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During her time at university, initially a shy individual, Sochi reluctantly assumed the role of vice chairperson, preferring to work behind the scenes, shielded by the chairman's presence. However, when circumstances led to the chairperson stepping down, Sochi was thrust into the leadership spotlight. Motivated by a fear of failure and a determination to excel, she embraced this challenge as the beginning of her remarkable leadership journey.
Surpassing the constraints of introversion, Sochi expertly harnesses extroverted tendencies within her professional sphere as a leader of her esteemed professional body and training organization. Key traits such as active listening, empathy, and patience are cornerstones of her leadership approach. Moreover, she fearlessly surrounds herself with individuals who surpass her abilities, unafraid to seek their guidance whenever necessary. Embracing the philosophy that there is no failure, only valuable lessons, has been instrumental in her personal and professional growth.
Sochi celebrates Africa's rich tapestry of talent and passionately advocates for its liberation on the global stage. In her view, Africa urgently requires selfless, collaborative, and people-centered leaders to foster prosperity.
Her journey hasn't been without its struggles. At one point, she faced the challenge of being misunderstood for not displaying overt niceties toward one of her employees. This experience reminded her that striving for effective leadership does not guarantee universal likability. Hence, she advises emerging leaders against the fallacy of being likable to everyone.
Throughout her journey, Sochi acknowledges the profound influence of her business partner alongside her coaches, reading materials, and thought-provoking documentaries. As a lifelong learner, she encourages budding leaders to remain open to continuous growth, actively seeking feedback and deriving valuable insights from failures. Moreover, she advises aspiring leaders to confront anxiety and cherish every step of the leadership journey.
Sochi's impactful narrative includes her empowering perspective on embracing the challenges posed by the COVID-19 pandemic, transforming anxiety into a gift that allowed her to identify and seize opportunities, leading to remarkable growth within her business and professional organization.
As an introverted leader, Sochi dispels the misconception that outstanding leadership is contingent upon extroverted tendencies. She advocates for leaders to prioritize their development and that of their teams, liberating them from the fear of being surpassed. By empowering others, leaders alleviate their burdens while creating abundant opportunities for growth and promotion.
Our guest, Sochi, currently holds the esteemed position of Managing Director and Lead Coach at TBA Consults, bringing over 15 years of experience in business development, learning and development, and coaching. Her credentials include being a Team Development Consultant, Internationally Accredited & Certified Professional Coach, and British Psychological Society Psychometric Test Assessor. Additionally, she co-founded the Center for Core Coaching, the first International Coaching Federation Accredited Coach Training Programme in West Africa. Sochi's dedication to the coaching community is evidenced by her role as a founding board member of the Nigeria Chapter of the International Coaching Federation (ICF), where she has served in various capacities, including Membership Director and Education Director. She currently holds the esteemed position of Chapter President.
Join us for this thought-provoking episode as we gain valuable insights into the world of introverted leadership, dispelling stereotypes and embracing authenticity, with the remarkable Sochi as our guide.
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The academic brilliance and diligence of Mutua Mutuku enabled him to meet the high requirements for studying architecture at the University of Nairobi despite being born, bred, and brought up in a less-privileged area of Nairobi. Notwithstanding his lecturer's doubting his academic qualifications due to his high school background, he demonstrated an unwavering commitment to excel in his studies that became the foundation of his professional life, eventually leading him to be called out to numerous leadership roles because of his humility and purposefulness.
Through his contemplative leadership style and people management skills, Mutua has equipped and developed others to excel personally and professionally, making him a highly respected leader in the Symbion Consulting Group. To sharpen his leadership skills, he intentionally learns, has periodic coaching, and engages mentors. His leadership story reflects trusting in the process, being content, and demonstrating patience in letting things unfold as one continues to impact those around him positively. His legacy is to change lives and lift one person at a time.
