The transition has been smooth and organic - it’s a continuation of work that began years ago. The management philosophy I’ve tried to instill across the Group is ongoing, with other Group Heads, COOs and CEOs acting as strong relays across the organisation. My role today involves spending more time with our corporate functions, making sure they remain closely aligned with our businesses’ needs. This alignment is essential to building a stronger IBL.

Our strategy remains firmly in place, and our teams are fully engaged in executing it. We still have work to do to consolidate our regional investments, but our results show that we’re on the right track. I am genuinely pleased with the progress made so far, and in some areas, we’ve exceeded expectations. It’s a credit to the outstanding work being done by our teams on the ground.

Many capabilities cut horizontally across our businesses and geographies. Our role at the centre is to provide a clear framework; it’s then up to the CEOs to bring that to live for each of their businesses. We aim for as much decentralisation as possible, while keeping core systems, values, and ways of working remain aligned across the Group.

It’s a delicate balance. Our central functions must bring tangible value to the clusters, and not add complexity. To get this equation right, we’re shifting to a cluster-backed approach: making corporate functions leaner, more responsive, and better integrated into day-to-day operations. We are also strengthening connections between our businesses through shared technology platforms, talent mobility and operational collaboration - for example, leveraging logistical synergies between our Retail and Consumer Brands & Distribution.

We are not quite there, but we are getting better every day. I am particularly proud of the speed and quality with which we are operating our overseas operations. That is a clear sign of the maturity of the Group.

The fundamental question is: how do we scale effectively while staying true to who we are? For me, it’s simple: the ‘who’ is everything. In any business, in any journey, it always comes down to people. They are our most valuable asset. And a truly sustainable business is one that consistently engages, empowers, and invests in its people.

IBL is a mosaic of activities, geographies, and cultures, yet we strive to remain united by shared values - Trust, Discipline, Excellence, and a Sense of Belonging. The GREAT Academy has been key to this cultural alignment, equipping us with the tools, insights, and processes to structure and scale excellence across all clusters and countries.

Our goal is to embed a culture of excellence that transcends borders and becomes second nature across the entire Group. And yet, I constantly remind myself: this is a marathon, not a sprint. A long, deliberate journey that we must undertake with patience, good judgement and determination. This is about building a Group that lasts, that thrives across generations, sustainably, with People at its core. For me, there is no other way.

The first phase of Beyond Borders was about IBL opening doors: identifying opportunities, deploying capital, and laying the foundations for growth in new markets. That top-down approach was necessary to get things moving.

From the beginning, our approach has been to build businesses that are repeatable and scalable. When you achieve repeatability, scalability follows - and that’s how you grow sustainably. We’ve covered a lot of ground over the last few years. We’ve taken risks, made mistakes, learnt from them, and kept moving forward. It’s been a continuous cycle of learning and improving, shaped by experience on the ground.

Now we’re seeing a natural and welcome shift. It’s no longer just IBL Group opening the way for regional growth. Increasingly, our businesses and investments are taking the lead: defining their own scope, driving their own expansion, and deepening their presence based on their readiness and potential. That is a clear sign that the ecosystems we are building are working.

The next phase is about scaling and deepening those ecosystems, particularly in East Africa and the Indian Ocean islands. Operating “locally, internationally” remains key: using the knowledge of local teams alongside our proven sectoral and operational expertise. In short, we continue to drive the Beyond Borders strategy - but now it’s increasingly powered from the ground up.