. However, despite the book's great premise, Berman only skims the surface: "Africa needs everything, and success in Africa comes from filling it." Berman touches on ways to address these needs in terms of understanding the different countries and languages, parsing out governance, creating new infrastructure in an unknown culture, dealing with government, and competing with Chinese companies that realized the African potential long ago. Berman is most effective when he identifies the massive perception problem that Africa faces, but he fails to make a convincing argument that global companies should be working harder to identify these opportunities. Despite his worthy message, the book is not helped by the author's self-conscious, awkward tone.
