FINN in Africa: Collaboration, Growth and a Global Community at Work

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FINN in Africa: Collaboration, Growth and a Global Community at Work

November 11, 2025

At FINN Partners, collaboration is not a work style; it is a community superpower. It connects our "work hard and play nice" ethos to how we serve clients, communities and each other. It reflects a vision that Peter Finn, CEO and Founding Managing Partner, understood from the agency's very genesis: building a business requires building a culture grounded in shared values of respect, inclusion, curiosity and courage.

Peter's vision was to create an agency with both a heart and a conscience that embraces diversity, encourages taking risks, and prizes collaboration as the engine of progress. Our success and growing commitment across Africa are powerful examples of that founding vision.

Africa's Economic Inflection Point

Africa is no longer a distant growth story. Once viewed primarily through the lens of aid, the continent is emerging as one of the world's most dynamic centers of economic and social innovation. Six of the world's 10 fastest-growing economies are in Africa. The African Development Bank projects that the continent's combined GDP will exceed $4.5 trillion by 2030, driven by the rise of middle-income nations, local manufacturing, digital innovation and trade integration through the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA).

Demographics reinforce this momentum. Africa's population is projected to reach 1.7 billion within the decade, and it is the youngest in the world, with a median age under 20. Consumer spending is expected to surpass $2.5 trillion by 2030, fueled by rapid urbanization, expanding infrastructure, and a connected, entrepreneurial generation. From Nairobi to Lagos to Johannesburg, Africa's innovators are developing solutions that address local needs and global aspirations.

These same trends are transforming the continent's health landscape and they are at the center of Voices in African Health, a new podcast that examines how global health policies and investments shape outcomes across Africa. Each episode features experts and innovators bridging the gap between international agendas and the realities of African health systems and communities.

For multinational enterprises, Africa represents more than a moral imperative; it is a growth imperative. As developed economies face aging populations and plateaued expansion, Africa's youthful markets and vibrant talent base are rewriting the global investment map. For FINN, this presents an opportunity to leverage our expertise in communications and sector-specific knowledge to advance the continent's momentum.

The Power of Collaboration

People often ask, "Why is collaboration so essential to FINN's success?" Because it transforms potential into performance. As Harvard Business Review recently observed, collaboration is no longer a "soft skill" but a measurable driver of innovation and resilience. For FINN, it's the connective tissue between objectives and results. It's how the agency integrates strategy with creativity, data with storytelling, and local insight with global connections.

Africa magnifies that possibility. With 54 countries and more than 2,000 languages, progress depends on trust, cultural fluency and expertise. Collaboration is not coordination; it is leadership. It means listening before speaking, learning before acting, and building together rather than apart. When collaboration flourishes, possibilities become probabilities.

Global Reach, Local Leadership

That principle came to life through a recent initiative in Kenya, a vivid example of how FINN values manifest in the field. Sharon Quntai and Mouna Belkhayat, two accomplished FINN leaders in Africa, led the project with excellence. Sharon ensured that every engagement aligned with client priorities and in-market goals. Mouna's North African perspective helped the program resonate across regions, strengthening its reach and sustainability.

Darren Jones, partner, has long been a mentor and champion for FINN Africa efforts, guiding colleagues, opening doors for collaboration, and nurturing local leadership. Darren's steadfast belief in Africa's potential reflects Peter Finn's founding insight: that mentoring is as vital as managing.

From Europe, multi-lingual Mina Volovitch, a Paris-based senior partner, provided strategic counsel, ensuring that Africa's work was integrated into continental communications priorities. From Beijing, Jason Cao, managing partner, contributed insights from prior client connections in Asia, demonstrating how global alignment reinforces effectiveness.

In the UK and Europe, Mark Chataway, managing partner, one of the most experienced voices in global health communication, helped refine messages that strike a balance between technical authority and human connection. His decades of experience across global low- and middle-income nations have shaped FINN ability to communicate with authenticity and action.

Richard Hatzfeld, senior partner, brought the perspective of someone who has lived the mission. Before joining FINN, Richard worked extensively across Africa, supporting disease prevention and treatment campaigns. He carries those experiences forward in guiding multinational health organizations on how to partner authentically and communicate impact responsibly. His career serves as a bridge between global policy and local progress, and a reminder that experience on the ground is the foundation of understanding.

Supporting and connecting these efforts is Christopher Nial, senior partner, a constant resource to colleagues across geographies. Christopher's insight, attention to detail, and ability to link ideas and people ensure that collaboration at FINN is not just encouraged but enabled. He embodies the connective energy that keeps our global network aligned and responsive.

Together, these colleagues exemplify what makes FINN distinctive: a single, global team unified in purpose, guided by shared values, and dedicated to helping clients and communities succeed together. Some of their inspiring work can be found on the FINN Africa website.

Africa: The Growth Frontier

Africa's evolution is reshaping global economics and communication. Middle-income nations are developing advanced manufacturing, renewable energy and health innovation capacity. The AfCFTA is creating a single market of 1.4 billion people, facilitating cross-border trade and investment on an unprecedented scale. Venture capital investment is climbing steadily, with fintech, aggrotech and healthtech leading the way. African startups are not waiting for an invitation; they are defining global relevance.

For companies expanding into Africa, success requires listening, partnership and local insight. It is not about exporting solutions but co-creating them. That is where FINN philosophy, grounded in collaboration and purpose, comes to life. We approach Africa as members of communities; we collaborate as peers, learning from the continent's energy and contributing our experience to advance its progress.

Culture as Competitive Advantage

The foundation for this work returns to Peter Finn's guiding conviction: culture and community precede growth. Long before "purpose-driven business" became a standard, he envisioned an agency built around humanity, where collaboration, diversity and courage are seen not as optional but as essential.

"Work hard and play nice" wasn't meant as a slogan; it was a strategy for building trust and inspiring creativity. Our success in Africa and across every region where we operate reflects that ethos. It shows how a culture rooted in shared values becomes a platform for championing client innovation. Collaboration, as Peter has always believed, is more than a value; it is the mechanism that turns belief into results.

Africa's story is still being written, and so is ours. Each global project deepens our understanding of partnership. Each colleague contributes new perspective. Together, we are defining what it means to collaborate for good and for growth.

From Sharon and Mouna's leadership to Darren's mentorship, Mina's savvy counsel, Jason's global insights, Mark's guidance, Richard's field-tested wisdom, and Christopher's quiet constancy, FINN success in Africa is a reflection of the culture imagined from the start: an agency with both heart and conscience. Collaboration is how we connect. Partnership is how we grow. Purpose, as Peter envisioned, is why we never stop.

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POSTED BY: Gil Bashe