AI Issue 5 2018

Acquisition International - Issue 5 2018 15 CAAFER International SA is a tax and legal expertise firm headquartered in Burkina Faso. We invited Mahamady Zango to tell us more about the company and the dedicated staff that it employs. ounded in 2013, CAAFER International is an active firm, operating throughout Africa and providing assistance, advice, audit, as well as training in legal, tax and customs matters. Typically, the clients of the firm are investors, large companies, SMEs, NGOs and Associations and Governments of African States. Mahamady starts off the discussion by explaining what the firm’s approach is when undertaking a new client, and what techniques the team employ in order to ensure that the end result meets the needs of everyone involved. “Here at CAAFER International, our approach is based on listening to the customer and identifying their real needs. The firm has a large team of experts in our areas of intervention and we are flexible enough to adapt the services we offer to the essential needs of our clients. Also, we have a quality-oriented approach and control mechanisms are in place within the firm, to ensure that the services we provide to our clients are of excellent quality and fully satisfy our clients.” Going into further detail about his business strategies, Mahamady comments on the strategies which the team are in the process of developing, and he remarks that he is satisfied that the firm is continuing to satisfy clients, however they do look to exceed expectations. “Currently, our team is currently working on the implementation of our strategic plan, which will position the firm as a leader in Africa in our sector of activity within a few years. We regularly monitor our performance indicators and we are satisfied with the progress we are making as we meet the needs of our clients.” Company: CAAFER International Contact: Mahamady Zango Address: 12 BP 195 Ouagadougou 12, Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso Email: [email protected] Phone: 00226 25 36 60 62 Website: www.caaferinternational.com Professionalism on a Daily Basis F 1805AI15 Discussing the state of the tax and legal industry at the moment, the team have noted that the market is constantly evolving and it is vital that the team is able to stay ahead of these developments. Mahamady believes that CAAFER International must work hard to adapt and anticipate any advances which will arise across the sector. “Excitingly, our business sector is evolving in Africa and we are important players in this change. We have always had the ambition to bring major innovations and break with the traditional system of consulting firms. Our customers are in continuous innovation in their way of working and doing business. As a consulting firm, we need to anticipate and go faster than our clients in order to give them fair and informed opinions. Importantly, this is what we do.” Possessing a wealth of experience, Mahamady shares with us what attributes he believes are essential to achieving success in the industry. “In order to succeed in the legal sector, companies and staff must act with the utmost professionalism, quality and innovation. These attributes are central to the success of the firm and are embedded in the company values.” Internally, Mahamady has managed to cultivate a working atmosphere which sees employees working together to achieve the same mission and provide an excellent service to clients. Ensuring clients are happy to work motivates them to produce their best work, and Mahamady outlines the company’s stringent recruitment structure which ensures the company is able to employ the best staff. “Firstly, we recruit our staff based on their skills and personal values and this already gives us the advantage of having a dedicated staff to the absolute satisfaction of our customers. Then we have a continuous staff training program, which allows our firm to offer the best services to our clients. Beyond all this, we make sure that our staff is very fulfilled in the context of work and also in the social context.” Moving forward, there is a deep desire embedded within CAAFER for the firm to be the leader in the sector within Africa, before expanding further afield. Lastly, the team at CAAFER have a long-term aim to be the fifth firm to join the four largest firms to create the Big Five Group. “...we recruit our staff based on their skills and personal values and this already gives us the advantage of having a dedicated staff to the absolute satisfaction of our customers.”