‘It’s hot, it’s politically unstable and it can be dangerous, so it’s not for everyone…’
Fortunately the heat doesn’t seem to bother Ulf Granhall, who spent three years in Jamaica with Ericsson on system integration before taking up his current position as Program Manager in the Cote d’Ivoire in 2008.
Ulf is responsible for all customer-facing projects – such as system integration, the building of towers and signal work – across nine countries, so he has to juggle lots of different projects at the same time. ‘The market is expanding and becoming more up-to-date, but it’s not like Europe – it can be difficult to find the right resources’ he says.
‘I like it here, but not everyone does’, he says, admitting that ‘Cote d’Ivoire is politically unstable, available accommodation isn’t of a high standard, and we have to follow strict security policies, such as always using a driver’.
As a result, Ulf relies heavily on agencies to supply him with the right people for the job, so it might seem odd that whereas two years ago there were ten recruitment agencies providing him with resources, he now finds that the majority of his resources come from only one: First Point. What happened with the others?
‘They never delivered the service, they didn’t really help me out, and there were lots of problems and delays – working with First Point was always so much better and easier.’ says Ulf, who grew tired of fielding complaints from resources who hadn’t been paid on time, and of having to complain to agencies who hadn’t bothered to follow Ericsson’s procedures.
‘I’ve never had any problems with First Point. They make it their business to understand how Ericsson’s projects work, they’re efficient, and they pay contractors on time’ he explains, adding that, if there are ever any problems, ‘they’re very pro-active in resolving them’.
Asked about his relationship with Jidz, he says: ‘Jidz always wanted to help me, and I could always get hold of him when I needed something. He’s a very funny guy and we get on great together, which makes business so much more enjoyable.’
Interview dated: March 2010
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