Eric Seddy Kutortse is the Executive Chairman of First Sky Group, a cluster of several companies which include First Sky Construction, Volta Serene Hotel, First Sky Commodities, First Sky Bitumen, Serene Insurance Limited and Frerol Rural Bank.
Born on March 5th, 1972, at Awate Todzi, a village in the Volta Region, Eric had his basic education and advanced to Kpando Secondary School where he excelled with distinction in the Ordinary Level Examination. He later obtained his Advanced Level Certificate in the same institution. Having excelled in his Senior Secondary exam, he progressed to the University of Ghana where he studied Philosophy and Political Science. Mr. Kutortse maintains that his university education led to his acquisition of general knowledge in everything which opened up his mind to the possibilities inherent in the world. According to him, all he had to do on his part was to put the puzzle of ideas he had together to serve as a building block for the foundation of his businesses.
Upon completion of his university education, he set out on his entrepreneurial journey by engaging in printing businesses and later ventured into construction when the opportunity availed itself. In 2002, Mr. Kutortse officially established First Sky Limited as the first of his numerous businesses in a small office space. Progressively, the company now conducts its trade in General Civil Construction and has over the years acquired knowledge, equipment and workforce to plan and execute works ranging from small, private developments to large, Government and international projects, with specialization in Roads, Bridges and Dam Construction.
For what began as a desire to improve upon operational and project delivery standards, the fervent businessman identified a gap in the civil and management construction industry in Ghana. With this, he started out with a workforce of five personnel but currently boasts of staff strength of over 200 permanent managerial, administrative and technical staff as well as 1,500 casual staff and owns a fleet of significant construction equipment. Since then, the company has since grown significantly over the last decade and is managed by a highly multi-skilled professional team, aiding timely project delivery and within budget.
Recognizing hospitality as one of the bedrocks of Ghana’s bustling tourism industry, Mr. Kutortse closed in on the opportunities in the sector by establishing the Volta Serene Hotel. The hotel is the only four-star facility located in the heart of the regional capital, Ho, in the Volta Region. Being the businessman he is, Mr. Kutortse offered solutions to the lack of ‘reputable’ hotels in the region and considered a four-star hotel will be apt for the community. He noticed that a lot of people who visited Ho at the time for programs did not get the type of facility they wanted and so had to juggle between Akosombo and Ho for their programs. Thus, this necessitated his decision to set up a hotel to address the challenge at the time.
In November 2013, Mr. Kutortse yet again identified a problem within the agricultural sector, necessitating the establishment and incorporation of First Sky Commodities company. The vision of the company is to become a leader in the cocoa industry and with a mission to use cocoa purchases as a business to improve the well-being of farmers in traditional and marginal cocoa producing areas. The idea occurred to him whiles undertaking a project in the Volta Region where he saw throngs of people carrying bags of cocoa on their head to cross the border into Togo to sell. Puzzled, he questioned them as to where they were going with the cocoa, citing the illegality of the trade. With their reason being lack of ready market, Mr. Kutortse hastened to COCOBOD and interacted with the CEO. Coincidentally, that year, Ghana was unable to achieve its target of 900,000 tons that they had promised the international market. Coming back, he then conducted a feasibility study and read extensively about the market, applied for the license, received it and registered the company as First Sky Commodities. For the very first year, the company bought more than 1200 tons and was close to 5000 tons within 3 years in the industry.
Witnessing the success of the business, the relentless social entrepreneur penetrated the insurance sector by setting up Serene Insurance Ltd. Mr. Kutortse’s reason was predicated on the low insurance penetration of about two percent in the country then. Coming in with a ‘new face of insurance’, Serene Insurance Company Ltd., it received commencement certificate on 4th April 2018 and started full operations in September 2018.
Over the years Mr. Kutortse has received litany of awards and laurels as he was awarded the “Group Chairman of the Year” at the 7th Ghana Entrepreneur and Corporate Executive Awards in 2017. Similarly, he also received the “Group CEO of the Year” at the Ghana Entrepreneur and Corporate Executive Awards in 2016. The “Breaking Barriers Africa Project” was awarded to him as well as the “Overall Best Young Entrepreneur” in 2015 for his visionary corporate leadership, hard work and dedication. The West African Regional Magazine (T.W.A.R.M), at its third international awards edition, honoured First Sky Construction and Mr. Kutortse, with the T.W.A.R.M Business & Leadership Awards being the “Outstanding Construction Company of the Year” in 2016.
Mr. Kutortse’s passion thrives on his charitable deeds to the needy and less privileged persons in society. His supports for social and religious courses have benefited and continue to benefit many individuals and organisations. In recent years, First Sky Group built a 50-seater well equipped Information Communication Technology (ICT) Centre for the Awate Schools in the North Dayi District of the Volta Region. Many students continue to be offered full scholarships at various levels of education. Similarly, he has offered many students full scholarships at various levels of education.
The Group also donated GHS 30,000 to the Volta Regional Coordinating Council to renovate the Ho Jubilee Park in 2016. At the Ho Jubilee Park in January, 2016, the Group presented 60 church buildings, with a seating capacity of 450 to 650 worshippers, to the Assemblies of God Church Ghana; 30 each to the Eastern and Volta regions. The Group also has built several houses for retired Ministers of God of the church.
Among other initiatives are the payment of all hospital debts of patients at the Renal Dialysis Unit of the Korle Bu Teaching Hospital in 2016 which amounted GH¢620,000 and a donation of GH¢2million as an endowment fund for the treatment of all patients on dialysis at the Unit. By this, Mr. Kutortse understands and appreciates the need to support the communities in which it operates, the people and the country as a whole.
