“Crazy” is the word Youssoupha Diop, Partner and Co-Founder of GDI ADVISORS, uses to describe himself. It is because of the bold ideas that come to his mind. He has achieved great things because he is unrealistic. “If I were just normal, I suppose I would be doing normal things,” he says. Although he doesn’t like to brag about his accomplishments, his bold ideas are shaping the future not only of his home country, Senegal, but also of Africa.
Standing on the cusp of greater accomplishments, Youssoupha feels proud that he didn’t give up on his dreams and vision, despite initially receiving a lukewarm response to his ideas. For him, it’s a major achievement to have done things his own way. “I can confidently say that I’m bringing something positive to the world,” he says.
Youssoupha’s proudest achievements include a project with the IFC in Uganda, which facilitated access to credit for nearly 1,000 MSMEs and small-to-medium businesses – who traditionally fail to get loans from banks. Other accomplishments, he highlights, are the creation of the first data lake for women in agriculture in Senegal and helping Senegal’s national customs become more efficient. Overall, he takes pride in creating value for governments, the private sector, and the communities they serve.
“What excites me most is that we are just getting started,” Youssoupha says. “There are more ideas and initiatives on the way.”
Taking a Detour from the Original Dream
Youssoupha shares that the career path he is currently following was not his initial plan. A son of a neurologist father, he originally wanted to become a doctor. “I was so sure that I would become a doctor that even my email address was Doctor Youssoupha. People who haven’t seen me in years may think that I’m a doctor now,” Youssoupha says. He wanted to pursue medicine to help people and solve their problems, inspired by his parents who have helped people all their lives. However, when it was time to go to university, Youssoupha took a different path.
“I went from biochemistry to marketing, economics, and ultimately to management,” he recalls. “I struggled in the university, trying to find my way, passion, and what drives me.” He studied for his bachelor’s degree in business administration at the Université de Sherbrooke in Quebec, Canada.
After earning his bachelor’s degree, he joined Citibank in Canada, where he consistently met his profit targets. After three years, he began to think that this couldn’t be his life. The bank’s business model demanded that Youssoupha and others bring in more and more profits every year. He began to think, “Am I supposed to focus on increasing profit margins all my life?” To him, it felt a bit shallow.
As he had spent almost 10 years in Canada, Youssoupha began thinking about returning to Senegal. However, he wasn’t sure what he wanted to do next. “I just knew that I wanted to contribute to the development of my country and continent,” he says. He decided to enroll in the University of Birmingham’s online master’s degree program.
Youssoupha shares that he had first applied to the university’s onsite program, but was denied admission due to his low grades. Instead of applying elsewhere, he called the program director and explained his journey and the reasons behind his academic performance. She advised him that he would have a better chance if he applied to the online program. He followed her advice. As the course was online, Youssoupha moved to Asia – because it had the same beginnings as Africa. While doing his master’s degree in international development, he lived in the Philippines, Thailand, and other countries.
When he lived in Japan, he noted that the country may not have a lot of resources, but it has methodology, discipline, and technology. Youssoupha says that this impression stayed with him even after he left the country.
After earning his master’s degree, Youssoupha joined Dalberg, a global consulting firm.
The Path Leading to Founding GDI ADVISORS
“When I was working at Dalberg, I was able to solve problems,” he recalls. “It tied back to me wanting to be a doctor to resolve problems and help people.” He liked working as a consultant, which allowed him to work on projects to help the government, private sector, communities, and other different sectors. “This is when, I guess, the first seeds of GDI started to take root,” Youssoupha says.
At Dalberg, he climbed the ladder rapidly – he progressed from the role of analyst to project manager within a few years. While still working at the firm, he noted a gap, which became more apparent when COVID-19 hit the world. Youssoupha points out that they were stuck inside, and only those businesses that were using technology, like online platforms, were functioning. He noticed a lack of such technology in his country. According to Youssoupha¸ in most parts of the world, children continued their education through remote learning, but not his continent’s children. They had to attend school. China building a hospital in ten days also impressed him. He found the world outside his country and continent more efficient because of technology, modernization, and automation.
When he saw what was happening in other parts of the world, Youssoupha says that he had a sort of epiphany. He realized how technology and innovation could help them truly leapfrog as a continent. “We’ve missed the other revolutions, like the industrial revolution,” Youssoupha says. “However, I feel we can still be part of this new wave of revolution caused by disruptive technologies – AI, big data, internet of things, robotics – because everyone is discovering them roughly the same time.”
Youssoupha decided it would be beneficial to first apply these innovations and technologies by finding use cases that could truly work for Africa. He explains that since the continent is already behind, they can’t afford to waste any more time. “Whatever we can accomplish in two hours instead of two days, we should go for it,” he adds. Youssoupha was determined to ensure that Africa not only keeps up with global technology advancements but also contributes to them. “We have bright minds capable of building and proposing solutions to the world that can work for us as well.”
As a Manager at Dahlberg, he realized they needed to focus more on innovation and technology, and perhaps become more operational in terms of delivering technologies. However, his vision didn’t resonate with the management at the time. Youssoupha says they had their established business model, and his ideas didn’t quite fit into it.
“I tried to launch it from the inside, but I didn’t get the attention, resources, and the result that I wanted, he adds “So that’s when I started GDI ADVISORS as a co-founder.”
