Follow Us on Google
By Chinenye Anuforo
Business leaders and entrepreneurs were urged to move beyond personality-driven enterprises and embrace structures, systems, and succession planning that will guarantee business continuity and long-term impact.
This call was made during the maiden edition of the Building Beyond You Conference, held in Lagos, where participants were reminded that true success is measured not only by present achievements but also by the ability to sustain growth across generations.
Delivering the keynote address, Atedo Peterside, Founder of Stanbic IBTC Bank, stressed that’s culture, values, and consistent leadership from the top are the foundation of sustainable institutions. He cautioned against excessive praise culture and the practice of hiring in one’s own image, noting that true leadership emerges from those who align with an organization’s vision.
“Diversity does not mean losing a shared vision. Many confuse loyalty to a person with loyalty to a cause. Leadership must be rooted in values, systems of rewards and sanctions, and consistent communication from the top. Nigerians won’t just do what you say, they will do what you do,” Peterside said.
He added that staff turnover, when moderate, is healthy for organizational renewal, and emphasized the importance of appraisals, vision casting, and succession planning in institution building.
Also speaking, Dr. Ibukun Adebayo, Managing Director of Rock Realty Limited, challenged entrepreneurs to build businesses with strong foundations rather than fragile enterprises dependent solely on founders. Citing global brands such as Coca-Cola and McDonald’s as examples of legacy institutions, Adebayo urged participants to embed succession into their organizational culture.
“Too many businesses in Nigeria collapse due to poor structure. Chaotic growth is not greatness. Whether you’re making billions or thousands, you need systems that guarantee continuity. The best time to build structure was yesterday; the second-best time is now,” Adebayo stated.
Mrs. Tara Fela-Durotoye, Convener of the conference and founder of House of Tara International, described the gathering as a movement for African entrepreneurs determined to create legacies that outlive them. She emphasized the importance of vision casting, celebrating milestones, and building leadership pipelines.
“Every founder must learn how to communicate vision clearly and consistently. But vision alone is not enough, it must be reinforced by systems, people development, and succession pipelines. That is how businesses survive and thrive beyond the founders,” she said.
Fela-Durotoye added that the conference, which drew participants from across Africa, including Ghana, Uganda, and Cameroon, was designed to provide not just insights but also a community of practice for entrepreneurs determined to build enduring institutions.
The Building Beyond You Conference brought together over a dozen CEOs and business leaders across industries to address Africa’s persistent challenge of enterprises collapsing after the exit of their founders.
