Former UT Bank Boss, Kofi Amoabeng delivered an inspiring speech during the 9th Edition of the What I Wish I Knew (WIWIK) Summit held at the University of Ghana.

He urged participants not to be afraid of failure but rather view it as an opportunity to bounce back even stronger.

In his address, Mr. Amoabeng highlighted some key factors that every entrepreneur must consider when starting and maintaining a business.

He emphasized the significance of managing family and friend relations, tradition, the church, and interactions with politicians. According to him, these factors play a critical role in the success of any business, and mishandling them can lead to various challenges.

Linking these factors to the UT Bank story, Mr. Amoabeng mentioned that “The problem I had with UT was that I was so hard I wasn’t doing either of these things”.

Advising upcoming entrepreneurs, he mentioned that "It is okay to be like me when you are small but when you come above the raider you must find a way around working with these people.”

The WIWIK Conference, held annually, has evolved into one of the most prominent personal development events on university campuses. Its primary objective is to enlighten, guide, and motivate final year undergraduate students.

This year's conference featured Daniel Mckorley, the CEO of McDan, who shared his remarkable entrepreneurial journey with the participants. Distinguished panelists for this edition included Dr. Dennis Oteng, CEO of Ravens Consulting Gh, Prof. Carol Javis, a Professor in Knowledge Exchange and Innovation at Bristol Business School in the UK, Sammy Gyamfi, a prominent Politician, Audrey Naa Dei Kotey, Esq, FCCA, Managing Partner at Audrey Grey, and Chairperson of ACCA Ghana Network Panel, and Doris Ahiati, CEO of Crescendo Consult.

The event provided an excellent platform for students to learn from accomplished individuals, gain valuable insights, and be inspired to pursue their own paths to success.

This year’s conference was on the theme “Thriving in uncertainty; a conversation on intrapreneurship and entrepreneurship”.

Speaking to the media on the side, the convener of the WIWIK conference Dr. Bernard Tawiah mentioned that “These past years have been marked by shifting narratives and unexpected outcomes. During times of ongoing uncertainty, there is a constant need for everyone to deal effectively with disruption, adapt quickly to change and keep focused in order to succeed and thrive. This year’s conference has equipped our participants with a toolkit of simple, practical, evidence-based techniques that can apply in their intrapreneurship or entrepreneurship journey in these challenging times”.

at WIWIK Conference 2023

During the WIWIK Conference, the keynote address was delivered by Hannah Ashiokai Akrong, the Human Resources Director of Vodafone Ghana. She emphasized the significance of nurturing an entrepreneurial spirit within organizations, coining it as "intrapreneurship."

Akrong also highlighted the importance of creating an environment that fosters innovation and does not penalize failure. Dr. Dennis Oteng, CEO of Ravens Consult Gh, encouraged participants to prioritize the growth of their family businesses rather than solely seeking employment opportunities, especially given the challenges of the current business climate.

The WIWIK Conference was organized by the WIWIK Foundation, a non-profit organization, in partnership with the University of Ghana Business School, the Graduate Students Association of Ghana (GRASAG), and Crescendo Consult.

The 2023 edition of the conference was sponsored by Ravens Consulting Ghana, ACCA, Akosombo Textiles, MPA, Benchmark Professional Institute, and powered by Order Consult.