Silk Solutions is a bespoke financial and investment advisory firm in Ghana that connects high net worth individuals and emerging investors with profitable investment opportunities. The firm works with clients to build customized portfolios and provide ancillary services. Silk Solutions' CEO, Elvina Quaison, has over a decade of experience in business consulting and insights into the needs of Ghanaian diaspora investors. The document then outlines Ghana's growing property development sector, how demand has changed with increased expatriate workers, returnees, and an emerging middle class seeking affordable homes. It profiles Ernest Hanson, an accidental property developer who has had success in Ghana by identifying trends, finding a niche, and partnering with others to build developments that meet the needs of

1. June 2014
Case Study: Ernest Hanson - The Accidental
Property Developer
The Changing Real Estate
Landscape in Ghana

2. Who We Are
A spider’s web is a fascinating creation of nature, depicting precision
and connections. When I started Silk Solutions, I wanted to establish a
bespoke financial and investment advisory concierge service for
Ghana’s up and coming high net worth individuals - a place for the
emerging investor to discover unique, safe, and profitable financial and
investment opportunities across sectors and industries in Ghana.
At Silk Solutions, we work with our clients to source and build bespoke
investment portfolio. But we don’t stop there . We provide a range of
investment ancillary services to ensure that, just like a Spider’s web, your
investment journey with us is seamless.

3. Our Unique Selling PointWhat We Do
• We provide clients with
strategic, tactical information,
impeccable evidence based
research and analysis from
which they can make business
and investment decisions
• We understand and value
efficiency and service
excellence. Our promise is to
deliver a professional and
seamless service, connecting
you with all the backward and
forward linkages required for
your business needs
• We provide honest identification
of and active management of
business and investment risk,
offering the best fit approach to
achieving your outcomes
Purveyors of bespoke financial
and investment advisory
concierge services, embracing:
 Information gathering on
coming to Ghana, living in
Ghana and doing business in
Ghana
 Business registration
 Industry and sector research
 Opening bank accounts
 Identifying appropriate
business partners
 Setting up meetings and event
management
 Car hire and hotel bookings
 Property investments
 Financial and investment
advisory services
 Special projects investment
(agriculture, mining etc)
Our Clients
• There are a number of firms and
organisations that make it
possible for us to do what we
do expediently and
professionally for our clients. We
are proud to be associated with
the following firms, who are our
business partners:
• Beaufort Properties –
developers of superior luxury
apartments and town houses in
Accra’s most sought after
locations
• Songhai Advisory – is a bespoke
business intelligence
consultancy providing critical
insight on market opportunities
in Sub-Saharan Africa
Our Partners
• Ghanaians in the diaspora
• High net worth individuals
• Young professionals - the
emerging investor

4. Elvina Quaison - Director
Our CEO, Elvina Quaison, is a practiced
Business and Migration consultant with
over a decade of professional
experience in bringing fresh business
insight and intelligence to clients vis-à-vis
their business and investment interests.
As a Business and Migration consultant,
Elvina also has deep, remarkable insights
into the business and investment needs
of Diasporans. She demonstrates
strategic and operational capacity and
has strong connections with African and
Africa business focused networks in the
UK, US and across Africa

5. Business in Ghana
 Ghana has been recognised by the World Bank Doing Business
Report 2014 as the "Best Place for Doing Business in the
ECOWAS Region”
 Ghana had an economic growth rate provisional of 7.4%
 Sectors
o Agriculture, Food Processing, Oil & Gas among others
o Construction/ housing – Shortage of approximately 1 million
homes

6. Ghana’s Property Development
Sector
Historical Situation
• Live at home with parents until can afford to build or inherit family
home
• Buy/inherit plot of land and build your own home
 Land issues
 Slow build – cash and carry

7. Ghana’s Property Development
Sector
• Diaspora building homes in Ghana while they are abroad
 Cash and build
 Unreliable quality
 Trust issues can mean slow build as owner only builds on their
holidays
 Stress – Money, theft, poor quality workmanship
 Land issues – Double sell/ encroachment/

8. Change: Identifying a Demand
• 1991 – Regimanuel Grey
 Joint partnership Ghanaian and American company
 Have since built 2000 homes
- Buy off plan
- Pre-decided design (room for small adjustments)
- Land title all sorted out
- Build management all sorted out
- Gated community
- Price established an elite neighbourhood

9. Regimanuel Estates

10. Demand Changing
• Ghana develops and attracts greater levels of expatriate workers
 Shortage of acceptable accommodation
 Houses no apartments
 Need for greater levels of home staff (Security, Ghana, House
help)
• 2000+ Increased level of returnees coming to Ghana
• Emerging Middle Class
 Late 20s Early 30s
 Young professionals
 Young families
 Western living exposure
 Looking for affordable homes in Ghana

11. Opening the Market
• Introduction of Ghana home Loans –making mortgages more
available to people
 2007/2008 it started
 To date has given $60 million plus in loans
• Shortage of homes
 1.5 million
 Need to be clear on:
o Where geographically is the shortage
o What type of homes are required
o What price range the homes need to be

12. Current Situation
• Affordable homes
 $30,000+
 Outskirts of Accra
 Simple structures
 Basic fixtures and finishings
• Luxury Homes
 $150,000+
 Central Accra
 Thoughtful design
 High end fixtures and fittings

13. Ernest Hanson: The Accidental
Property Developer
Sent in 1989, as a 9 year old to boarding school
in the United Kingdom
 Parents remained in Ghana.
After finishing school at Clifton in Harrow, he did
an undergraduate at the London School of
Economics where he graduated in 2001
 Met both future business partners at
school and university respectively
 UK Education system gave him contacts
for his current endeavors
Work in Management Consulting and
Investment Banking in the UK
 Long hours, aggressive cultures but
gave him a good appreciation for hard
work, aiming high and achieving high
standards
Returned to Ghana in 2008 to work at Viasat as their
Business Development Manager to Africa
Provided a soft landing back into Ghana
Actually started his first real estate project in Ghana,
Asantawana Gardens, in 2007 while still in the UK
Initially thought he would do student housing but
luckily avoided that pitfall
Current business partner told him he was mad
Lots of mistakes, but luckily it was a success
In 2009 he started Clifton Homes with a friend from school
Had loads of fun, and sold 4 developments in 4 years
Still limited skills

14. Success: First project
• Central location: Shiashie/ East Legon
• Modern structure
• Good standard fixtures and fittings
• Apartments = cheaper homes
• Responded to aspirational lifestyle
• Sold out 6 developments

16. Growth: Beaufort Properties
• Lower end of the high end
• Highly desired location
• Maximise space so economically sized
apartment, highly engineered to maximise
space
• Relevant amenities for modern living
• Built with investment aspect and living needs
in mind

17. Growth: Beaufort Properties
• Identifying trends
• Locating your Niche
• Sourcing valuable partners
• Having a real passion about what you are
doing
• Constantly learning
• 75% sold still in building phase

18. Business Lessons
• Look at the social and cultural development of the country
• Identify the need
• Identify where you can come in and how you can add value
• Recognise the challenges and take time to locate reliable solutions
• Think Global act local
• Skills are key: source from within or bring in what is needed with a
view to developing that skill in house

19. Helpful Links
• www.gipc.org Ghana Investment and Promotion centre
• www.beaufortghana.com
• www.ghanahomeloans.com
• www.silksolutionsglobal.com

20. Next Steps
We look forward to working with you, please
contact:
Elvina Quaison
elvina@silksolutionsglobal.cm
+233 543 503 166

21. Thank You