If You Don’t Change How You See Africa, You Will Never Win in Africa

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L’Oréal does not struggle with ambition, brand strength, or investment. What breaks is execution inside Africa. Not because strategy is wrong; but because the operating model behind it is imported, not built for reality. Africa is not a smaller version of Europe or Asia. It is structurally different: - Informal economies dominate but are under-measured - Distribution is fragmented and relationship-driven - Consumer behaviour is shaped by culture, not just category - Local insight exists, but is not trusted at decision level This creates a consistent gap: Strong global strategy → weak local execution. This leadership intervention brings together African operators, builders, and system thinkers to confront that gap directly. Not as a market challenge, but as a leadership and operating model challenge. What L’Oréal Needs to Solve Now It's not about trying to “localise marketing.” It's rather about: - Shift Africa from “complex region” → “strategic growth engine” - Push local intelligence into global decision-making - Build credibility as an African voice inside a global system - Redesign how execution actually works on the ground The upcoming Deputy CEO visit is the moment. Not for exposure. But for reframing how Africa is understood at the highest level of the organisation.