Telio's monthly Digital Disclosure

October 2023: Meet Ghislain d'Adesky

What new skills or knowledge have you gained through your work at Telio, and how have these helped you in your career development?

GA: One of the most striking revelations has been my complete lack of prior exposure to the world of corrections. My understanding of this domain was largely confined to what I had picked up from the movies. I had never set foot in a prison prior to joining Telio. This unexpected experience proved to be both very interesting and exhilarating.

I had no idea about the intricate challenges faced by prison administrations: the constraints they have to live with such as the limited means, the widespread prevalence of recidivism, and the resulting costs for society.

?The resocialization of prisoners is an issue that is largely pushed aside on the political agenda. Of course it is. You don't win elections by talking about prisons. But it is essential for society as a whole.

Another significant revelation occurred under the guidance of my colleague, Dave Lageweg . He encouraged me to take the training provided by the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (“UNDOC's”) on the Mandela Rules, a framework on how to treat inmates with dignity and value them as human beings.

Nelson Mandela's words struck a chord: "It is said that no one truly knows a nation until one has been inside its jails. A nation should not be judged by how it treats its highest citizens, but its lowest ones."

?Initially, since I was not planning on becoming involved in prison management, I struggled to understand the relevance of this training for my career at Telio yet as I continued the training it dawned on me that this was a great way of immersing myself in our customers’ experiences and an opportunity to understand their daily operations. As a result, I became a staunch supporter of Dave's proposition:

The Mandela Rules training should be part of the induction process for every new Telio employee.

Have you had any exciting business travel experiences? Are there any trade shows you have attended or are looking forward to attending, and what did you learn or expect to learn from them?

Last year and this year my responsibilities with the Business Development team gave me the opportunity to travel again to a continent that is close to my heart: Africa.

Among the recent business trips I embarked upon several were very exciting. But one stood out, because I think it's unique in our company's 25-year history and none of my colleagues had a similar experience.

In March 2023 I was in capital city of a West African country, a prospective new territory for Telio's expansion to meet the Director General of the local prison administration. However, upon my arrival at his office building a sudden power outage plunged the building into darkness. Even the diesel generator had failed. In the midst of a tropical climate, this meant no lighting, no elevators, and no air conditioning while wearing formal attire.

?With mere minutes remaining before the scheduled start of the meeting and my presentation, I embarked on a journey to reach the Director General's office on the 14th floor. Guided only by the light of my mobile phone, I braved the emergency staircase with great determination so as to arrive on time. Which I achieved at the cost of perspiring profusely. The DG warmly welcomed me, offering a whole bottle of water and a towel.

?Regrettably, the exertion proved to be in vain as the start of the meeting had to be postponed since the Director General's colleagues, were stranded on the ground floor and neither the projector, the power outlets, lighting, nor the AC were working.

It was such a meaningful experience! It showed me once again how important it is to be able to swiftly adapt to the unforeseen.

In what ways has our company's culture fostered collaboration and teamwork, and how has that impacted your work experience?

GA: I joined Telio Group during the Covid pandemic, and that is when I started using remote work and virtual collaborations tools. I met my colleagues face-to-face for first time only seven months later.

?Despite diverse backgrounds and locations, our team operates cohesively, we are actually very complementary. In an international setting, we adjust to different speeds and use the flexibility of a mid-sized private company while being private-equity owned and having public sector clients, where decisions occasionally take longer or are more complex.

?Overall, our company culture fosters teamwork and adaptability. I highly appreciate being part of such a diverse and international team at Telio Group .

Are there any trade shows you have attended or are looking forward to attending, and what did you learn or expect to learn from them?

GA: I view participation in trade shows as an excellent way to refamiliarize oneself with what we as a company offer to our markets, to benchmark these offerings against other industry players as well (of course) as to engage directly with potential customers. Participating in industry events, such as the ICPA 2022 (the annual conference of the International Corrections & Prisons Association) in Orlando or the African Correctional Services Association (ACSA) biennial conference in?Dakar, Senegal May 2023 as well as various trade shows in the USA last year helps us spread the word about Telio Group

All trade shows allow us to build up new connections and strengthen existing business relationships while learning about the latest sector trends and challenges.

How has working at Telio allowed you to make a positive difference in the lives of our customers or users?

GA: This question brings another anecdotal experience to mind – a memory of an Uber ride in Paris on a weekend, where I conversed with the driver who shared a telecom industry background. I mentioned my current work in a lesser-known telecommunication company in a particular niche: corrections. This led him to share with me a surprising personal connection to Telio’s products and services.

?A brother's incarceration led his family to gather money so that he could buy an illicit phone, to stay connected, especially with their aging mother. He commended us for offering a legal alternative (when we introduced in-cell telephony in France), which enabled his brother to ditch the smuggled phone and eased the family’s worry about further legal consequences.

?He also provided valuable insights on how to improve our recently launched video calling service to enhance its user-friendliness and awareness of its existence for the relatives of inmates, which I shared with my French colleagues.

In these moments, the way personal stories mix with the job is really amazing. It shows how much our work can impact people's lives.

What excites you the most about the future direction of Telio and the opportunities it presents for both personal and professional growth?

GA: I'm really excited about where Telio Group is headed under the leadership of Oliver Drews and with strong backing from the management team, the focus on international expansion is particularly invigorating. ?The fact that we operate in a growing sector adds an extra layer of excitement to our work in Business Development.

I'm looking forward to entering into additional African countries and even expanding into Asia and Latin America.

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Ghislain, thank you for all these wonderful insights.

GA: You′re more than welcome. I'm glad you found the insights valuable.

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#telio #rehabilitation #prisontechnology #teamwork #diversity #resocialization

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