Welcome back after the break! When I came back from Africa, one of my colleagues at IESE told me: "Africa, you're re-energized!" Indeed, I am. One of the energy shots came from meeting the CEO of a leading bank in Kenya and East Africa. His approach illustrates that thinking long-term pays off in Africa. To the…

Now that I'm back to Barcelona, I plan to keep the blog going. However, I will take a break in August. This will also give you an opportunity to catch up with missed posts. "Talk" to you again in September!

At a meeting with the management team of a company in Nairobi, I was asked: "Our company started operations in Nigeria two years ago. So far, we have not succeeded. Based on your discussions with Pan-African companies, why do you think this is the case?" I had some seconds to reflect. It could not be…

Once again, the good faith of many people was challenged due to the latest news item: the bankruptcy of Gowex. The company had led the Mercado Alternativo Bursátil (MAB) as a benchmark on this alternative stock market after multiplying its value 18-fold since it was first launched in March 2010. And though it boasted a…