Dan and Campbell Vogel, B2R Borrowed Talent. Dan was the assistant to the RDB CEO.
Recently the World Bank’s Doing Business Report ranked Rwanda the leader for developing economies as a place to do business. Bridge2Rwanda wanted to check in with Dan Vogel, a recent B2R borrowed talent member, to see how he and the Rwandan Development Board (RDB) worked this past year to make this ranking a reality. The following is our interview with Dan Vogel-
B2R: Was the ‘Doing Business’ ranking an initiative of the RDB?
DV: From its inception, RDB made the Doing Business rankings one of our top priorities. We were charged with making Rwanda an easier place to do business, and the World Bank rankings are the definitive measure for evaluating a country’s business climate. The World Bank essentially challenged us: if you can pass a few big laws and cut some red tape in key places, Rwanda could jump 50 spots in the rankings. We set up a specific unit within RDB whose sole responsibility was driving these reforms to fruition.
To me, this achievement really demonstrates the power of personal leadership. The process wasn’t particularly complicated: RDB laid out a few clear goals, developed a plan and timeline for achieving those goals, and held people accountable for executing. It worked because people across the government were committed to getting these reforms done. And this happened because our CEO, Joe Ritchie, succeeded in rallying other key leaders to the cause and in generously sharing the credit.
I knew Rwanda would move up in the rankings, but we exceeded everyone’s expectations by jumping 76 spots! In fact, this was the largest improvement that any country has ever achieved in the DB rankings. It really is an incredible accomplishment.
B2R: How did you participate?
DV: I actually worked on the Doing Business rankings my very first day on the job at the RDB, when Joe told me this was a top priority and tasked me with connecting with the World Bank team in Washington, DC. From then on, I served as a liaison with our counterparts in Washington. We made a point to communicate with them every few weeks to seek their guidance and to stay on track with our game plan.
Honestly, I played a very small role in the whole thing. In addition to Joe, the credit goes to Clare Akamanzi, who managed the entire effort, and Frank Twagira, who coordinated RDB’s Doing Business unit. Clare and Frank are two of the most competent and committed young leaders that I worked with in Rwanda, and they both did an outstanding job in getting these reforms done.
B2R: What is the function of the RDB?
DV: The RDB is a new government institution charged with fast-tracking Rwanda’s economic development. The CEO reports directly to President Kagame and is responsible for tackling the most urgent problems and opportunities affecting the country’s economic growth—everything from ICT infrastructure and workforce development to attracting private investment and building a better business climate. Modeled after Singapore’s acclaimed Economic Development Board, RDB is trying to create the conditions for the private sector to grow, create jobs, and expand opportunities for all Rwandans.
B2R: Give us an explanation of your role in general at the RDB.
DV: As an Advisor to the CEO, I handled a variety of priority projects for Joe and the rest of our senior leadership team. Initially, we were focused solely on getting this new institution off the ground, which involved merging eight existing government agencies and bringing more than 600 employees together under one roof. This was basically a lot of organizational logistics: trying to build the systems and processes that would enable the new agency to function effectively (still a work in progress!). I also helped with developing policy and programs related to workforce development, assisting some of our priority investors, and generally trying to keep the trains running on time.
B2R: What would you say to businesses looking to expand their operations to Rwanda?
DV: First and foremost, there are incredible opportunities to make money in Rwanda. Because the economy is still quite small and immature, there are countless businesses to be built and industries to be expanded.
Second, by investing and doing business in an honorable way, you can do a lot of good for a country that still desperately needs support. As President Kagame has said many times, the country doesn’t need more charity or development aid; it needs business investment that will grow the private sector and create more jobs. You want to help the poor? Make a business investment.
Third, as these rankings reflect, you would be operating in an extremely unique environment marked by principled leadership and good governance that is based fundamentally on a sound moral foundation.
Finally, I would caution that you need to be patient and persistent, because while these reforms are an important first step, Rwanda can still be a tough place to do business. Government can be painfully inefficient, and it still takes a long time to get things done. You also can’t underestimate the scale of the challenges, particularly the lack of human capital.
Bottom line: with a little persistence, by investing in Rwanda, you are getting in on the ground floor of a venture that is about to take off in a big way. When Rwanda is held up as a model for the rest of the developing world, you will want to be part of that story!
B2R: What do you personally miss about Rwanda?
