London event aims to woo top diaspora professionals back to Africa
Homecoming Revolution Africa will be hosting over 26 top companies at its London Expo this weekend in an attempt to woo top diaspora professionals home.
These include Barclays Africa, Standard Bank Group, KPMG Africa, Diageo, Ecobank, Africa Health Placements, Chicken Republic, Globacom, Group Five and Deloitte.
Angel Jones, Chief Executive Officer and Founder of Homecoming Revolution said: “We’re seeing a demand for African professionals across all sectors: Financial Services, Management & Strategic Consulting, FMCG, ITC, Engineering & Construction, Healthcare, Education and Sales & Marketing.
“What makes the Homecoming Revolution platform unique is that employers are engaging candidates in an inspirational environment that includes motivating case studies, top speakers, workshops, relocation services, immigration advice, property and schools too.”
Homecoming Revolution has partnered with many professional diaspora networks to tap into the top African talent that’s interested in returning. And there’s a significant pool of professionals who are very interested in engaging.
Clarissa Azkoul from the International Organisation for Migration, “I’ve noticed a change in the attitude of African diaspora in the UK, they are all aware of what’s going on back home and they want to be a part of it.”
In fact, the brain drain in South Africa has reversed, with 359 000 professionals returning in the past five years. This is the vision for other African countries.
The speaker list line-up includes high profile Africans who have returned home themselves. These include Dr Mabouba Diagne from Barclays, Aly-Khan Satchu of Rich Management, Akinwale Ojomo from Diaspora Innovation Institute, Isaac Fokuo of the African Leadership Network, Yusuf Abramjee co-founder of LeadSA, Professor Nick Binedell from GIBS, Betty Enyonam Kumahor from ThoughtWorks, Samuel Mensah from KISUA and Mizinga Melu, voted African Businesswoman of the Year.
However, Jones claims that the decision to return home is an emotional onc.
“We’ve found that successful returnees move home firstly to be closer to friends and family, second for a sense of belonging and purpose and only third for career.
“So if you find yourself haggling over your pay package as the deciding factor on if you’ll move home or not – then you simply aren’t ready to return and you should stay where you are”.
The Expo is the same format on both days – Saturday and Sunday, March 15 and 16, at Olympia Conference Centre. Book tickets here: http://homecomingrevolution.com/attendees/
