GHANA SME CEO SUMMIT 2017: TIPS ON HOW TO PROMOTE BUSINESSES

Minister for Trade and Industry, Alan Kyerematen has advised CEOs of Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) without governing boards and proper management systems to adopt measures to put them in place as great entrepreneurial skills are not all that is needed to succeed as a company.

Giving SMEs tips to promote their business at the first edition of the Ghana SME CEO Summit in Accra, the Trade Minister said the governing boards provide companies strategic direction for their operation hence the need for all SMEs to have one.

He added that “most CEOs are who they are because of their entrepreneurial skills and not necessarily because of their management capabilities, for most SMEs the two become blurred… please ensure that you have the full complement of functional management experts and that is the only way your organization can grow and become competitive.”

The Minister also advised CEOs of SMEs to have good succession plans in place, so they can successfully pass on responsibilities to their successors.

He also urged them to take advantage of the stock exchange when thinking of scaling-up their businesses as there is now a category of listing on the stock exchange that favors SMEs.

The maiden edition of the Ghana SMEs CEO Summit under the theme ‘Digital Disruption; How the Digital Revolution is Transforming SMEs’ brought together CEOs, business leaders, stakeholders, investors, service providers, regulators, government representatives and thought leaders to engage in common current issues, discuss related topics, major trends, opportunities, government policies, legislature, new projects and also challenges.

The summit is believed to enable global and local CEOs to interact and foster knowledge acquisition, learning, partnerships and synergies that can drive increased personal as well as business growth.

The Expo component of Ghana SME CEO summit 2017 is a trade-show established specifically for the interest of SMEs, allowing sponsors, exhibitors and visitors alike to forge new business opportunities and showcase their products.