“Africa possesses…a young and entrepreneurial population, territories that are transforming quickly with growing regions and rapid urbanization, considerable natural resources, dynamic economies, rich ecosystems and supportive diaspora.”

From “Africa’s Development Dynamics: Growth, Jobs and Inequalities,” by the African Union Commission and OECD, 2018

Discussing Africa as one market for executive search and leadership consulting requires a broad appreciation for the continent’s complexities. Annelize van Rensburg is a Founding Member of Talent Africa, now Signium Africa. “A lot of people think Africa is one place, one country, but every region is unique. West Africa cannot be compared to East Africa, cannot be compared to Southern Africa. Within those subregions, within East Africa for example, you cannot compare Tanzania with Kenya. You cannot compare it with Uganda. Each country is unique. I think that’s what a lot of people don’t understand about Africa—the uniqueness of each country, the different dynamics in each country.”

Take in for a moment that the African continent encompasses over 30 million square kilometers (11.73 million square miles) and is comprised of 1.324 billion people speaking an estimated 1500-2000 languages in 54 countries.

Fay Voysey-Smit is Managing Partner, South Africa at Boyden Executive Search. She describes “a very interesting map that I’ve seen, where China, India, Europe, the US and Japan actually fit into the African map because it’s so enormous. It’s also enormous in the diversity of people, culture, languages, trends, legislation, and tax laws.”

Additionally, it is not possible to neatly define how different regions or different individual countries on the African continent take to corporate working structures. Simpson Nondo, Managing Director at Stanton Chase South Africa, refers to the “pervasive colonial legacies which had impact and implications on how a lot of the continent is structured.” European colonialism, in particular, has had a lasting impact on Africa today, with respect to cultural and administrative influences. Notable colonizers included Britain, Portugal, France, Belgium, Germany and Spain.

 

SOURCE : Originally seen on asec