Kenyan executives are among the most sought-after professionals across the continent and outwards, holding key C-suite positions not only in East and Central Africa but also in West and Southern Africa.
Over the years, a bunch of corporate leaders from Kenya have enjoyed good trajectory in their careers away from home. They are considered by most employers as highly valuable, intellectually savvy and respectable in their approach to management thus the recent surge in relocation of some top titans of industry.
Kenyan Executives in Multinational Companies across Africa can be found in Nigeria, Ghana, South Africa, Zambia, Malawi and Rwanda. Notable names like Sylvia Mulinge, who is CEO MTN-Uganda, and Racheal Njoroge of Cummins Inc in South Africa. The rest are in the diaspora market mostly in the United States.
In the early days, career banker Jeremy Awori was at Standard Chartered Bank PLC in Tanzania as CEO and ABSA Bank Group CEO in Kenya before moving EcoBank Transnational Inc. Another popping name would be Nicholas Nesbitt; an experienced Kenyan business leader who has worked in both US and Kenya for firms such as Boston Consulting Group, Market Race LLC, Lumen Technologies and Qwest Communications, all based in the US.
At the same time, John Musunga was appointed as the CEO of Guinness Nigeria Plc in October 2022, bringing extensive experience from his previous roles in the beverage industry. American Technology leader IBM also has on board Caroline Mukira as the General Manager of East Africa covering 10 markets. She is the first female to hold that GM role and was appointed in 2020. Prior, she worked at Accenture in New York and previously served at Progressive Insurance in Cleveland, Ohio.
It has, however, been a bit tricky in some instances for more Kenyan top professionals to get top gigs especially in fellow African countries. A classic scenario is Kenya Airways PLC Managing Director Allan Kilavuka who last month reportedly had successfully applied and was a board pick for the South African Airways job but Government and the Transportation Ministry opted for a homegrown candidate John Lamola to take over the mantle of the once struggling company.
According to Info Track Research & Consulting Founder Angela Ambitho, the trend of African business heads being poached will continue because they have great resource and value employers are seeking.
“Strong educational background & work ethic makes many Kenyan professionals possess international education and are renowned for their high performance. Also, Kenyan executives often work for multinational firms with a presence across Africa, making them well-suited for pan-African roles. It is also a fact that Kenyans have led major corporate transformations, making them attractive candidates for high-level roles,” she told Informer Media.
“Additionally, Kenyans are highly globalized and have a broad worldview, facilitating their adaptability to work outside their home country.”
However to the other eyes, there are still some people who are wary of Kenyan guests and other outsiders abroad.
Ambitho added; “In some markets, governments prioritise local talent for C-suite positions, making it harder for foreigners, including Kenyans, to secure these roles. Kenyan CEOs are also perceived to be “overqualified and too controlling”. The Kenyan executives are known for their ambitious and results-driven leadership, which is typically seen as an asset rather than a drawback.”
Experts suggest that the business leaders from Kenya are giants and continuously thrive. While factors like local hiring policies and corporate politics can influence placements, the impact and presence of Kenyan professionals in leadership roles across the continent are undeniable.
