Business leader Sir Sam Jonah has spoken about the loss of his son, Richard, saying the experience changed his perspective on life and made him more conscious of the value of time with loved ones. Delivering the keynote address at the 2026 TrueLife Experience at the Kempinski Hotel in Accra, held under the theme “The Audacity to Dare”, he told business executives, entrepreneurs, policymakers, professionals and emerging leaders that authority and influence offer no protection in grief, and that loss cannot be negotiated away or resolved by summoning the right people into a room.
He said he did not want to turn his son’s life or death into a lesson, stressing simply that Richard was his son, that he loves him and that he misses him. He explained that such a loss changes the weight a person gives to things, making one more conscious of the value of time with loved ones and making words like “I will do it later” sound different, while ordinary moments such as conversations, shared meals and telephone calls become more significant.
He added that while much of his working life had been spent thinking about the future, loss has made him more attentive to the present. He said grief shifted his attention away from future plans and towards appreciating the people closest to him in the moment.He also acknowledged the sacrifices made by his wife, Giselle, and their family throughout his career, noting that executive life demanded frequent travel and long periods away from home. He said an executive biography may record an appointment in a single line, but at home that appointment may mean more travel, more absence, more worry and more occasions when the family has to adjust, adding that a biography records what the executive achieved but rarely records what other people had to carry.
