[Interview] Leland Clegg, Founder of the Africa Business Portal
Leland Clegg has established patterns of success as an entrepreneur. In 1989 he founded UCPM Insurance, one of the largest wholesale environmental insurance brokerages in the United States, servicing thousands of clients in all 50 states with industry leading automation.
Now after seven years of development, Leland launched his newest venture, the Africa Business Portal, in October of 2015.
Would you please introduce the Africa Business Portal?
The AFRICA BUSINESS PORTAL (ABP) is a growing network of companies, advisors and collaborating organizations that are committed to building up business between the United States & Africa on a platform of FCPA COMPLIANCE.
Melissa Sanderson (VP of International Affairs at Freeport-McMoran) has said that “The Africa Business Portal, unique among organizations in my experience, focuses on building commercial bridges between U.S and African companies doing business ethically and in conformance with the FCPA guidelines. ABP also “gets” the importance of relationships in business success, and strives to ensure its clients have every opportunity to get to know each other – and therefore work together with confidence.”
When and why was the Africa Business Portal founded?
After seven years of development, the ABP was launched in October 2016. The purpose of the Africa Business Portal is to reduce the barriers to doing business between the U.S. and Africa.
What did you do before starting ABP?
I was a successful entrepreneur. I founded a wholesale insurance agency that did business with thousands of agents in all 50 states.
What has ABP done/is doing to facilitate ease of doing business in Africa?
Africa Business Portal believes in reaching across continents to build a highly talented and diverse workforce. Each member of the team is committed to the vision of bridging U.S.-Africa business. But the real value of the Africa Business Portal (ABP) workforce lies in collaboration that enables the services of members, advisors and sponsors of the ABP Portal.
Our ABP Solution Providers are a unique blend of people (Advisors) and companies (ABP Network) who can help you find the answers and solutions you need for U.S.-Africa business success. An African startup can avoid costly learning curves by accessing the experience and expertise of others. Through webinars, podcasts, blogs and success stories, ABP provides opportunities to prevent problems for your company through the increased understanding of the U.S.-Africa market.
What can you say about the targets, plans and ambitions of ABP for 2017?
We will be expanding our ABP Network of Solution Providers with strong advisors and service providers in every Sub-Saharan country, U.S. State and major industries. We are also working to expand collaboration relationships and to launch an ABP Financing Gateway to assist small businesses looking for project funding.
Another goal of ours is to expand US-Africa product distributions services.
Which African countries would you say have performed best economically so far in 2016?
I'd say Ethiopia, given their GDP so far and their economy size. Cote D’Ivoire is also doing well for the same reasons.
Kenya has great infrastructure and has cast itself as the East Africa Hub of business and growth. Moving into 2017, I think that there will be many countries positioned to work well with U.S. companies.
www.linkedin.com/in/lelandclegg
www.twitter.com/africabusportal
