Panel Speakers - IESE Blog Community - IESE Business School

Track 6
addressing the Challenges at the bottom of the pyramid
Code: 6.a
What Does it Take to replicate the asian economic Miracle in africa? Doing business on the “forgotten Continent”
In the last 30 years, Asia, especially China, India and South-East Asia, has experienced strong economic
growth, triggered by sound economic policies, adoption of a fundamentally open economy, investment in
infrastructure, explosion of FDI and a well educated population. Some countries in Africa are trying to replicate
the Asian model to boost economic development, attract FDI and, ultimately, raise its population out
of poverty. Nevertheless, there are fundamental differences between both regions (e.g. social and political
stability, access to natural resources, population) and the successful path to long-term growth might differ
significantly. This panel will discuss these differences and what policy-makers, business managers and investors
should consider when trying to emulate the Asian miracle in the African continent.
Speakers: Mosun Layode - Leap Africa
Peter Materu - World Bank
Amy Mpungwe - TANZANITEONE
panel coordinator: Lars Tarrach (MBA 2011)
Code: 6.b
how Do Companies formulate Strategies to approach bottom of the pyramid (bop)?
The BOP represents a vast, unexploited, multitrillion-dollar marketplace. For companies struggling with
maturing markets, floundering business models, and serious questions about who their customers of the
future will be, the BoP is the important market to crack. On the other hand there are companies who created
with tapping this segment in mind. How do their strategies differ and is one of the approaches more
successful then the other?
In this panel you will be able to hear how companies decide their strategy on approaching BOP. What are
the drivers of the companies that are approaching the lower income segment? What are the major opportunities
and challenges? Is the BoP market a must for multi-nationals? What should companies take into
analysis for a go/no go decision for BOP? Participate in this panel and learn about how companies formulate
their strategy for a market of over 4 billion people and how our experts envision the future for a segment
companies are starting to understand they cannot deny anymore.
Moderator: Prof. Paulo Rocha e Oliveira – IESE Business School
Speakers: César Antúnez de Mayolo - PAD Business School
Teshome Dayesso - Buusaa Gonofaa MFI
James M. Jones – ExxonMobil
Himanshu Sahasrabudhe – Roshan
panel coordinator: Qiao Cheung (MBA 2012)
30 IESE Business School