Some initiatives are born from opportunity.
Others are born from responsibility.
For me, establishing Rwanda’s first licensed Trust and Corporate Service Provider belonged firmly to the second category. It was never simply about being the first or filling a gap in the market. It was an opportunity to contribute to the foundations of a sector that was only beginning to take shape.
That changes how you approach the work.
When there is no precedent, small decisions often have wider consequences than you realise.
- The way you handle a mandate
- The quality and consistency of your documentation
- The standards you choose to uphold, even when no one is asking you to.
Over time, those decisions begin to influence what others come to see as normal practice.
I have never regarded this as an individual achievement. It has only been possible because of a wider ecosystem:
- A regulator committed to establishing a credible and well-governed framework
- Professional peers willing to contribute to the development of the sector
- A professional association providing a platform to strengthen the industry’s collective voice.
Looking back, I have come to realise that being first is not really about being ahead of others.
It is about accepting the responsibility that comes with helping shape what follows.
If the work encourages higher standards, stronger institutions and greater confidence in the sector, then that is perhaps the more meaningful achievement. That is something no single organisation can accomplish alone. It is, and will continue to be, a collective effort.
Looking back, I hope the work contributes, in some small way, to something that will continue long after any one of us has stepped aside.
What is one decision or initiative you have been part of that you hope will endure beyond you?