Technology Integrated Business, And How To Make It A Success; A Woman’s Perspective From Ethel Delali Cofie
For any business to have an edge over its competition in any industry, the adoption and use of technology is a must. Technology not only improves productivity and efficiency, but also attracts other business stakeholders who are key to the success of the business.
Today Innov8tiv brings you yet another exclusive interview featuring, Ethel Delali Cofie. A fem boss who not only understands and speaks technology, but also she is helping businesses around the world become more efficient and productive through technology. She had a successful career in the world of technology integration into business, prior to opening her own IT consulting firm for businesses. The following is our interview with Ethel Delalie Cofie.
Tell us about yourself (example your name, your position and how long you’ve been employed?) Please mention all of your current projects as well
I help businesses to leverage on technology and strategy and enable them innovate and make profit. I have over the years done these various capacities; I worked in the United Kingdom as a Business Analyst who understands business requirements for technology. I helped build the Mobile Tech for Health Project funded by the Bill and Melinda Gates foundation in Ghana, the pilot was so successful it has been replicated in Uganda, India and Tanzania.
I helped build a citizen crowdsourcing platform in for the Ford Foundation in Nigeria and did similar projects in Sierra Leone too. My Last corporate role was head of Commercial Solutions at Vodafone where I will be remembered for my work in the implementation of a Customer Relationship Platform which greatly improved customer service across the organization.
More recently I run my own Company Edel Consulting where I help my customers stay ahead Of the competition by providing the right technologies to reduce cost and increase profits. I have an MSc in Distributed Systems from the University of Brighton and a recent President Obama Washington Fellow m I am currently at Yale University as part of the program.
You are a Board advisor for egotickets.com and chillaxapp.com Tell us about your role and amount of advising technology platforms and the impact of having a woman on the board.
Entrepreneurship is one of my loves, before starting Edel, I had years before I attempted to start a consultancy and failed, and this spurred on me to study entrepreneurs and what made or unmade entrepreneurs.
Both companies approached me because they believed that I brought a unique perspective, and my no-nonsense attitude always helps puts things in perspective. I am good with Strategy, and I use that to support the companies I advise.
According to Forbes Data analyzed by Catalyst reveals that between 2004 and 2008 the top quartile of companies with the highest percentage of women directors outperformed companies in the quartile with the lowest percentage by 26%
I believe the companies that I advise are better off because of my unique set of skills i.e. a Technical person who understands strategy and business and as a woman I bring a different set of strengths and different ways of looking at things.
I have mostly enjoyed my career. Probably my most difficult time was when I begun to feel my career had stalled and needed to move on, this was when I worked with Vodafone. I took my life into my own hands at that point and moved on.
In your experience, what do you think is severely lacking within the African Tech Communities?
Experience and understanding of product management and strategy. I also feel like most don’t understand what it means to position yourself ready for opportunities.
What is your career advice to college students studying technology?
Learn the principles and offer your skills as much as you can to gain practical knowledge.
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