Temi Marcella: Transforming Healthcare and Driving Change in Emerging Markets
The life story of Temi Marcella is a great testimony of the power of profit with purpose as it drives transformative changes in emerging markets. With more than 15 years of experience working in finance, healthcare, and beyond, Marcella's career demonstrates how business and capitalism can scale positive outcomes in critical sectors—it all begins with Goldman Sachs London finance house. After completing her MBA from Stanford University, she moved to private equity in emerging markets. Yet the most significant role came for her in 2015, when she was willing to take on the challenge of leading a healthcare initiative in Nigeria, though it was not very inviting at the start.
There are really a lot of problems in the health sector of Nigeria. These include minimally accessible primary healthcare services, a deficient number of doctors and healthcare professionals, and a high incidence rate of maternal mortality. It is very pathetic that just 43 percent of Nigerians can benefit from basic care. The country is also way below the international standard with only four doctors per 10,000. Such harsh realities prompted Marcella to take action. Clearly defined was the reforming of the healthcare delivery system in Nigeria through designing a hospital to not only be internationally standard but patient-friendly. Under her tenure, Evercare Hospital Lekki was built in 2021 and became one of the healthcare sector landmarks in Nigeria.
She envisioned the hospital to transform unhygienic conditions, absence of electricity, and other medical infrastructure-related problems. That was not even close to what Marcella had envisioned. She created a revolutionary patient-centric model for healthcare that focuses on creating an environment where everyone, regardless of rank, strives to provide better care for the patient. The model dethrones the hierarchy of conventional hospitals and fosters a team effort in providing quality healthcare services. The ripple effect made by this success in the Nigerian healthcare ecosystem is quite huge.
Evercare Hospital has set an example in reversing the medical brain drain from the country by offering world-class infrastructure and standards. With a high percentage of Nigerian doctors practicing abroad, initiatives like these are crucial in bringing skillful professionals back into the country. This ability to integrate social impact with financial viability has attracted additional investments into the healthcare sector. Fueled by a mix of commercial and mission-aligned capital, such as funding from the Gates Foundation, Evercare Hospital has shown that healthcare can indeed be impactful and profitable. Marcella resigned as Founding Executive Director of Evercare Hospital Lekki but continues to make an impact at Alcent Capital as its Founding Partner.
The new growth capital investment at Alcent Capital is meant to go to technology companies across Africa, unlocking the full potential of entrepreneurial talent across the continent. In healthcare, financial services, enterprise technology, and blockchain, Marcella, through Alcent Capital, is leading the way in innovation. The essence of her efforts is to provide sustainable solutions for emerging markets. The story of Marcella is also highly personal. She balanced professional achievements with motherhood to two daughters. Her drive to inspire the next generation and her commitment to breaking barriers for women in leadership positions resonates as a source of inspiration for others. Her professionalism reminds people that women can do fantastic things while making a positive impact on society.
It takes more than innovation to find solutions in this age of global challenges and imperatives, so the brilliance of Temi Marcella in implementing profit with purpose is much needed. Arguably, beyond healthcare, she is leading the way in investments that could set precedents for impactful investments in emerging markets, shaping legacies and inspiring entrepreneurs, investors, and change-oriented leaders.