Mutua discusses the challenges the building industry faces in the current global climate, including digital disruption, globalization, and climate change. He remains optimistic that these challenges can be overcome by shifting mindsets and aligning with necessary modifications. Mutua emphasizes that leaders in the industry must challenge the status quo and adopt innovative approaches to problem-solving. This involves a holistic approach to adapting to the changes in the industry, from incorporating new technologies to adopting new business models that align with the demands of a rapidly changing market.
Mutua's faith in God and his commitment to his family have also played a significant role in his success. His advice to young leaders and professionals is to serve God in everything they do, develop a global mindset, and avoid short-term thinking. He also emphasizes the importance of narrowing the gap between academia and market needs to ensure architects meet their clients' current demands.
Mutua Mutuku is the Managing Director of Symbion Kenya Limited, of the Symbion Consulting Group, a leading multinational architectural firm with over 100 staff members and over 40 years of heritage that has delivered iconic and award-winning projects in various fields, including commercial, medical, institutional, hotel, and residential developments. It is present in three locations in Eastern and Southern Africa.
Tune in to the Called-Out Leadership podcast to hear Mutua's inspiring story and learn valuable insights into effective leadership.
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Jane's leadership journey started in primary school and over the years, she has amassed over 20 years of experience in the financial sector, working in senior leadership positions at major financial institutions such as Barclays Bank of Kenya and Standard Chartered Bank. Her focus as a turn-around leader has been on identifying new opportunities, as well as turning around existing ones to achieve greater impact and profitability. One of the keys to Jane's success as a leader has been her courage, clarity of purpose, and consistent communication. She also candidly discusses the challenges she faces in her current CEO role, including rallying a multi-generational team to understand and represent their brand promise effectively.
Jane emphasizes the importance of leaders being courageous enough to seize uncertain opportunities and being purpose-led in all that they do. She draws inspiration from the Chairman of her firm's board, Kariuki Ngari, CEO of Standard Chartered Bank Kenya, and her late mother, who have been instrumental in shaping her leadership style. Jane's experiences in the financial sector have prepared her for her current role, and she sees her legacy as one of impacting and shaping lives, both now and into future generations. She advises parents to leave a non-financial inheritance for their children, and her inspiration to stay sharp as a leader is to keep fulfilling her life's purpose in impacting, shaping, and serving as many people as she interacts with. Jane advises people to identify what not to get involved in, boldly seize opportunities, stay true to themselves, and manage themselves better, not just their time.
Jane is the CEO of Optiva Capital Partners, a wealth management company specializing in investment immigration, investment advisory, and insurance services based in Lagos, Nigeria. She is a Pan-African business leader with 23 years of experience in financial services and development finance, specializing in General Management. Jane is skilled in building sustainable business propositions and high-performing teams, fundraising for commercial high-impact projects, and managing partnerships. She is passionate about development and mentorship and founded a not-for-profit organization called the Everlasting Foundation, which supports and mentors young people from Kibera, one of the largest informal settlement areas in Sub-Saharan Africa.
