As a business magazine based in the UK, we hoped to have some sort of insight into Brexit to offer come the beginning of April, but on reflection, that was more than a little optimistic! The proceedings are currently taking on a chaotic version of dragging one’s feet, in many ways resembling the moment of failing to do one’s homework and then heading to class anyway, in the hope that the teacher will be absent or some other cosmic intervention will save the day. Britain is simply unprepared, and is giving the world a fantastic demonstration of its slang-term “faffing about”, presumably in the hopes that deadlines will continue to be extended ad infinitum. Will the country leave Europe on a ‘No Deal’ Brexit, will Brexit fail to go through all together, or will the current state of affairs continue in a series of indefinite delays? Or, perhaps the least likely seeming of all, will a deal actually be agreed upon? One thing is clear; it seems that the ship has sailed on the history books being able to record these events favourably, and the current Prime Minister’s slogan of “strong and stable leadership” seems to have well and truly collapsed, to the point of offering to resign in an attempt to convince Britain’s MPs to back her proposed deal.
However, whilst the UK gives the business world headaches, companies around the world are demonstrating far better abilities in leadership, organisation and preparation for the future. We reconnected with Staatsolie, who may be on the cusp of one or more significant oil discovers in Suriname, and it looking to prompt the country to prepare for the impact of these finds ahead of time. We also spoke with Fura Gems, whose leadership team are applying their ability to turn bankrupt companies into global leaders to now develop a company from scratch, and organise the transparency and streamlining of Colombia and Mozambique’s gemstone industries in the process. In the dry sand dunes of Senegal, we looked at TiZir and the world’s largest dredge mining operation, whilst across the continent in East Africa, Davis & Shirtliff are bringing drinking water to communities that have never had safe access to this resource. We have had the privilege to hear so many success stories this month, and it has been a far more uplifting thing to focus on than our own politics! It is comforting, at least, to remember that whilst governments rise and fall in efficiency, innovation in business continues to strive forwards and achieve results.
