African CEOs have been admonished to stop copying Western resilience models if they must build enterprises that truly thrive across the continent
This warning was given by Caroline Lucas, Director, Special Projects at TEXEM UK, the United Kingdom based leadership development organisation, in a statement on the organisation’s website, www.texem.co.uk
Lucas said that after jettisoning the Western resilience models, African CEOs should codify their own models
She said the concept of the “Resilient Enterprise” is often imported from textbooks written for markets with predictable supply chains, standardised regulatory frameworks, and decades of institutional stability
“However, for the African CEO, resilience is not a theoretical construct, but a daily operational necessity,” Lucas said
Saying resilience must be rooted in African realities, she added that true resilience in the African context is not merely the ability to bounce back but the ability to advance while in flux
Lucas said that resilience models must be built on three core pillars that acknowledge African unique landscape
Firstly she said infrastructure should be taken as an ecosystem, not a given
“In mature markets, infrastructure is often a background utility. Here, it is an active variable. A resilient African enterprise does not wait for the state to provide; it builds modular, localised solutions
“Whether it is decentralised power, innovative last mile logistics, or proprietary supply chain networks, your resilience depends on your ability to internalize essential services that others take for granted,” the TEXEM director said
She said that navigating regulatory fluidity is another pillar
“Resilience here requires agile governance. When regulatory environments are dynamic and evolving, static long term planning can become a liability
“You must build organisational structures that are capable of rapid interpretation and compliance, viewing regulatory change not as a disruption to your business model, but as a continuous feedback loop that your strategy must inherently account for,” Lucas asserted
She also said that another strong pillar is to see social dynamics as a competitive advantage
“African enterprise is deeply tethered to community and social capital. Resilience is rarely achieved by a company in isolation; it is achieved by a company embedded in the social fabric
“By leveraging local knowledge, fostering community trust, and designing for the informal economy, you create a “social moat” that provides stability during times of macroeconomic volatility,” she said
Lucas said the mandate for leadership of today is that the African CEO cannot afford to be a passive observer of market volatility, as he is now the architect of a new business paradigm
“The resilient enterprise of the future will be defined by context-specific innovation. It is an enterprise that is lean enough to pivot, deep enough to engage its community, and bold enough to treat the constraints of our environment as the very catalyst for our growth
“We are not merely surviving the market; we are defining how resilience looks in the most dynamic, high potential region on the planet,” she said
The statement also announced that TEXEM will be hosting a programme
from 19th to 23rd July in Nairobi, Kenya titled:
The Resilient Organisation, where African leaders and CEOs leaders will acquire more insights on resilience in leadership
Two reputable TEXEM faculty, Professor Nic Cheeseman and Dr T. B. (Mac) McClelland Jr. will deliver the programme
Nic Cheeseman is a former Professor at Oxford and best-selling author and advisor to world leaders
He has featured on CNN his analysis has featured in the Economist, Le Monde, Financial Times, Newsweek, the Washington Post, New York Times and BBC
Dr T. B. (Mac) McClelland Jr. is a former United States Marine Corps leader, former CEO of a subsidiary of a global multinational corporation, trusted adviser to world leaders, award-nominated author, and Chairman of The Luxury Council International
Interested participants in the Nairobi programme are expected to click on the link: https://texem.co.uk/the-resilient-enterprise/
˚The following testimonials from past delegates of TEXEM programmes were also shared in the statement
“I found that it’s quite a new approach to workshops than I’m used to because I’ve attended so many workshops organised by other organisations. But, I found that the approach made by TEXEM is quite different.” “…first of all when I found that the first day of the program would be visits to the
Shakespeare’s birthplace and also to visit a chocolate factory, I was skeptical. So, I said, I’m in love with Shakespeare but I just said what is it to do with business or whatever it is
But then, after the visit and then to the two places and coming back and then i could see the collaboration between what I’m supposed to know and I really could understand the issues there,”
– Previous TEXEM delegate. Ambassador Mustafa Sam Non-Executive Director Jaiz Bank
“TEXEM is a very serious consultancy organization. I’m rating them as such because of the caliber of rel the issues that are needed in building our leadership capacity further, in ensuring that theTax Appeal Tribunal becomes the best adjudicator of taxes in Africa and even globally. So I am very, very impressed with them, and I recommend them to other institutions that are serious about ensuring effective leadership
and management,”. -Previous TEXEM delegate. Prof. Kabiru Isa Dandago Bayero, Hon Commissioner Tax Appeal Tribunal
“So many things have inspired me because I have a new look at what leadership is all about now, and then I think the operation and also aspects of that has to do with what I need to do and make decisions at the right time that involves what the future holds. It’s something that really has inspired me, so many ideas; of course I can’t thank the faculties enough you know in terms of what they have done,”
-Previous TEXEM delegate, Muhammad Bello Aliyu, Registrar/CEO, Computer Professional Council of Nigeria (CPN)
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