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In this podcast episode, George Mbugua, the CEO of Davis & Shirtliff Group, shares his leadership journey in great detail. He talks about his surprise appointment as CEO in May 2022 and how he quickly adjusted to the role. George emphasizes the importance of working with and through people, and he believes that providing them with the freedom to excel in their jobs is the most critical skill of a leader. He also shares his experiences in dealing with challenges such as adjusting peer relationships to reporting relationships, competition in the market, and navigating the harsh business environment around the region. He talks about the cyberattack on the company's database and how it was challenging and memorable for him. Moreover, George talks about his strategies to avoid burnout and how many CEOs suffer. He also shares how Google has influenced his leadership development and the other things he does to develop himself as a leader. He shares how being a leader has helped him understand himself better and continuously develop. His best leadership advice is the golden rule from his chairman and the four habits of the R.A.R.E. leadership book. His legacy is to see his colleagues fully committed to the company's values and contribute to its footprint in its African expansion. He believes that if we each do small, good things daily, we will have a good life. George has always been passionate about leadership and helping others grow. He sees himself as a sculptor, and he believes that every person has the potential to be the best version of themselves. George is committed to creating an environment that enables his colleagues to thrive, and he takes pride in seeing them reach their full potential. As CEO of Davis & Shirtliff Group, George Mbugua has a wealth of experience in leadership and management. He has been with the company for 27 years, a testament to his commitment and dedication to the organization. He has held various positions throughout his career, including Finance Director and Chief Accountant. In 2021, he was named CEO of the Year at the East Africa Business Awards, recognizing his outstanding leadership and contribution to the region's economic growth. George holds a Master of Business Administration (Marketing) from the University of Leicester and a Certified Public Accountant of Kenya (CPAK).Through his episode on the podcast, George hopes to inspire and motivate listeners to become progressive leaders who prioritize the well-being of their teams and organizations. His story is a testament to the power of leadership and its positive impact on individuals, groups, and communities.
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In this episode of this Podcast episode, Dr. Patricia Murugami shares her journey and insights on leadership, personal growth, purpose, and resilience. Being a firstborn, Dr. Murugami had an early opportunity to lead, eventually leading her to where she is today. She has diverse leadership development experience, from teaching piano to grade 1 children, working as an auditor, consultant, and business controller, and leading the Executive Education team at Strathmore Business School.
Dr. Murugami talks about how she overcame her struggles and pain by turning them into lessons that made her a better person and leader. She believes that to be a great leader, one needs to lead themselves first before getting the title or leadership position. Additionally, this self-leadership happens when a person is transformed from the inside out and not the other way around.
Dr. Murugami elaborates on purpose and how it converges one's pain and passion. She believes that each person is endowed with skills and abilities to be all they can be by enhancing their power to actualize their best version of themselves and share that light with others to do the same. Dr. Murugami shares how her failures have propelled her to where she is today and inspired her to keep forging ahead to the future unknowns. She dispels the myth that she is an overnight success and reiterates that it has taken her blood, tears, and sweat to be where she is today.
To stay fired up for what she does, Dr. Murugami explains that her work aligns with her purpose: to help others shine. She is convinced that she is consciously and unconsciously amplifying the light for herself and others by doing big and small things, thereby building her legacy. She enjoys working with brilliant people who are better than her, having a personal board of directors who are her coaches and advisors, and having a husband who keeps motivating her to go further and better.
Dr. Murugami also discusses the various struggles and challenges she faces as a woman in the corporate world. She has developed a program to help women overcome their professional challenges and struggles. The program aims to create a safe space where women can share their experiences, learn from each other, and support one another.
Dr. Patricia Murugami is the Founder and CEO of Breakthrough Leadership Transformation (BLT) Group and the Chief Growth Officer & Global Human Potential Catalyst of Rise School, a global learning platform. She is a lifetime learner and leadership implementer who completed her doctorate from the International School of Management in Paris. Dr. Patricia has completed executive education programs at renowned institutions such as Wharton Business School, Cranfield School of Management, IESE Business School, and Harvard X. She is also an accredited certified executive coach with The Performance Solution UK and ICF.
Throughout the podcast, Dr. Murugami emphasizes the importance of personal growth, resilience, and purpose in leadership. She believes that leaders should lead by example and inspire others to be their best. Dr. Murugami's insights and experiences are valuable for anyone who wants to develop their leadership skills, find their purpose, and grow.
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Join Dr. Tim Kiruhi on his inspiring leadership journey, from his humble beginnings as a choirmaster to his current role as the International Leadership University Vice-Chancellor. Dr. Kiruhi shares his insights into the competencies necessary for effective leadership in the academic world and his experiences overcoming institutional challenges. He describes the key traits that have helped him succeed and how he creatively secured the favor of the County government for a building project.
