“The Ambition of Mauritius to Serve as a Global Headquarters Played a Significant Role in Our Decision to Relocate”

In an interview with BIZWEEK, Phillippe Couturier, Africa Regional General Manager of SOS International, shared the reasons behind their relocation from South Africa to Mauritius. The decision was influenced by the country’s unique talent pool, multilingual capabilities, and ambition to serve as a global headquarters for operators in Africa. In addressing the suggestion that Mauritius become a think tank for the health sector in Africa, he notes the current lack of high-quality healthcare facilities in Africa, and acknowledges the idea that with the right development, Mauritius could become a hub for patient treatment.

When mobile populations experience health problems, it is crucial to transport them to a care centre as quickly as possible, where they can receive top-tier care

SOS International relocated from South Africa to Mauritius two years ago. What influenced this decision?

Mauritius offers a unique blend of qualities. The talent we encountered during our initial visits is perfectly suited to our needs. They are skilled and knowledgeable in the field of hospitality and customer relations, which aligns with our core business. Encountering a multilingual population in a region where English and French are the primary working languages solidified our decision.

Furthermore, Mauritius has agreements with the countries in which we operate. The country’s ambition to serve as a global headquarters for operators working in Africa also played a significant role in our decision to open a centre here.

Dr. Sunil Guness suggests that Mauritius could become a think tank for the health sector in Africa. What is your opinion on this ambition?

There is a severe lack of high-quality healthcare facilities in Africa, particularly in our sector. When mobile populations experience health problems, it is crucial to transport them to a care centre as quickly as possible, where they can receive top-tier care. Unfortunately, such facilities are not readily available throughout Africa. However, some countries have developed robust health sectors. Currently, South Africa is home to high-quality healthcare facilities. We can transport patients from remote locations to these facilities for treatments as advanced as cardiology or surgery. Thus, I believe that Professor Sunil Guness is suggesting that Mauritius could become a hub for patient treatment with the right development and political will.

What is your target market from Mauritius?

We operate across Africa, from North to South and East to West, so we don’t have a specific market. Our decisions are driven by distances and time. For instance, a patient experiencing a heart problem in the middle of Sudan must be stabilized and transported as quickly as possible, as every minute counts. Therefore, our focus spans across Africa, depending on the pathologies, but East Africa is definitely a priority for emergency cases. Mauritius and its healthcare providers are already making significant strides in this area.

How will the partnership between SOS International and the Mauritian Health authorities evolve?

I believe we possess two types of expertise that complement each other. We primarily employ staff from the public sector, with whom we can collaborate on training and skills exchange. Furthermore, we’ve seen several promising initiatives highlighted in earlier speeches that could benefit our company. For instance, the Ministry of Health has developed a program for the early identification of heart problems. This is an area of interest for us, and could be a potential field of collaboration. Additionally, we offer healthcare services for all expatriates working for Mauritian companies, which could also present opportunities for partnership.