[Interview] Stallone-Obaraemi Samuel, Senior HR Manager, TNS Global, Nigeria
Stallone-Obaraemi Samuel is a Senior Human Resources Manager with TNS Global, and has bagged about 10 years of experience and practice. He also runs an educational organization via which he grants basic education scholarship to a few African children, plus hopes to grow the number of beneficiaries in time.
His interview with ABC:
Would you please introduce TNS Global to us?
TNS is one of the largest research agencies in the globe. We basically serve as trusted advisors and we provide actionable insights that help our clients and the world around us to make impactful decisions that drive growth. We are part of Kantar, one of the world's largest insight, information and consultancy groups. Modestly speaking, I believe we significantly impact the global business community as we are present in over 80 countries, and it is fair to say that we have more conversations with the world’s consumers than anyone else.
In which industries does TNS Global operate?
Marketing Research.
Who are your clients?
I am tempted to say BAT, Coca-cola, Sabmiller, Google, Heineken, Johnson & Johnson, P & G, L’Oreal, Microsoft, Nestle and others multinationals like them. But in my point of view, our client is everyone. Everyone who desires to make informed business decisions. It may sound unconventional, but I think I’d like to stick to that.
How does TNS Global remain competitive in a fast-changing global marketplace?
We stay ahead by making tomorrow happen now. We have an incredibly strong team of dogged and committed experts with the tenacity to withstand pressure. Secondly, we have become increasingly client-centric. We are very specific when advising our clients about growth strategies around new market entry, innovation, brand-switching and customer strategies. TNS understands individual human behaviours and attitudes across every cultural, economic and political region of the world. Thirdly, we are far ahead in the space of technology-driven research and solution. Lastly, we listen, listen and listen some more. Listening is a difficult skill to acquire. The good thing is, it is not expensive!
What can be done by entrepreneurs and government to stimulate the business environment in Nigeria?
In my experience, entrepreneuring (if there is a word like that) is not an easy journey. I have my experiences as to how challenging it could be to set up businesses in Nigeria. No sufficient energy, power, no good roads, not even credit or any form of financial support for start-ups. While it may not be the business of the government to be directly involved in owning businesses, it is the business of government to provide the enabling environment for private businesses to thrive, properly coordinate tax issues to lessen the unnecessary burden.
The government needs to take entrepreneurial education seriously. The power and energy issues in Nigeria have to be fixed. In Nigeria almost everyone appears to be a local government head, because you provide energy, water, electricity and sometimes roads by yourself. This makes running a business herein very expensive, and the economic environment very hard.
Financial infrastructural issues and controls need be adequately attended to. Another area of interest is security.
Entrepreneurs on the other hand must learn to collaborate more than to compete. Healthy competition is good for the survival of a free economy. However, such competition must be embellished with collaboration when necessary. No single entrepreneur can survive on his own. Take for instance even the telecoms giants in Nigeria. Because of weak infrastructure which drives their cost higher, it is expected that they will continue to contain cost pressures via asset optimization strategies such as network sharing, tower sales and outsourcing to specialized third parties.
What can you say about the targets, plans and ambitions of TNS Global for 2015?
In 2014 our focus was more about increased alignment across board internally so that we can serve our clients methodically. That has not changed. Taking that over to 2015, we will focus on being trusted advisors to our clients, rather than just being market researchers. We will bring to the fore our technology offerings and advisory services. You see, at the end of the day, the most important question is: has the client benefited and has his business made the desired progress? I believe that the answer to this question is the touchstone by which we will be able to measure our success.
Do you believe Social Media and the Internet to be a plus to the business environment, as it applies to your industry?
Absolutely! You see it is sometimes surprising how we survived the days without social media and the likes. Anyways, we did survive. Let us take a look at the following statistics according to one online report.
- Most major presidential candidates are on Twitter as well as many other leaders of state.
- News actually breaks on Twitter before it’s reported on cable networks.
- 40 percent of the top religious leaders in the world are represented on Twitter
- Businesses frequently use Facebook to engage with customers
- People can use YouTube to raise awareness for issues that are usually pushed under the rug.
- Friends separated by long distances can keep in touch by sharing images on sites like Instagram.
Let’s face it. The internet and social media has changed the way we do business, the way we gather and access data, etc. It has also increased collaboration and even competition, which are both good for a free economy.
What expectations do you have for Nigeria’s economy in 2015?
Hmmmm, I personally hope that the change in government will bring about at least a marginal change in our economy. I was doing some studies and comparison between Nigeria and South Africa. Despite the emergence of Nigeria as number one in terms of its GDP, we still have a long way to go. In actual sense, considering the vast rate of diversification in South Africa as against our over-dependence on one product – crude oil, South Africa appears to be stronger and better placed at the moment. The financial and other institutions in South Africa and some other smaller African countries are relatively stronger than the institutions in Nigeria. Basically our institutions are very weak. The economy and government appear to run around and are built on people, rather than standing as institutions with strong continuity plans and processes. That is evident in the wanton impunity radiated by office holders and those who are supposed to be policy protectors. The quality of our human capital relative to that of South Africa is low. I do also expect that the government will focus on revamping the entire education system, although this might take some time. In truth, 2015 will just be to lay the foundations. I am not expecting a wow economic change this year.
Which African countries will perform best in 2015?
I do think and would sayNigeria, South Africa and Kenya. According to the Bloomberg survey Nigeria, Africa's largest economy, is projected to expand by 4.9 percent this year, while Kenya will probably grow 6 percent in 2015. Then according to the IMF forecast, South Africa, Africa’s second largest economy is estimated to grow by 2.1 % in 2015. The vast untapped natural resources, leakages that need to be closed, quality human resources, relatively strong institutions in one or more of the mentioned countries, make me think that they perhaps will emerge top in 2015.
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Africa Business Communities is conducting a series of interviews with CEOs and executive professionals in Africa. Are you, and are interested in an interview? Please send an e-mail to Andrea Ayemoba andrea@africabusinesscommunities.com