Inside KFC Africa: Building People, Leading Boldly, and Failing Forward (Akhona Qengqe)

How do you scale a leadership philosophy across 40,000+ people when your secret weapon is asking "What if we failed?"

In this episode, Christiaan sits down with Akona Qengqe, General Manager of KFC Africa and the brand's first Black female GM for the continent.

From running 1,468 restaurants across sub-Saharan Africa to creating the groundbreaking "Fail Forward Award," Akona reveals how a middle child's curiosity became the leadership philosophy behind one of Africa's most successful food empires.

This isn't your typical corporate success story. It's a masterclass in leading with questions instead of answers, and building people before building profits.

For leaders building teams, scaling culture, and wondering how to develop people at continental scale, this conversation will change how you see potential in everyone around you. 

Listen to learn:

1. How to create recognition systems that reward bold experimentation (and failure)
2. The practical framework for matching people to their strengths at scale
3. How to build your career by asking "why not?" instead of accepting "no"
4. The power of future-focused journaling to manifest leadership outcomes
5. When to lead from behind vs. front and how to flex between leadership styles
6. How to reframe setbacks as growth opportunities with the "for me" mindset

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Connect with Christiaan van den Berg on LinkedIn.

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