Saudi Meetings, Golf Clubs & BICS Africa - Abdel Kader Traoré | Coffee Pump (127)

Konnichiwa Fam, Abdel Kader Traoré is one of the sales guys I look up to in this industry, and this is the first time I've heard his full story. He started as a telecom engineer building 2G networks in Côte d'Ivoire, designed the radio network for Algeria, built the first 10 gig backbone in France, then did an MBA so he could get closer to the people making the decisions. Now he runs Middle East and Africa for BICS, and he's honest about how thin the margins have become and where the money goes next. This episode was recorded at the Africa Peering and Interconnection Forum (https://www.afpif.org) in collaboration with the African IXP Association (https://www.af-ix.org). We talk about: – Growing up in Abidjan, and why Côte d'Ivoire is doing better than its neighbours – Building 2G networks before data was even the point – Five years in Algeria and Tunisia with two different weekends – Moving to France and the shock of process after doing everything by hand – Seeing the first 10 gig SFP and now selling 400 gig waves – Why he did an MBA to move from engineer to sales – Selling a data Centre for less than a Paris apartment – The Saudi meeting that got pushed two days after he'd already landed – IP transit to peering to your own submarine cable, how operators grow up – Why a Red Sea cable cut moves Africa's traffic to the west coast overnight – Only 1 or 2 percent of Africa's traffic stays in Africa – Why his wife bought him his first golf lesson Hope you enjoy the episode. Best, Team Coffee Pump Order Our Coffee and Wallpapers: https://wa.me/c/254707696969 Our Coffee and Tea Is live! Order from our website: https://coffeepumppodcast.com/shop Join Our Membership and get access to videos early: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCkZKGnWZWb-S9wJdz9IGDTw/join Support The Channel: MPESA: 0707 69 69 69 Pay Bill: 542 542 Account Number: 069 420 Find Abdel Kader Traoré: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/abdel-kader-traore-5162346/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/abdel2302/ AfPIF and AF-IX: Africa Peering and Interconnection Forum: https://www.afpif.org African IXP Association: https://www.af-ix.org @AfricanIXPs Find our host Sajid Vayani: Linktree: https://linktr.ee/sajvayani Coffee Pump Spotify, Apple and Socials: Linktree: https://linktr.ee/sajvayani Timestamps: 0:00 – Intro 1:47 – Abdel's Upbringing in Côte d'Ivoire, Education & Networking Genesis 9:29 – Abdel's Working Experience in Algeria & the Data Center Business 12:35 – Abdel's Experience in France, His MBA & Pivot to Sales 20:17 – B2B Sales & Marseille MRS3 Data Center 23:05 – Abdel Moving to Belgium, Culture Shift & Working at BIX.BG 27:14 – Abdel's Experience in the Middle East & Networking Operations in Saudi Arabia 33:41 – BIX.BG's Networking Ecosystem in Africa 35:20 – Saj's Experience Working with Abdel & Handling Different Clients 37:10 – BIX.BG's Cloud Connectivity Pivot & Peering in Africa 42:27 – Abdel's Take on the AfPIF Initiative & His Advice to Novice Salespeople 46:16 – Abdel's Hobbies, Playing Golf & Travel Hacks 51:25 – Parting Shots & Abdel's Socials 52:35 – Outro Disclaimer: The content of The Coffee Pump Podcast is intended for entertainment and informational purposes only. The views, thoughts, and opinions expressed by the hosts and guests are solely their own and do not necessarily reflect the views of The Coffee Pump Podcast, its affiliates, or any associated entities. Nothing discussed in this podcast should be construed as professional advice in any field, including but not limited to legal, financial, medical, or business matters. Any statements made about businesses, products, or individuals are based on personal experiences and opinions and are not meant to be taken as fact or a definitive review. The Coffee Pump Podcast does not assume any liability for the accuracy, completeness, or consequences of using the information discussed. Listeners are encouraged to form their own opinions, conduct their own research, and seek professional guidance where appropriate. By listening to this podcast, you acknowledge that The Coffee Pump Podcast is not responsible for any actions or decisions made based on the content provided.