Leading into the Future through the CEO Apprenticeship Programme

Along with the unprecedented pace of change the world has gone through over the past few years, Tanzania has undergone impressive political and economic developments and improvements in its social and economic welfare. However, as socio-economic systems and structures the world over evolve in a constant and unpredictable state of flux,? the country also faces considerable development challenges, not least in essential areas such as economic distribution and population growth. As such the CEO Apprenticeship Programme (CAP) recognizes Tanzania’s economic development challenges are unique to the continent and will therefore require visionary and ethical leaders to tangibly harness the country’s socio-economic transformation.?

Since launching in 2019, CAP continues to deliver on its core objective of enhancing leadership capacities across the continent and creating future CEOs through a series of core developmental interventions that include group based mentorship sessions. Now in its third cohort, CAP prepares participants to become leaders in this new contemporary and uncertain world, and one of the ways this is done is through group-based mentorship sessions. On a monthly basis, CAP participants are given the opportunity to gain valuable leadership insights from prominent visionary leaders and captains of industry as they speak to their vast experiences and personal career journeys. With mentors from both the public and private sectors that cut across multiple industries, the CAP mentorship platform fosters a platform for enhanced knowledge exchange and learnings between participants and revered leaders.

Having now reached the halfway mark of the Programme, the participants have had the opportunity to engage in dynamic and immersive leadership learning sessions? with some of Africa's most prominent captains of industry. During the first two mentorship sessions held for Cohort 3, mentors shared their experiences aimed at helping participants master the art of leadership in our ever changing and dynamic landscape. As session mentors, Dr. Donald Mmari - Executive Director of the Research on Poverty Alleviation Programme Limited (REPOA), Mr. Jayesh Shah - Managing Director and CEO of Sumaria Group, Dr. Julius Kipngetich - CEO of Jubilee Holdings and Mr. Nganga Njiinu, CFA - CEO of of TransCentury Group reflected on their personal leadership journeys, they emphasized on the various leadership attributes that are critical in steering organizations through challenging environments, for maximum socio-economic impact and charting a path towards a lasting legacy.?

Speaking on the boldness that helped him triumph over the course of his 40-year leadership journey, Mr. Shah recalled the scarcity that defined entrepreneurship and life in general in the 1980s. Tanzania’s transformation to a market-led economy has resulted in a more investor-friendly economy today. Whilst the journey continues, the lessons learnt along the way have been instrumental and aptly demonstrate the importance of resilience, innovation and creativity in leadership. Leaders ought to be bold and intentional, as seconded by Dr. Mmari, because that would influence their ability to channel ideas into purpose for organizations and society. Successful leaders perceive challenges as the opportunities that they are - to explore, innovate, and find solutions that bring returns. With bold intent comes the willingness to take risks, which is necessitated by the uncertainty that may sometimes exist. Other attributes for meaningful leadership that were pointed out include the patience it takes to realize the outcomes of developmental initiatives as well as the strategic thinking that underpins decision-making. The session with Dr. Mmari and Mr. Shah delved into the leadership landscape in Tanzania and prepared participants to lead at a national level.??

During their trip to Nairobi in November 2022, the participants attended the second leg of the CAP Knowledge Forum series at the Strathmore University Business School Campus, where they were given the opportunity to expand on the topic of how to lead in turbulent times. Providing a broader pan-African perspective and deep-diving into the nuances of being a leader in Africa’s constantly evolving operating environment, Dr. Kipng'etich and Mr. Njiinu spoke on the many unique social and economic considerations the CAP leaders must equip themselves with in order to successfully become future-proof leaders on the continent.

The beginning of the year is the perfect time for upcoming leaders to re-envision the type of leader they would like to be, positioning themselves for success aligned to the country’s and the continent’s operating environment and growth aspirations. At the mentorship session in January, CAP Cohort 3 participants spent time with Mr. Ambassador John Ulanga - Regional Director, East and Central Africa, TradeMark East Africa - who shared knowledge on how they can cultivate authentic personal brands that will lead them to success in Tanzania, across Africa and beyond. He reminded them of the difference between branding and bragging, with insightful takeaways on what one’s brand is:? what others say about you, their emotions when you come to mind, what you represent, the story you portray, the sum of expectations people have about you, and what people associate you with. Mr. Ulanga also reminded the participants that “people are more likely to buy a brand that they know, recognize and resonate with as they trust it more”. Because positive perceptions add value to your brand while negative perceptions and statements de-value it, Mr. Ulanga went on to highlight the importance of being mindful and intentional on how you brand and position yourself in the leadership marketplace, as strong brands are built on authenticity, integrity, consistency, relevance, and visibility. Acknowledging the power of social media in enhancing the placement and influence of brands, the participants have also been encouraged to embrace social media as friend rather than foe and leverage the digital social tools to enhance the visibility and reach of their personal brand.

The 12-month CEO Apprenticeship Programme is conducted in partnership with Strathmore Business School (SBS) and is designed to elevate the standards of leadership excellence in future CEOs who will hold positions in Tanzania and beyond. While it may be both a burden and a privilege to be a leader in Africa, CAP aims to tip the scales and prepare leaders to expand on that privilege. The application window to join Cohort 4 launching in 2023 is open. Aspiring CEOs are encouraged to visit https://bit.ly/CEOrt_CAP to learn more about the programme. Leaders who would like to nominate candidates to join the next cohort can contact [email protected].???