An Authentic African – Nikesh Patel

Tall, handsome, elegant and keeping a very relaxed composure, it is hard, at first glance, to fathom Nikesh Patel’s origins. He swiftly blends into any space with a very open and friendly attitude, and within minutes of meeting this amazing storyteller, one is debating about life, History, business, geostrategy and, his passion, Africa!

“This little boy here, walking through the airport terminal, that’s me,” states Nikesh Patel simply, pausing a YouTube video on his Smartphone. As I contemplate the neatly combed little boy arriving at a British Airport for the first time of his life, time seems to stand still. Here I am interviewing a man who seems to be enjoying the sunny side of life in Mauritius, yet, who was once caught in History’s dark periods, fleeing his birthland Uganda with his mother and brother and starting a six-year long separation from his father who had to flee to Kenya. A golden childhood, in a prominent and secure household, shattered by the games of politics, reminding me of similar stories from French people who were forced to flee Algeria or Mauritians who were compelled to flee Zimbabwe.

I gulp and come back to the grown-up and successful businessman conversing with me in a calm and poised voice. Nikesh Patel comments with a smile: “In UK, they always air this video when there are documentaries on successful migration and integration. We, the Gujaratis coming from Uganda, are maybe one of the best examples of integration as refugees in the UK.”

What is surprising about Nikesh Patel is that he is forward looking. In a matter of fact way, he observes: “Indians are naturally resilient and do believe in Karma. So, this happened in the past and we accepted it, losing our home, belongings, estate, flourishing business, friends and memories of Uganda.

But the Gujaratis have always been entrepreneurs and have always believed in working and s쳮ding on their own feet. And this entrepreneur spirit always helped me and my family move forward. In the UK, my uncles provided a strong support. And, instead of remaining in a depressive shell, there was acceptance of the situation, and I was able to continue my studies from then onwards.” (Editor’s note: At this point of the conversation, I must confess that I am already convinced that Nikesh Patel cannot have been anything else than a University topper.) Much to my surprise, however he declares: “Oh choosing geochemistry, the chemistry of rocks, was truly a mistake!”

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A very passionate sportsman

When an ordinary person says ‘it was a mistake’, it means he failed and had to start from scratch. But, as I could have betted, when Nikesh Patel says so, it means that despite not being passionate about these studies, he completed his courses with flying colours. Still one can’t help but chuckle as this amazing story teller recounts how a young and dashing Londoner, still in his early twenties, felt when he reached the shores of Australia to do his PhD. “Imagine, London was all about city life, night life, music, technology, movement, and to land in the countryside and desert landscapes of Australia was a shock. Fortunately, now Melbourne is a thriving city which young people love, but back at that time, it was much less cosmopolite and lively.”

What we learn from the life stories of businessmen made of grit, steel and vision like Nikesh Patel is that they never consider what life has given them as useless. His business and work experience is a succession of decisions: what to invest in, when to change the game, when to take up new opportunities, how to diversify and when to undertake new ventures. And thus, he has built an impressive network, first in the mining sector in ex-Zaïre, then in the telecommunications area when he was headhunted by Motorola to join its cellular division, and other fields down the line such a high-quality coffee making. Nikesh Patel has travelled extensively to over 45 African countries and advised investors and companies: “Africa is the place to be!” As Honorary consul of Rwanda, one of the most forward-looking and thriving African countries, his expertise is now considerably sought after. “When we hear of failures, generally, it’s through lack of due diligence.

A major company went to Africa to set up a fishing company and then realised there was no fish to start with! This is a cringeworthy but true story. So, we need to know where and how to invest among the 54 African countries, be strategic, shortlist the best, do the due diligence and, only then, invest. And East Africa, for example, is truly a land of opportunities not to be missed. I have been working for over 15 years in Rwanda and it is a fact that this dynamic country is combining all the ingredients of success.” 

All hard work however means sacrifice on personal and family life but is also rewarding. Thus, it is by a chance business meeting that Nikesh Patel met with his wife-to-be in Mauritius. After years of travelling for business, he is now happily settled here and takes time to enjoy quality-time with his family and cricket friends. Because, one thing to know is that, if ‘football’ is the magical word to crack up the toughest of Mauritians, for Nikesh Patel, the sesame which lights up his eyes is ‘cricket’. A very passionate sportsman, he trains regularly with a group of players and he dreams big. “Oh yes! We hope that a Mauritian team will be able to take part in international competitions!”

Likes

Cricket, travelling & good Indian food

Dislikes

Bad drivers & littering

Inspiration

Sai Baba & his teachings

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