As a strong advocate for value-based and ethical leadership, Dr. Kiruhi expounds on his involvement with the Ethical Leadership Network (ELNET), which seeks to model lived-out integrity in Kenya and engage leaders of integrity in solving societal problems. Despite the many challenges they face, he discusses the importance and relevance of universities today and highlights the fruit-bearing approach at the center of his legacy. Dr. Kiruhi hopes to raise others to lead, positively impact society, and show care for the planet.
Dr. Kiruhi's impressive credentials include a Ph.D. in Organizational Leadership with a Global Leadership emphasis from Regent University (USA), as well as a BSc in Mechanical Engineering (University of Nairobi - First Class Hons.) and an MA in Leadership Studies (Azusa Pacific University, USA). He has published eight academic papers, including a chapter in the 2017 book, 'Leading an African Renaissance.' Dr. Kiruhi has also served on seven boards of non-profit and for-profit firms, chairing three.
Don't miss out on this opportunity to learn from a true leader and ethical and value-based leadership expert. Tune in to Dr. Tim Kiruhi's podcast to inspire and motivate you to positively impact your sphere of influence.
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Adoma Onusu: Attuned Leadership
Get ready for an inspiring and insightful conversation about attuned leadership on our latest podcast episode featuring Adoma Owusu, the Country Manager of Visa Ghana. Adoma shares with us how her leadership journey began in her family and the critical leadership abilities she has demonstrated to succeed in her leadership role. Digital leadership, passion, people management, uncompromising integrity, and perseverance are some of the traits that have all been vital to her success in the African financial services industry.
Adoma is open about the challenges she has faced in her role and how she has responded to them. She speaks about how her parents and two teachers influenced her leadership the most and how she keeps her leadership edge sharp. Adoma shares her passion for the leadership needed in Africa to make a difference and how she established the Visa Office in Ghana, earning her the name "Visa Mama."
Throughout the episode, Adoma talks about the two areas of improvement she is focusing on to become a better leader and what she would do differently if she started her leadership journey all over again. She also shares an insightful analogy relating her leadership role to that of a shepherd, what she hopes to leave as her legacy and the crux of her leadership story.
Adoma Owusu is a seasoned Financial Services Professional with over 20 years of experience in high-pressure, multinational, pan-regional, and domestic corporate environments. As Visa Ghana's Country Manager, Adoma oversees all of the company's operations and is responsible for developing and executing strategies for the market. Her leadership has helped Visa achieve significant milestones in Ghana, including launching Visa on mobile and expanding contactless transactions nationwide.
Adoma's passion for digital innovation is evident in her accomplishments and expertise in cultivating close relationships with key decision-makers. She holds an MBA, a post-graduate degree in Management, and a Bachelor of Science in Genetics & Biochemistry. Adoma's extensive experience and education make her a valuable asset to the financial services industry, and her dedication to driving innovation and growth in Ghana is truly inspiring.
Don't miss out on this inspiring conversation about attuned leadership. Tune in to our podcast now and learn about a remarkable leader in Africa!
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In this inspiring episode of Podcast Part 2, Kevin Kinusu shares his insights on leadership and the role of true love in it. He discusses the importance of viewing and using authority as a leader and how his personal journey has taught him the core elements of leadership. Kevin openly shares his experiences of helplessness and failure and how he navigated a problematic transition that included pay cuts and benefit withdrawals. Despite the challenges, Kevin was able to retain the loyalty of his employees, and he explained what made them stay with him during that time.
Kevin's legacy is to safeguard the dignity of communities and empower them to thrive by giving them access to resources and developing entrepreneurial spirits to sustain themselves. He emphasizes the importance of valuing people over possessions and positions in leadership and how this approach can lead to a legacy of empowering communities to thrive. He enjoys mentoring younger leaders to become the best version of themselves. He encourages them to become their own students so that they can self-discover their passions, strengths, and weaknesses.
