My Tribute to Andrew Alli @ 50
Having made the bold and tricky decision to write a tribute to the great ‘editor’ himself, Andrew Alli, my palms are sweaty. Who will edit the tribute?? This is a herculean task, and I hope I do him justice.
But! Please come with me, for to this great task I must apply myself.
I became Andrew’s P.A. in 2009. Having worked with 2 incredible French bosses, Marc Isabelle and Michel Rezki, it was understandably unbelievable that I could end up with another boss who is, well, incomparable. 8 years on, I am still wondering in disbelief.
There is no other way to describe him other than, he is one of the simplest and the most patient person I know. No airs, and what you see is what you get. Andrew is unlike any CEO, anywhere, especially here! It was for this reason that I decided early on that not only must I become an official, aggressive watch dog, I must never take advantage of his personality.
He is independent, and completely so. He does not need a PA to function. He can write his own letters. He heats up his lunch, he gets his coffee, and he carries his bag. He can book his tickets and hotel. He can change his ticket, check himself in, literally grab a car at the airport and go his way. He rides in the front passenger seat with his driver. He does not like, nor does he expect to be fawned over. I remember once when he stepped out while I was chatting with the man who processes our car papers. As soon as the young man saw ‘the President’ he went flat on the floor in a prostrate position, shocking Andrew into a standstill. It was so comical. He retreated quickly into his office and later asked in bewilderment who that person was and why he did what he did. Andrew, you are, after all, the President and CEO.
Andrew operates an open door policy, literally. It is almost impossible to keep people away from him. I mean, you should not be able to just meet with a CEO because you want to! But, alas, practically everyone, irrespective of position, can ask to see and speak with him, and he would grant them audience. He prefers and encourages colleagues to walk in and have a chat, any time.
Influence, class and the associated trappings mean very little. This is the only CEO I know whose instinctive response to VIP events is to shy away. And interestingly, the more uncomfortable he is, the more he is sought out. I remember when we received the letter back in 2013, inviting him to meet with President Obama (The Power Africa Initiative) in Tanzania. My boss’ first response was, ‘what? Me? Why?’ And it is the same reaction each time we receive such invitations. He is always recognized and honoured, which is very meaningful especially since he never asks for, nor does he deliberately position himself for it.
He is not high maintenance; my boss does not assert himself by virtue of his position or power. He would never ordinarily opt for the most expensive hotel and will complain if the room ‘is like a palace.’ Many a time, his subordinates have somehow, due to some confusion in the booking, ended up in hotel rooms meant for him, he takes theirs without a fuss. Although he is entitled to it, he hardly flies First Class, and will fly Economy without breaking stride, if necessary.
His intelligence is legendary! Andrew is so smart! He knows something about everything. Everything. As frustrating as that is to me, I am nonetheless perplexed by how he has managed to cope with me all these years. He is so quick and forward in his thinking and God knows that I do not operate at that level. Yet he has never made me feel inferior.
Finally, Andrew relates like family, not just as a boss. There is a lot to say here, but so as not to lose your attention, let me put it simply: he is not the boss you lie to, no matter the reason why you need to leave the office during lunch or not come in at all. There is just no reason to lie.
This tribute will not be complete if I didn’t say something about his wife, another very interesting boss. She does not involve me the home affairs; I have no idea what goes on in her kitchen or with her domestic staff. I ordinarily do not book her tickets, and I am only aware of her movements if they involve Andrew. And if she requires my help, she asks ever so politely. Never met 2 people who could say the words ‘please’ and ‘thank you’ more.
Dear Andrew,
To borrow a verse (one that aptly reflects your personality) from the poem written for you by Jumi Fola-Alade:
‘May you never be threatened by the schemes and screams of position,
May you remain calm and confident in your mastery over endemic corruption’
Happy birthday !
Zainab