DV: You mean besides Tom Allen? I miss my Rwandan friends the most. Campbell and I built some rich relationships with friends whom we grew to love deeply. We still talk with many of these people every week, and we know we will maintain some friendships for the rest of our lives.
I also miss the opportunity to work in such an exciting, inspiring place. While the day-to-day environment could sometimes be chaotic and challenging, Bridge2Rwanda and the RDB provided me with an incredible opportunity to use my gifts in a really tangible, strategic way. I will always be grateful for that experience.
What are you doing now and how will your experiences in Rwanda benefit your future?
I am pursuing an MBA at Duke University’s Fuqua School of Business. My entire career to date has been focused on helping the poor and solving social challenges, but I’ve always approached it from a government perspective. What I saw in Rwanda was that the most effective and sustainable solutions to poverty in the developing world weren’t necessarily coming from government or NGOs. They were coming from people and businesses that were trying to make money and do good at the same time.
That fueled my desire to go to business school. I’d love to gain the skills needed to work in a for-profit business that is committed to achieving both financial and social returns—a “double bottom line.” Maybe back in Rwanda!
——————————————————————————————————————————————-
Bridge2Rwanda was fortunate to help Dan and Campbell Vogel get plugged into Rwanda by recruiting them as some of the first borrowed talent to move in 2008. This husband-wife team made tremendous contributions to Rwanda while living in the country. Dan was Advisor to the CEO for the Rwanda Development Board and Campbell was Bridge2Rwanda Communications Consultant to King Faisal Hospital in Kigali. Dan and Campbell attended the University of Virginia and moved to Rwanda after six years of government service in Washington, D.C. They recently moved back to the U.S. with an even stronger passion for Rwanda, after having lived there.
For more information on the RDB and Doing Business Report:
New Times Articles on Joe Ritchie and RDB:
http://www.newtimes.co.rw/print.php?issue=13929&print&article=16659
Washington Post/Tech Crunch Piece on RDB’s Efforts to Expand Information Technology
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/06/24/AR2009062401533.html
Fast Company Report on Rwanda: “A New Model of Economic Development”
http://www.fastcompany.com/magazine/134/special-report-rwanda-rising.html
Doing Business Report: http://www.doingbusiness.org/
B2R Plays Role in Rwanda’s New Rank in World Bank Report
Dan and Campbell Vogel, B2R Borrowed Talent. Dan was the assistant to the RDB CEO.
Recently the World Bank’s Doing Business Report ranked Rwanda the leader for developing economies as a place to do business. Bridge2Rwanda wanted to check in with Dan Vogel, a recent B2R borrowed talent member, to see how he and the Rwandan Development Board (RDB) worked this past year to make this ranking a reality. The following is our interview with Dan Vogel-
B2R: Was the ‘Doing Business’ ranking an initiative of the RDB?
DV: From its inception, RDB made the Doing Business rankings one of our top priorities. We were charged with making Rwanda an easier place to do business, and the World Bank rankings are the definitive measure for evaluating a country’s business climate. The World Bank essentially challenged us: if you can pass a few big laws and cut some red tape in key places, Rwanda could jump 50 spots in the rankings. We set up a specific unit within RDB whose sole responsibility was driving these reforms to fruition.
To me, this achievement really demonstrates the power of personal leadership. The process wasn’t particularly complicated: RDB laid out a few clear goals, developed a plan and timeline for achieving those goals, and held people accountable for executing. It worked because people across the government were committed to getting these reforms done. And this happened because our CEO, Joe Ritchie, succeeded in rallying other key leaders to the cause and in generously sharing the credit.
I knew Rwanda would move up in the rankings, but we exceeded everyone’s expectations by jumping 76 spots! In fact, this was the largest improvement that any country has ever achieved in the DB rankings. It really is an incredible accomplishment.
B2R: How did you participate?
DV: I actually worked on the Doing Business rankings my very first day on the job at the RDB, when Joe told me this was a top priority and tasked me with connecting with the World Bank team in Washington, DC. From then on, I served as a liaison with our counterparts in Washington. We made a point to communicate with them every few weeks to seek their guidance and to stay on track with our game plan.
Honestly, I played a very small role in the whole thing. In addition to Joe, the credit goes to Clare Akamanzi, who managed the entire effort, and Frank Twagira, who coordinated RDB’s Doing Business unit. Clare and Frank are two of the most competent and committed young leaders that I worked with in Rwanda, and they both did an outstanding job in getting these reforms done.
