David Colvin on IBI’s New Branch Office in Ghana

With 20 years of experience working to improve lives in Africa, IBI opened a new branch office in Accra, Ghana in August 2015.

Leading this initiative is IBI’s President and CEO, David Colvin, who is now based in Accra. As David notes, Accra is an ideal place for an IBI branch office for several reasons:

“Being on the ground in Accra, we are able to solidify our network of African partner firms, NGO’s and consultants. We are in a position to exchange ideas with our clients and counterparts on what is working and why at the early stages of addressing a particular challenge. We are also able to travel more easily within the continent and beyond, as Accra is an international travel hub. The small time difference with Eastern time in the US allows me to share working hours with both the home office and our project offices in the field.”

IBI is currently implementing 3 contracts in Liberia. Ghana is one of the few places that offers regular, non-stop flights to Liberia.

“Getting to Liberia is so much easier and less expensive than it used to be for me. I can hold a meeting in the morning in Accra, jump on the daily flight to Monrovia, and be meeting with my IBI colleagues in Monrovia by late afternoon.”

IBI’s registered branch office in Ghana also enables us to move quickly to launch any new projects in the country.

“The Ghanaian consulting services sector is well developed. I am finding numerous ways of partnering with local organizations and individuals to combine our capabilities and address development challenges in innovative and exciting ways.”

The branch office in Accra expands IBI’s reach, opens new opportunities for partnerships, helps overcome logistical and operational challenges, and gives IBI a new avenue for contributing our ideas and experience to the development community.