Samuel Quayson, currently serving as Territory Manager for BD (a medical devices company), is a member of the Supervisory Committee of the GCPCUL. Sammy is dedicated to empowering teams and driving organizational success through collaboration and innovation. Samuel’s track record of success is marked by numerous accolades for exceptional performance throughout his career journey. He brings this wealth of knowledge and dedication to his role within the Supervisory Committee, ensuring that the GCPCUL operates with integrity, transparency, and an unwavering focus on serving the best interests of its members.

Intro
1.Kindly tell us about yourself

I describe myself as an encourager and a teacher. I am currently serving in the role as the MDS West Africa Territory Manager for BD. I have been in this exciting role for 5 years. It gives me the opportunity to introduce innovative MedTech devices that can help improve the healthcare system in the West Africa subregion. Before BD, I had the opportunity to invest 10 years and 3 years of my life with Pfizer and Sanofi respectively. I have been blessed with 3 kids and an amazing wife called Jane. I enjoy reading, gardening, walking and jogging. One of my aspirations is to plant 1000 trees in my lifetime. I also aspire to encourage more Ghanaians to workout. I am currently working towards participating in my first marathon in September.

2. Can you walk us through your time with the GCPCUL, beginning from the circumstances that culminated in your membership?

I have been a member of the credit union since my student days (from 2002). I joined the credit union because I saw it as an opportunity to secure my financial freedom. Indeed, it has been an awesome experience. After over 20 years of being a member, I am humbled to serve on the supervisory committee of the GCPCUL.

3. How have the experiences with GCPCUL shaped and guided your life endeavours?

Being a member has given me additional confidence in managing my finances. In addition, it has given me the opportunity to network, learn and share with other members how to grow businesses and manage career. The GCPCUL has also helped me undertake some projects comfortably. The ease and flexibility the GCPCUL provide when it comes to loans processing is excellent.

4. What nuggets of wisdom would you like to share with members to engender commitment to the cooperative movement?

In this VUCA (Volatile, Uncertain, Complex, Ambiguous) world, I strongly believe one of the greatest financial decisions a member will take is to continuously and consistently save and invest in the GCPCUL. Like a great oak tree, you will be able to withstand challenges and enjoy the benefits of your savings and investments in the GCPCUL.

5. What recommendations would you make to the BOD to make GCPCUL even better?

I want to first thank the BOD for the great work done so far. I will recommend the BOD to lead with more integrity and dream even bigger so they can take the GCPCUL to the next level. Based on the recent financial storms in the world, the BOD should also put in place policies and strategies that will further strengthen our credit union and make us more relevant in the future. You are doing very well for yourself and for your country through your role as Manager for BD.

6. What are the highlights (highs and lows) of your professional journey?

Getting my role at Pfizer was a great experience as a young professional. It gave me the opportunity to learn from my peers and senior colleagues, grow innovative products and develop my public speaking skills. The opportunity to launch products and solutions in Ghana that positively impacted patients living with glaucoma, hypertension and high cholesterol levels was another positive learning in Pfizer. I also learnt about the “OWN IT” culture. I still keep my OWN IT coin in my wallet. It serves as a reminder that I need to be a great steward wherever I find myself. This will ultimately help me serve and touch more patient lives with my work.

Moving into the medical device industry has been another amazing high in my career. Serving patients across the West Africa subregion has helped me contribute positively to launching new medical devices that positively impact patients living with cancer and kidney failure.The opportunity to introduce solutions that can help improve the survival of premature babies always gives me joy.

One of my lows was when my manager told me I had to go on a PIP. Then it was difficult. It however helped me to build my business acumen, become more resilient, confident, patient and focused to serve and deliver exceptional results.

7. What has been your key driving force to coming this far?

Ghana is a developing country with great potential and my objective is to contribute positively through my work to help build a resilient healthcare system. My principle is that if I take care of the patient beyond their wildest dreams, the patient will also take care of me very well. I believe we live in a country and a world of abundance and that if we daily work like the proverbial ant we will succeed.

8. What didn’t you know prior to your position that you wish someone had told you?

As part of my role, I manage distributors in various countries in West Africa. One lesson that I wish someone told me was that I should also work and think like I am an employee of the distributor. I had to adopt this mindset almost 2 years in my journey in my current role. This new mindset made my work even easier because it ensured that the distributors supported me better.

9. How would you describe your typical day at work?

My work involves visiting healthcare professionals with my team. I usually have an early virtual huddle with the team to align on our plans for the day. We then move into execution mode to visit our partners and stakeholders to discuss and share with them products and solutions that we have that can help make their work easier.My day can also be interspersed with virtual calls with colleagues from both Ghana and the EMEA region. I have at least one day for administrative tasks.

10. What do you enjoy most about your work?

To get a healthcare professional to smile because a problem has been solved for either themselves or their patients. I am also truly excited when we get new approvals for new innovative technologies that can positively impact patient lives in the subregion.

11. The new generation sees pharmaceutical marketing as a get-rich-quick route. What are your thoughts on this mindset?

I believe there are huge opportunities in pharmaceutical marketing. It is definitely not a get-rich-quick route. I will recommend they adopt a real love for their roles because it actually gets more exciting with more experience. Those who work hard consistently, exhibit patience and demonstrate integrity averagely will enjoy the fruits of their labour. My colleagues in the industry who earn the most usually get that after 10 to 15 years in the industry. I will also encourage them to develop a growth mindset and adopt the growth trajectory of a tree in managing their careers. A neem tree starts as a small seed but after years of patient consistent growth it becomes a mighty tree.

Outtro
1.What kind of culture exists in your organization, and how did you establish it?

We are to demonstrate servant leadership as we do what is right. As associates we are to serve and not to lord ourselves over others. The senior leaders developed this culture because it is a great way to serve the world. To paraphrase a verse in the Bible, if you want to be great then you must be the least (servant). We also strongly believe in the speak up culture. The more people have confidence to speak, the more engaged they are.

2. What skills, abilities or personal qualities are essential to becoming a successful leader in your chosen field?

Focus, integrity, continuous learning, handwork, resilience, adaptability, collaboration and compassion are a few qualities that will help you excel in the industry.

3. What version of Sammy will we see in the next decade?

A global citizen who wants to make the world a better place. An encourager and teacher who empowers the Ghanaian and African to know that we can make great things happen if we believe.

4. If you could do it all over again, what would you do differently?

Read more and get into consistent mentorship earlier in my career.