Michiel Hillen , founder of EMSA Emerging Market Africa , has advised twelve of companies that want to invest in elaborate their business in Africa . His large-minded experience instruct him to always bind to his gilded rule : If something looks too good to be true , it usually is .
At the head start of our interview , Michiel Hillen , founder of EMSA Emerging Markets Africa , put a quadruple of different business cards on the board . ' Not only have I given advice to twelve of companies , I am now actively participating in a number of companies alive on the African continent , ' the NABC extremity explained .
Although the duty assignment taken on by EMSA have been very divers , the distinctive client served by EMSA is a caller that wants to invest in dilate its business . ' Like a caller bring forth consumer goods who think : ' I should get a footing in an African country , ' that is where we can be most in force , ' Mr. Hillen explained . ' So we help the client to prepare its dream into an investment funds proposition , for which we retrieve co - investor . Our commitment ends with overseeing the execution of the projection . ' After 17 years in concern , the entrepreneur , who started his career in consulting at a predecessor of PwC , has been engaged in projects in 33 different African countries . He also serve as a board fellow member of the NABC .
Business in Africa is always subject to exchange circumstance , and the business sector climate is harsh . ' As a consequence , nominate mistakes sometimes seems to be your core commercial enterprise , he says . ' My biggest one was when I forgot to work my own prosperous prescript : if something looks too honorable to be unfeigned , it commonly is . We discuss the changing narrative around doing line of work in Africa .
' I frankly do n’t think the situation in Africa has change drastically since then , ' Mr. Hillen enounce . ' But in Europe , it did . First , we had two year of standstill due to Covid-19 , now the economy in Europe is coping with shortfall , and there is piffling nidus on business venture abroad . That interchange our view on Africa . When I call people to say them about a business chance there , they are often literally too busy to even come to the phone . '
While cosmopolitan company may presently take it lento in Africa , for Mr. Hillen , the continent remains his sole focus . ' Perhaps we were a bit overoptimistic in the 2010s , he said , though you may not deny that there is a natural want for cooperation . Europe is a small continent of deep , old people with Brobdingnagian labour deficit . At the same time , the young African universe is detonate , and people are screaming for jobs . This will inevitably come together . '
' The exports of coffee tree ( another business of his ) are growing – high solid food toll in Europa means the prices are honest . The first exportation of trimmed flowers from Callaflex is expected next year . ' My best commercial enterprise yr ? ' the EMSA founder say while leaving the consultation room , ' I am certain that is going to be 2023 . "
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