Challenges and Opportunities after Founding GDI ADVISORS
GDI ADVISORS is an innovation consulting and delivery firm focused on emerging countries. Initially, Youssoupha faced challenges in establishing it as a legitimate entity. Another significant hurdle was finding the right resources. As the staff was inexperienced, Youssoupha had to handle multiple responsibilities all at once, including training them, drafting concept notes, managing finances, driving the vision, and delivering on projects.
Fortunately, some big-name companies trusted GDI early on, such as IFC. “Even Dalberg worked with us on some projects,” Youssoupha points out. Currently, they are working on a project with Gavi, and they have collaborated with organizations like UNICEF, the Gates Foundation, and various governments, including the Ministry of Finance in Senegal and Benin, and the Ministry of Education in Senegal. They have also partnered with UNCDF and the Better Than Cash Alliance.
According to Youssoupha, some big names said, “We’ve nothing to lose. We’ve been doing the same things for years with almost the same results, so why not try a completely bold approach and disruptive technologies?”
Now, GDI has both a solid structure and solid references. It has given Youssoupha credibility. It allows him to meet someone not as an individual but as a team with resources, a network, and a group of experts.
Youssoupha believes the next challenge is gaining a bigger voice. “Some of these large companies have a seat at the table, and they can speak with the president of a country,” he notes.
Services, Sourcing, and a Strong Team
GDI ADVISORS offers a range of services, including advisory and implementation. Youssoupha points out that they advise on the use cases of technology, conduct market studies, draft strategies, and help with organizational restructuring. “We also focus on technology and innovation, which we refer to as design and technology,” he adds. “We use human-centered design to understand use cases from the beneficiary’s point of view.” In addition, they have expertise in software development, AI, big data, and hardware. They have the know-how for drones and robotics as well.
Youssoupha points out that as they still don’t have all the solutions in Senegal or Africa, they work with technology and innovation providers, sourcing from them the best solutions available globally. This sourcing, along with their knowledge of the sectors, regions, and technologies, enables them to offer something that is valuable for decision-makers, donors, and the community.
GDI has more than 30 consultants, engineers, lawyers – for technology transfer and procurement – and sector, technology, and gender experts.
Plans for the Future
Youssoupha intends to make GDI ADVISORS a flagship entity for delivering impactful innovations and technologies. “Right now, it’s more of a consulting firm,” Youssoupha says. “We want to provide impact at a delivery level, not just at a conceptual one. We want to go beyond slide presentations and crafting strategies.”
By “delivery level,” he means initiatives like drones and the setting up of credit-scoring mechanisms for MSMEs. For example, they are working with a telecom company to transition its infrastructure to solar energy.
The goal is to lead by example and focus more on the conceptualization and delivery of innovations and technology, says Youssoupha. He is also planning to open their own school in the future. He says that it will have a new curriculum and will train AI experts and future leaders, and teach about nutrition and financial literacy. The other plan of his is to have a farm to teach communities about the use of new technologies.
GDI has offices in Senegal and Cote d’Ivoire. Youssoupha informs that they will soon open a new one in Conakry, Guinea. He and his team intend to expand their footprints throughout Africa and not limit themselves to West Africa.
Under Youssoupha’s leadership, the firm aims to expand its reach, network, and impact.
Leadership and Conviction
At GDI ADVISORS, Youssoupha is responsible for the people who are with him on this journey to reshape Senegal and Africa. He not only takes care of their financial health but also their mental health. He does that by inspiring them and ensuring their ideas are heard.
As a leader, he believes in both leading and serving. When required, Youssoupha can be tough, demanding, and detail-oriented. “It’s always with good intentions,” he says. “I try to make sure that the people around me become the best versions of themselves.” Youssoupha not only challenges his team to deliver their best but also works alongside them on the ground, helping to work things out. Both he and his team are motivated by the conviction that their work is useful and impactful.
“What we’re doing is ultimately for ourselves, our sisters, brothers, and parents,” he explains. “The conviction that we’re heading to a better place as a country and continent keeps us motivated.”
Making a Difference
Success is defined differently by every leader, and Youssoupha has his own perspective. From a personal standpoint, he considers it a success if he feels he has lived up to his full potential and made a positive impact on the world – particularly through the good he has brought into it. He also views success as empowering the people around him.
Youssoupha has grown his company in ways that benefit the environment, communities, the region, his country, and Africa as a whole. According to him, some metrics for determining the company’s success include providing jobs, connecting with people, and helping them access better healthcare and housing.
Youssoupha would consider his life successful if the influence he has had ensures that people live better lives.
Message to Aspiring and Current Leaders
Many current leaders still work too much in silos. “Let’s work more together,” Youssoupha tells them. He advises aspiring leaders and entrepreneurs to believe in themselves and bet on their abilities.
To people around him, he always says they can always come back to who they are today, so it is best to take another step forward. “If it doesn’t work, you can always fall back to the job you were doing before. You already have the experience and references,” he says. You can return to that same company or go to another company. So, you might as well give it a try.”
Youssoupha also advises aspiring leaders to be good people and lead by example. “Lastly, don’t give up. It’s not going to be easy. You’ll face challenges along the way, but you should not give up,” he adds.
