Japan Motors Network Group Chief Executive Officer Salem Kalmoni told Joy FM’s Personality Profile that engineering and other technical disciplines offer Ghanaian youth a stronger base for professional growth than the increasingly popular business administration qualifications.
Speaking on Thursday, November 5, Kalmoni explained that his own decision to study business administration in Canada in 1988 was driven by family expectations to take over the family enterprise. He added that, looking back, an industrial engineering degree would have equipped him with practical knowledge in factory operations, supply chain and project management.
Kalmoni warned that the growing number of business graduates has diluted the distinctiveness of the qualification. “I see too many people taking business. Business degrees have become commodified. I think they’ve lost value,” he said. He urged students to prioritise technical courses first, adding that business management training can be added later.
He noted that many engineers later pursue MBA programmes and move into management roles, whereas the reverse transition from a business background into engineering is often more difficult. “I don’t know of any business person or social studies person who has become an engineer,” Kalmoni said.
Kalmoni’s advice comes from his experience leading the family‑owned automotive firm that grew from a transport and trading business in 1920 into a major distributor of Japanese vehicles. He joined Japan Motors in 1991, became Managing Director of Japan Motors Ghana, and was elevated to Group CEO of Japan Motors Network in 2026, overseeing operations across West Africa.
He concluded that technical knowledge and industry‑specific skills provide a valuable foundation for future leadership, and that the business is always there – it can be added later.
