The founders asked Freedthinkers to help them clarify a set of values rich in meaning.

We saw what looked like a three dimensional dollar sign suspended in a transparent cube. ‘That’s not a dollar sign’ the founder said and he told us the story. When Christopher Columbus came back from his voyage of discovery, he had an over-riding problem. How to tell his sponsors, the King and Queen of Spain, they were wrong about a belief so fundamental, it was on the royal crest. Emblazoned on the pillars of Hercules (now known as the Straits of Gibraltar) was the message ‘Nec Plus Ultra’ – there is nothing beyond, especially for ships. However, Columbus had to tell King Ferdinand and Queen Isabella that there was actually a large world beyond. The Royals took it well. We will omit the ‘’Nec’ was their response. ‘Plus Ultra’ – there is always something beyond.

Plus ultra became a foundational value of Genesis and today ‘plus ultra runs in our blood’ (senior Genesis analyst).

Through observation and dialogue, we helped synthesise three values. Two are still the bedrock of the Genessis culture, today. The third has been shaped to better express the original intention.

By 2015 Genesis has grown significantly with satellites from India and the Middle East. However leadership sensed the lack of a ‘North Star’. After an intense in-depth process, across leadership and practices, we crystallised their purpose:

‘Unlocking Value in Africa’.
Unlocking value now imbues everything Genesis does
Each year we interrogate the Genesis culture, by practice area, to understand their sense of belonging.
We hold strategy sessions with specific practice areas to identify and hone their unique contribution to the whole.