During a recent visit to Rwanda, we visited some of our growth programmes for an extensive interview with their founders about the company, their lives and entrepreneurship in their country.

In the Rwandese capital of Kigali, Manumetal stands strong. More than 55 years old, the company has withstood many storms and has been forced to adapt time and time again. Now, CEO Robert Bayigamba is ready to aim for new heights by looking across the country's borders to East Africa. As managing director of Manumetal, as cabinet minister or as present of the Rwandan National Olympic Committee: with strong leadership and an unfaltering drive, Robert is now fully committed to making Manumetal one of the leading companies in Rwanda's business strategy. 

Part 1: the work

Can you tell me a bit more about your company?

Robert Bayigamba: Manumetal has two workshops, wood and metallic. Our main objective is to offer designs and production for spaces, including offices, homes, schools and even outdoor. We discuss with the client what they want, try to understand their needs and with them we kind of cocreate custom pieces. Manumetal was founded in 1967 by the Belgian investor Cubassier, who also invested in Congo in ‘62 in FNMA. A few years later, they went bankrupt. The shares were bought by other Belgian families and Manumetal (Manufacture Metallique) back then was only the metallic component. Mid 80’s, they decided to invest in a wood workshop. I had the chance to join the company early after the genocide.

What inspired you to choose this work and how did you get here?

Robert: A few months before the genocide, I was involved in agroprocessing in a leading cooperative that was producing rice. We could feel things were becoming very difficult. I was working up country, my family, wife and two kids were in Kigali, so I said I need to find an opportunity to be closer to the family. During that time, I had the chance to meet the managing director of Manumetal. They were looking for a deputy CEO and after I went through the recruitment process, we agreed I would start the first of may. In between, the genocide started. I left and fled to Burundi. Then I came back and by coincidence - in that time we had no cellphones - they knew I was in Kigali and I got the job, not as deputy but as CEO, because the former CEO was a Belgian citizen and decided to stay in Belgium.

I was CEO from '94 until 2000, when I had the chance to join the government and lead the privatization in the ministry of finance. I became cabinet minister of Youth, Sports and Culture and led what’s called the private sector federation, a sort of umbrella organisation of the private sector. I came back to Manumetal in 2008 and in 2012 I became full owner of the organisation. I was happy to be back. At a given time I was also the president of the National Olympic Committee. I was about to go to the Olympic Games of Rio, I was so excited, and then a coach from BPN, Hans, came here and I was so excited to talk about sports. He looked at me and said ‘the day you will receive a cup for Manumetal, I will clap.’ It was a wake up call for me. He said that I should refocus my energy on Manumetal. BPN told me I need advice to refocus my energy and that’s how I came to know Exchange. The rest is history.

Have there been any big milestones in the history of your company? What are you most proud of?

Robert: As in any life, we had ups and downs. Concerrning the ups: from ‘94 to 2000, Manumetal was really present in the reconstruction of the country. We were able to serve almost the entire country, from the administration to the private sector. At that time, the Germans had a big project called Rwanda Rehabilitation. I remember one day, Udo Smit - I’ll never forget - came to me and said ‘Robert, you have won my confidence. I’ll tell you why. Two things: whenever we agree to meet at 9, you are there already at 5 to 9. Anytime we agree that you will make the product in a certain delay, you have respected that. I don’t even need to come to your office, I’ll just call, I’ll have a check ready for you and you’ll just start work’. That was a big success at the time and for me it was a very big reward.

What has also been a source of pride for me is that I was able to reposition Manumetal to be able to compete against Chinese products. You cannot fight them on price, you have to be innovative. That’s how we started a bigger department of design and we recruited competent people. From there, people come to us when they know there are no other solutions, and they come very often.

One of the harder periods was during Covid, which was very serious on sectors like ours, manufacturers of furniture. It was not a fast moving good, not a priority. Even after Covid, it took many months before things went back to normal. The connection with the staff and employees was very crucial in that time. They trusted in me, I trusted in them, and slowly we were on the path of recovery. Many of our competitors reduced employment and salaries first, I’ve never done that. What we agreed is: we don’t have money now, I owe you 4-5 months. We go slowly, but I will not touch your salary. Covid hits everyone, but we as employers need to take the biggest part of the hit. We've since recovered and I’m happy and proud to have employees who are now for me partners in this business.

What are your ambitions and long term goals for the company?

Robert: Today you need to innovate and be smart or you lose touch with the trend of the world. Everything is now easier and more touchy in terms of technology. My goal is to leave the company in probably 13 years - my personal goal is to stop at 70 - as an agile company, more technology based. I'm thinking of furniture that is smart but also helping people economically. We want to help the country to be comfortable wherever you are. In your office, when you sleep, ... Manumetal has the solution. That is my goal.

What has your experience with Exchange been like?

