When Soni Methu landed a role in a local TV drama, little did she know it would start her on her journey to become Kenya’s first journalist to host CNN’s Inside Africa. Soni, whose new assignment began in August, has taken over from Errol Barnett, following in the footsteps of Jeff Koinange and Zein Verjee […]
Michael Kabiah’s background is humble. He was orphaned at 16 and never made it to college like his peers. He, however, did not cast his fate to the wind and defied all odds to become an established entrepreneur. After his secondary school education, his grandfather, who was left to care for him after his mother […]
When three US-born former relief workers started the Nairobi Java House in Kenya 15 years ago, all they wanted was a place they could “get a good cup of coffee”. Today Java is East Africa’s largest coffee chain with 25 outlets in Kenya and Uganda. The company has also diversified into the pizza and frozen […]
James Omwando is the CEO of KK Group of Companies. The group provides private security services in Kenya, Tanzania, Malawi, Democratic Republic of Congo, Rwanda, Uganda and Burundi. James Omwando, CEO, KK Security 1. What was your first job? I worked as an election clerk. I was in high school at the time. After I […]
Dr Jennifer Riria is the CEO of Kenya Women Holding Group (KWH) a microfinance, banking and insurance group that works with 900,000 women, mostly in rural Kenya. She is the Kenyan country winner of the 2014 EY World Entrepreneur of the Year award. Dr Jennifer Riria, CEO, Kenya Women Holding 1. What was your first […]
A Kenyan film by university students has won an international award in the Zanzibar International Film Festival (Ziff) during the award ceremony held on Saturday.. The film, ‘Sticking ribbons’ was awarded as best East African Talent. Directed by students Bill Jones Afwani, produced by Kevin Njue who is also the film’s scriptwriter, with Brian Achar […]
LOS ANGELES Kenyan Oscar winner Lupita Nyong’o, Somalia’s Barkhad Abdi, “Happy” songster Pharrell Williams and Irish-German star Michael Fassbender are among 271 actors newly invited to join Hollywood’s Oscar-bestowing Academy, organisers have said. Other non-US invitees include Britain’s Sally Hawkins and Steve Coogan, as well as Japanese animation master Hayao Miyazaki and Israeli-born Palestinian director […]
For more than a year TV journalist Caleb Karuga wanted to get fired. The Kenyan entrepreneur says that while he was good at his job, his true passion lay in farming, but he did not have the courage to quit his job. Caleb Karuga, founder of Wendy Farms “I would pray with my wife every […]
“Be professional in the way you do things. If it is a contractor you want to hire, go through the tendering system. Don’t just ask your brother or cousin who has no experience to do the job. You also can’t become the Jack of all trades. Yes, the vision is yours and you are the general, but you are not the foot soldier fighting on the ground. You need to set up departments and hire professionals who can be held accountable.”
London-based magazine International Banker has named Gideon Muriuki, Chief executive of Co-operative Bank of Kenya (Co-op Bank) as Africa’s banking CEO of the year, with the bank named as Africa’s most innovative retail banker due to its financial products for savings and credit co-operative societies (Saccos) and also small and medium scale enterprises. Muriuki was […]
Two Kenyans have been named by a top US magazine among the 100 most influential people in the world. Time magazine on Thursday named author Binyavanga Wainaina and former Google executive Ory Okolloh alongside wealthy and influential individuals from across the world in its annual “The 100 Most Influential People” list. Ms Okolloh, a former Google […]
In Africa’s burgeoning, male-dominated tech scene, women remain largely underrepresented. Yet there is a tiny handful of incredible women who are launching and building successful, innovative tech companies that are upending industries, setting new standards and earning their place at the cool table. These women create and innovate, exploiting ideas, products and services to produce dynamic businesses. […]
Dr Betty Gikonyo, co-founder and CEO, Karen Hospital (Kenya) Dr Betty Gikonyo is the co-founder and CEO of the Karen Hospital, a Nairobi based 102-bed specialty hospital. Established in 2006, the Karen Hospital today has five satellite centres in different parts of Kenya. Recent expansion also includes the establishment of the Karen Hospital School of […]
Kenyan entrepreneur Wambui Mukenyi studied accounting to appease her parents, but her real passion has always been fashion. While in school she interned as an assistant for a designer for two years and got to see how the fashion business works. When she graduated, then aged 24, Mukenyi started her own business using her personal […]
Check out this great list of high potential ventures across Africa you should follow: these fast growing companies are gaining traction and looking to make big progress in 2014. VENTURES AFRICA – The listed companies are in sectors as diverse as technology, mobile, food, sustainability, gaming, accounting, advertising, fashion, cosmetics, and more. The countries include […]