Our purpose

We unlock value with our clients by realising impactful solutions and not just providing insights.

The term 'unlocking value' has a specific meaning at Genesis. It refers to our aspiration to map out a path to value for our clients and for society that was not apparent prior to our work. The value opportunity unlocked in this way must be measurable, and the solution given needs to comprehensively address all the challenges related to realising that value. Every project at Genesis is assessed according to this standard.

At Genesis, the key to unlocking value is our ability to inspire action and to facilitate environments conducive to impactful change. This requires a complex set of human skills including the ability to build coalitions, ecosystems and networks. It entails adopting a relationship-based approach to get people to act intentionally on joint solutions

Genesis exists to help the Young World succeed at five interconnected transitions that will define the global development agenda:

1. The human transition: The Young World’s demographic dividend can only be realised if its people are equipped with the foundational tools needed to succeed. This means countries must build human capital by ramping up investments in education, nutrition, skills development, healthcare, and social protection programmes.

2. The economic transition: Young World nations must create pathways to productive employment and entrepreneurship, facilitating a large-scale shift from informal work to the formal economy. Thanks to the advent of the digital era, there is an opportunity for these countries to bypass legacy structures and plug directly into global value chains.

3. The urban transition: The pace of urbanisation in the Young World is unprecedented, meaning both risks and opportunities are amplified. Cities can be powerful hubs of social development, with wages typically twice as high as in rural areas, alongside better service delivery and access to education and healthcare. But long-term gains are contingent on the creation of sustainable, inclusive, and liveable urban environments.

4. The climate transition: The Young World faces a unique challenge: It must expand access to energy while simultaneously developing sustainably and building its defences against extreme weather. This requires a departure from traditional developmental pathways, which were underpinned by damaging increases in greenhouse gas emissions. The Young World has an opportunity to chart a new path forward, skipping straight to decentralised, low-cost energy technologies. In doing so, it can capitalise on the cheapest sources of energy in history.

5. The leadership transition: Countries across the Young World need to build better institutions and craft ambitious yet achievable visions for the way forward. Fostering innovative public-private partnerships and developing effective regional collaboration mechanisms will be the order of the day.

Critically, our approach recognises that the five transitions have to be in sync as each depends fundamentally on the others.

The foundation of our distinctive delivery are the technical skills and deep sector knowledge we have developed through our work in the area between the market and the state.

When a project unlocks value, we celebrate it. It remains our goal in all our focus areas. Every year Genesis runs a competition called Unlocking Value where the staff gets to show case some of our best work over the previous 18 months. Here are some instances where our work has unlocked value:

Unlocking value projects

Investment key to harnessing AI revolution in Africa

Artificial Intelligence is redefining industries globally, offering solutions to climate change, enhancing public service delivery, and revolutionising the financial sector. With AI’s immense potential, it’s unsurprising that the current global market is valued at an impressive $16.5 trillion.

G2P choice for women: Lessons from SA, Zambia, Bangladesh

The Consultative Group to Assist the Poor (CGAP) commissioned Genesis to conduct a qualitative assessment with the aim of gathering empirical evidence to support the potential benefits of incorporating a choice-based model into the G2P (government to persons) payment system.

Technical support boosts TB care strategy in SA

The Gates Foundation has awarded Genesis a grant to provide technical support to the National Department of Health as part of the foundation’s $2.5-million, three-year tuberculosis (TB) delivery strategy for South Africa.

Genesis report shifts debate on proposed chrome ore export tax

Genesis was approached by a group of non-integrated chrome producers to conduct its own independent assessment of the export tax on chrome ore that has been lobbied for by ferrochrome producers as well as other stakeholders in the industry.

Plan for 500,000 new jobs in SA global business sector

Genesis was contracted by the South African Department of Trade, Industry and Competition (dtic) to develop the country’s global business services (GBS) masterplan to would create 500,000 jobs by 2030.

Developing sustainability framework for HIV and TB in SA

Genesis Analytics was contracted by the South African National AIDS Council (SANAC) Secretariat and the Global Fund to support stakeholders in developing a national sustainability framework, assessments and action plans to guide the sustainability planning process for HIV and TB programmes in South Africa.

Charting a new course for failing state-owned enterprises

Genesis worked with the National Planning Commission, a nucleus government advisory agency, to assess state-owned enterprises' performance and contribution to achieving the National Development Plan’s Vision 2030 of economic transformation and inclusive growth.

Cloud-based solutions could reduce banking costs in Africa

Genesis Analytics and Orange Business Services (OBS), with the support of the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, published a research report on Cloud Banking in Africa: The Regulatory Opportunity, which explores the potential for cloud computing to reduce the cost of technology for banks.

Expert economic evidence green lights JSE’s acquisition of Link Market Services

Genesis was appointed by the Johannesburg Stock Exchange (JSE) to provide an expert economic report and testimony in the JSE’s acquisition of share registry business Link Market Services South Africa (Link SA).

Exiting a lockdown: A balancing act of lives and livelihoods

A public-private convening body asked Genesis for advisory work to support Presidential decision-making in South Africa on how to unlock the economy responsibly – which parts, which sectors, how to balance lives with livelihoods?

Unlocking lower-cost housing opens up $1.5-billion market

Land reform is the most pressing and emotional political issue in South Africa. Genesis Analytics was approached by a banking client to design a solution to support urban land reform and the transformation of urban housing markets.

Assessing economics of R5.5b pelagic fishery as rights expire

Africa’s largest fishing company approached Genesis to produce an independent economic report on the underlying economics of the pelagic industry to provide a sound basis for meaningful engagement between the industry and Department of Environment, Forestry and Fisheries, and ultimately assist informed decision making with respect to the fishing rights allocation process.

Strengthening HIV prevention through peer learning

Genesis, in partnership with the University of Manitoba, is implementing the South to South HIV Prevention Learning Network (SSLN), which supports peer learning in a network structure to improve HIV prevention programming in 15 African countries.

Insights into changing nature of work for young Africans

Genesis was contracted by the Mastercard Foundation to perform audience-needs research for a new initiative to improve the availability of insights relating to the changing nature of work for young Africans in the coming 10-15 years.

A winning strategy for deepening financial markets in Uganda

Genesis Analytics have been working with Financial Sector Deepening (FSD) Trusts on a number of projects. FDS commissioned Genesis first to re-invigorate their approach to facilitating financial-sector deepening in Uganda. We then helped FSDU develop a refreshed strategy for the next three years and then assisted them with a critical part of strategy execution related to fundraising.

News and insights

Strategies to improve immunisation coverage: Helping the Young World achieve its potential

Safeguarding immunisation programmes is crucial for protecting the health of the Young World’s next generation. We explore the keys to sustaining progress and preventing the resurgence of vaccine-preventable diseases.

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