Meet former journalist who founded Kiss 100, Classic FM, The Star & other stations

• Patrick Quarcoo is the outgoing CEO and co-founder of Radio Africa Group
• Radio Africa Group owns multiple media outlets including The Star, Kiss 100 FM, Classic 105, Radio Jambo, and more
• He emphasises the importance of thorough business planning and employee satisfaction at Radio Africa Group

Patrick Quarcoo is the outgoing CEO and co-founder of Radio Africa Group.

Radio Africa Group owns The Star Kiss 100 FM, Classic 105, Radio Jambo, Gukena FM, East FM, Homeboys Radio and Mpasho.

He recently announced that he was retiring after 24 years, giving way for the company’s next growth phase.

Let's look at how the former journalist rose from a humble background to establishing one of the leading media empires in Kenya with operations in Uganda as well.

Early life and influences

Quarcoo comes from a background in Cape Coast, Ghana.

From a young age, he was inspired by his grandmother's belief in the power of print media to shape Africa's future.

This sparked his interest in journalism, and as a young reporter, he began contributing stories to the BBC World Service, Voice of America, and other international outlets.

The media tycoon has an extensive educational background. From 1977 to 1980, he pursued a BSc in Administration at the University of Ghana.

He later attended Manchester Business School from 1984 to 1986, where he earned an MBA with a focus on International Marketing, Corporate Strategy, and Corporate Finance.

In 2017, he completed the Senior Executive Program at Harvard University.

After gaining experience as a journalist, Quarcoo decided to start his own media company.

Building Radio Africa Group his own media empire

In the 1990s, he came to Kenya from Uganda and founded the Radio Africa Group, which has grown to become one of the country's largest media groups.

Under Quarcoo's leadership, the Radio Africa Group built a portfolio of leading radio stations, TV channels, newspapers, and digital media properties.

Some of its most prominent brands include KISS 100, Classic 105, Smooth FM, Radio Jambo, East FM, Gukena FM, and The Star newspaper.

The group also owns two radio stations in Uganda - Capital Radio and Beat FM.

Business lessons

Planning

He believes in thoroughly modelling a business, analysing industry data, and forecasting potential challenges.

When starting KISS 100, he would wake up at 4:00 a.m. and often worked until midnight, demonstrating his strong work ethic.

In a past interview, he expressed concern that too many entrepreneurs embark on business ventures with insufficient preparation, relying on hope rather than solid planning.

“Learn how to put up a business plan. It will save you so much headache. You can almost see where your business is bound to fail before your bank manager sees it. Run cashflows. Discount the cashflows. Do a 5-year discounted cash flow, so you know where you stand,” he said.

Quarcco learned media management skills while he was still employed. While many employees usually focus on the work, PQ, as he is known, advocates that as an employee, one should learn the business side of the company you work for.

Staff welfare

According to Patrick Quarcoo, employee satisfaction is a priority for Radio Africa Group.

When he entered the media market, radio presenters earned between Sh25,000 and Sh35,000.

Today, many of them, like Maina Kageni who drives high-end cars, have significantly improved their lifestyles.

Quarcoo believes this is a testament to the company's positive impact on its employees' lives.

Addressing talent poaching by competitors, Quarcoo expressed confidence and viewed it as a non-issue.

He recounted the early days when he had to quickly assemble a team under tight deadlines and challenging circumstances. Despite these pressures, he managed to attract and retain talented individuals.