The Standard Chartered Bank, in partnership with the British Council, yesterday hosted a management express forum workshop at the British Council hall.
The management express forum dealt with “how to develop successful and medium enterprises: A case study of Sam King Services” and was delivered by Mr Wilfred Sam-King the CEO of Sam King Services.
The forum is to provide the best available management and leadership skills for senior, middle and early career managers and the wider audiences and to help develop the capacity in Sierra Leone.
Mr Sam King took the audience through the history of his company, the strategies of developing small and medium scale businesses, entrepreneurship and financial management and planning.
Mr Sam King also pointed out that banks in Sierra Leone had helped him with the success of his business but pivotal among the banks was the Standard Chartered.
He said it was the first bank he started banking with in this country, and because of the remarkable client and customer relationship of the bank he was able to garner strategic knowledge to make decision on investments which catapulted his business.
He said the bank still maintained this good relationship with its client noting that, “I had more knowledge in business and banking from Standard Chartered Bank than any other bank in Sierra Leone”.
Mr Sam King also praised Eyram Atsu (currently the head of origination and client coverage) for taking the patience to explain to him the nitty-gritty of banking and their various products.
He said he (Eyram Atsu) was more of a trainer than a banker.
The Sam King Services CEO stated that like Standard Chartered Bank, banks should educate their customers about their products and how they could access credit facilities.
The forum was highly participatory and explored issues that border on best practice and it also catered for a membership of young professionals who met once a month to discuss current management topics with peers and experts.
Standard Chartered Bank, which is one of the leading international banks in Sierra Leone, employs nearly 120 people.
The bank is the leading foreign bank in terms of trading profit in the country; no doubt it bagged the prestigious Banker Award of the financial Times in London, four years consecutively, 2004-2007.
The bank stated that it would continue to sponsor the management express forum in partnership with the British Council to develop capacity in the country.
By Mohamed Fofanah
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