Robert: It’s been an amazing experience and I think that without Exchange, Manumetal would not have been what it is today. I like a few things about Exchange. The flexibility, for example. Whenever I make a request or come up with an idea, I’ve always received feedback, discussions and a clear explanation. The second thing is the level of expertise. I think Belgium should be proud of having a strong education. I had the chance in my own life to have a connection with Belgium and my children attended the Ecole Belge. I was also on the board of the school. We have always been proud that wherever the students go in the world, they always succeed. That means that the basic education is strong. And I can see that, because whenever someone comes here, in whichever field, being marketing, strategy, production design, ... we all feel in our team that there is a big value added for us, and that’s most important. And particularly the coach we have, he has it in his heart to want Manumetal to succeed and he pushes me to go out of my own comfort zone. That’s very important. The whole package is very interesting and I would like to say that even this programme, the 3 year programme, was the right thing to do. Before I remember it were one off projects, but the fact that you are supported 3 years in a row, with a strategic plan in the beginning, helps you to stay in motion and go together. I will only say: thank you.

Part 2: life

Can you tell me a bit more about yourself?

Robert: I’m 57 years old, married, and have 5 children. I lead three lives: my professional life, Manumetal, my sports life and my spiritual life. These are the three parts of my own equation. Professionally, Manumetal is my main engagement. In sports, I have been lucky to be a volleyball player at the national level and I was captain of the national volleyball team. From there, I became president of the national volleyball federation and president of the National Olympic Committee. Any opportunity I have, sport is somewhere. My first job opportunities were linked to sports. I’ve been saved during the genocide due to sports, because when I was attacked in ‘94, one of the militias recognized me as a player of the national team. At the border of Burundi, when I was fleeing again, I found a military who was a referee of the volleyball federation; when he saw me, we hugged and he said ‘for you, I will do whatever’. he helped me to cross the border. Sports have been a big part of my life. The third, last but not least, is my spiritual life. With all my pathways, I believe that we are not an accident when we come into this life; we need to do things for the society. In the morning I kneel and say ‘God give me the strength to do my best’. My employees are family members, they need to live, I want to do the best for them as well as for me. That is my motto. 

What inspires you in life?

Robert: The president of this country inspires me. As i mentioned, I was here in '94. Never would I have expected 30 years later to see a country like this. I’m proud to be Rwandan, I’m proud to be African today, to show that we can do something else than what some people portray us as. Sometimes Africa is equated to poverty, a lack of respect, dirty, ... We have a leader who has put things together and that makes me proud. 

What do you like to do in your free time?

Robert: Sports. My free time starts at 4 o’clock in the morning. I start with Tsingtao, a kind of yoga. It's a Chinese way of controlling your respiration and helps you wake your body up. Three times a week, I go to the gym at 5 in the morning, and then I try to do a church service every day. Of course I’m also a social person; I connect with people and have a lot of friends. In Africa, we have strong family ties, so I have a kind of responsibility not only to my direct family but also in my grandfather’s family I’m kind of the leader. I organize meeting and if there are any problems, I am the first to know. We don’t have the kind of solidarity systems Europe has, where someone without work can receive a government stipend. We do that within the family. I’m kind of in charge of a big team.

Part 3: entrepreneurship and Rwanda

How do you look at entrepreneurship in Rwanda? 

Robert: I will answer from several perspectives, as I'm an entrepreneur myself but also have led the manufacturers association and the Rwanda private sector association. Entrepreneurship in Rwanda is growing at a rapid pace and I’m impressed to see how many young entrepreneurs are involved. It’s easier to do business than before. The fact that Rwanda now speaks several languages, including English, French and Swahili, helps us become connected to the region. Many projects and developmental partners like the Belgian Enabel, the German GIZ or the Dutch PUM, support the private sector. Today, the landscape is very favourable for the private sector to develop.

Many Rwandans now have the chance to study abroad and come home with a lot of new ideas. It’s amazing when you’re talking to young entrepreneurs coming from China, India, USA, Belgium, ... how open their mind is. Very different from what I saw thirty years ago, when there were very few of us and you had to know someone in the government. Now, with the different regulations to avoid bribery and corruptions, you have to think twice and be innovative to get government tenders. On the other side, because of this pace, there are many changes in laws that put us on the outside. When you plan, you plan according to information you have today, but the many changes in regulations make this difficult. It’s very dynamic, but that dynamism also has setbacks for us. Doing business is an interesting challenge. 

What improvements do you look forward to?

Robert: First of all, a real open space in terms of business in Africa. For example, they say that doing business within East Africa is easy, but in reality, there are a lot of roadblocks. The day we’re going to have a space where you can expand your business to Uganda or Congo easily, the day where goods can move easily, will be the day where we can start thinking about competing with European companies. Right now, our market is very small. That is one of the biggest changes we’ll see in the near future. 

We also have to keep up with the technology. Especially with artificial intelligence: we need to understand how it works and how we can use this technology in our sector to reach the youth, which is going to be our client and customer in the future. That’s very important. As a nation, that will be the competitive advantage. I’m always saying: let’s compare with Belgium. Belgium is a small country in Europe physically, but see how you position yourself with strategic regional organizations. It’s because there is something they’ve seen in Belgium that makes them trust the country. How can we be trusted? Not only through technology, but also through our seriousness. I’ve heard it even today: 'You are Rwandan', someone told me. 'Rwanda is an organized country, so we can trust you'.  

What do you like most about Rwanda?

Robert: People. Without people, there is no country.