Portrait featuring Richard Arlove, Founder Arphilia Consulting & former CEO, Abax

Doing the same thing over and over again and expecting a different result is the very definition of madness (*a quote widely attributed to Einstein, although not actually evidenced).
 
Anyone working in the global business sector might agree that we’ve spent the last decade (and more) repeating the same abstract conversations—strategy, innovation, value-add, transformation—without anchoring them in a unified and holistic public-private vision for our country.
 
This week’s guest put his finger on what’s been missing—and what it will truly take for our financial services sector not only to survive, but to evolve and thrive.
 
Richard Arlove, founder of Abax (now Ocorian), is, in my view, a visionary.
 
His approach to harnessing Africa’s potential is rooted not in extraction, but in genuine partnership and collaboration. He’s the first person I’ve spoken to in a long time who dares to imagine Mauritius as a real business hub for Africa—not just a conduit for DTAs, IPPAs or the usual soundbites you find in glossy brochures.
 
In this eye-opening conversation, we also talk about:
 
• What adaptive leadership looks like
• Why we should embrace feedback—especially the uncomfortable kind
·                The LQ (Love Intelligence)
·                The ABAX journey
• The need for a political vision that supports our IFC
• The quiet but vital role of our embassies
• And the urgent question of talent and labour shortages

 
This is an episode I cannot recommend enough. I loved this conversation.

00:00 - Intro
01:17 - Richard’s new life
02:35 - What makes a great leader
04:59 - Adaptive leadership
08:04 - Values-led leadership
09:19 - Spectrum of intelligences
11:00 - Is a leader born or made?
14:08 - Receiving feedback
16:07 - Management vs leadership
19:16 - Leaving Ocorian
22:54 - Harnessing Africa’s potential
26:32 - Establishing a new vision
27:59 - Mauritius as a business hub
30:34 - The role of our embassies
32:43 - What are WE bringing to Africa?
34:25 - The potential of cooperation agreements
37:07 - Addressing the labour shortage
40:45 - Embracing the maturity of our global business sector
43:40 - Richard’s mission