B2R: What is the function of the RDB?
DV: The RDB is a new government institution charged with fast-tracking Rwanda’s economic development. The CEO reports directly to President Kagame and is responsible for tackling the most urgent problems and opportunities affecting the country’s economic growth—everything from ICT infrastructure and workforce development to attracting private investment and building a better business climate. Modeled after Singapore’s acclaimed Economic Development Board, RDB is trying to create the conditions for the private sector to grow, create jobs, and expand opportunities for all Rwandans.
B2R: Give us an explanation of your role in general at the RDB.
DV: As an Advisor to the CEO, I handled a variety of priority projects for Joe and the rest of our senior leadership team. Initially, we were focused solely on getting this new institution off the ground, which involved merging eight existing government agencies and bringing more than 600 employees together under one roof. This was basically a lot of organizational logistics: trying to build the systems and processes that would enable the new agency to function effectively (still a work in progress!). I also helped with developing policy and programs related to workforce development, assisting some of our priority investors, and generally trying to keep the trains running on time.
B2R: What would you say to businesses looking to expand their operations to Rwanda?
DV: First and foremost, there are incredible opportunities to make money in Rwanda. Because the economy is still quite small and immature, there are countless businesses to be built and industries to be expanded.
Second, by investing and doing business in an honorable way, you can do a lot of good for a country that still desperately needs support. As President Kagame has said many times, the country doesn’t need more charity or development aid; it needs business investment that will grow the private sector and create more jobs. You want to help the poor? Make a business investment.
Third, as these rankings reflect, you would be operating in an extremely unique environment marked by principled leadership and good governance that is based fundamentally on a sound moral foundation.
Finally, I would caution that you need to be patient and persistent, because while these reforms are an important first step, Rwanda can still be a tough place to do business. Government can be painfully inefficient, and it still takes a long time to get things done. You also can’t underestimate the scale of the challenges, particularly the lack of human capital.
Bottom line: with a little persistence, by investing in Rwanda, you are getting in on the ground floor of a venture that is about to take off in a big way. When Rwanda is held up as a model for the rest of the developing world, you will want to be part of that story!
B2R: What do you personally miss about Rwanda?
DV: You mean besides Tom Allen? I miss my Rwandan friends the most. Campbell and I built some rich relationships with friends whom we grew to love deeply. We still talk with many of these people every week, and we know we will maintain some friendships for the rest of our lives.
I also miss the opportunity to work in such an exciting, inspiring place. While the day-to-day environment could sometimes be chaotic and challenging, Bridge2Rwanda and the RDB provided me with an incredible opportunity to use my gifts in a really tangible, strategic way. I will always be grateful for that experience.
What are you doing now and how will your experiences in Rwanda benefit your future?
I am pursuing an MBA at Duke University’s Fuqua School of Business. My entire career to date has been focused on helping the poor and solving social challenges, but I’ve always approached it from a government perspective. What I saw in Rwanda was that the most effective and sustainable solutions to poverty in the developing world weren’t necessarily coming from government or NGOs. They were coming from people and businesses that were trying to make money and do good at the same time.
That fueled my desire to go to business school. I’d love to gain the skills needed to work in a for-profit business that is committed to achieving both financial and social returns—a “double bottom line.” Maybe back in Rwanda!
——————————————————————————————————————————————-
Bridge2Rwanda was fortunate to help Dan and Campbell Vogel get plugged into Rwanda by recruiting them as some of the first borrowed talent to move in 2008. This husband-wife team made tremendous contributions to Rwanda while living in the country. Dan was Advisor to the CEO for the Rwanda Development Board and Campbell was Bridge2Rwanda Communications Consultant to King Faisal Hospital in Kigali. Dan and Campbell attended the University of Virginia and moved to Rwanda after six years of government service in Washington, D.C. They recently moved back to the U.S. with an even stronger passion for Rwanda, after having lived there.
For more information on the RDB and Doing Business Report:
New Times Articles on Joe Ritchie and RDB:
http://www.newtimes.co.rw/print.php?issue=13929&print&article=16659
Washington Post/Tech Crunch Piece on RDB’s Efforts to Expand Information Technology
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/06/24/AR2009062401533.html
Fast Company Report on Rwanda: “A New Model of Economic Development”
http://www.fastcompany.com/magazine/134/special-report-rwanda-rising.html
Doing Business Report: http://www.doingbusiness.org/