Kevin serves as the Managing Director for Africa Bioenergy Programs Limited, overseeing Africa's fastest-growing and most extensive domestic biogas program by household adoption rates, which won the Globe Energy Award Kenya in 2019. Through his leadership, over 22,000 rural households have accessed clean and sustainable cooking energy thanks to the adoption of domestic biodigester technologies.
Not only that, but Kevin is also passionate about value-based and impact-driven entrepreneurship. He is working with 172 small and medium-sized enterprises across Kenya to deliver these services, generating over 6,000 full-time equivalent job opportunities nationwide.
To gain valuable insights and learn from Kevin's inspiring experiences, valuable insights and practical advice on leadership, true love, and legacy that will help you develop your leadership skills; tune in to this episode.
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Welcome to an exciting Once Upon A Leader In Africa Podcast episode, where we enjoy hearing about Kevin Kinusu's inspiring leadership journey. Kevin grew up in a humble neighborhood in Nairobi, where he discovered his passion for leadership at a young age. He learned the importance of accountability and responsibility as a class monitor in grade 4, and this became a defining principle throughout his academic and professional journey.
Although he faced challenges during his university studies and career, Kevin's resilience and determination allowed him to develop his leadership skills further, which he applied to his work. As a champion and advocate for action on climate change, Kevin has played pivotal roles in organizations such as Oxfam GB, Hivos Foundation, and Techfortrade, where he served in leadership positions.
Kevin serves as the Managing Director for Africa Bioenergy Programs Limited, overseeing the fastest-growing and most extensive domestic biogas program in Africa by household adoption rates, which won the Globe Energy Award Kenya in 2019. Through his leadership, over 22,000 rural households have accessed clean and sustainable cooking energy thanks to the adoption of domestic biodigester technologies.
Not only that, but Kevin is also passionate about value-based and impact-driven entrepreneurship. He is working with 172 small and medium-sized enterprises across Kenya to deliver these services, generating over 6,000 full-time equivalent job opportunities nationwide.
Join us as we get to know Kevin Kinusu, a social entrepreneurship strategist, SME coach, and social enterprise builder with over ten years of experience. He is married to Faith, has two children, and is a committed Christian engaged in faith-based initiatives. Get ready to be inspired by Kevin's incredible leadership journey!
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Dr. Naike Moshi shares her higher education in the US and her desire to return to Tanzania and impact there. She started her professional career in a US Tax Consulting firm and has since worked on challenging and diverse assignments in the management consultancy area. She narrates her failures and lowest moments as a business leader and how she turned those situations around. Dr. Moshi stresses the need for leaders to continuously learn, unlearn, and relearn to bring about the change and impact they need to have. She passionately speaks about the founding of WIMA during the COVID-19 pandemic and how the organization has grown to impact and influence across Africa.
Dr. Moshi demonstrates her grit and ability to turn around negative situations into positive ones. She challenges women leaders to change themselves intentionally, mentor the next generation, and be aggressive in taking up leadership positions. Her inspiring story is one of resilience, determination, and leadership.
Dr. Moshi, Country Director of CVPeople Tanzania and founder of Women in Management Africa (WIMA). As Country Director of CVPeople Tanzania, she consults for organizations to help them build female leadership talent pipelines and runs leadership programs for female executives. As the founder and CEO of WIMA, she oversees the association to improve gender balance and diversity on boards and in leadership roles across Africa. Her entrepreneurial spirit has led to notable success as a mentor, coaching and guiding entrepreneurs for the Young African Leaders Initiative (YALI) Regional Leadership, Unreasonable East Africa, and African Entrepreneurship Awards. She has received awards for her personal and professional contributions, including Most Visionary Female CEO at the Merit Awards held in Nigeria and being featured as one of the Top 100 Women CEOs in Africa by Avance Media in Ghana. Recently she was named one of the Top 25 Most Influential CEOs Impacting Business 2023.
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Join us on the latest episode of our podcast, "Happiness-Giving Leadership," as we chat with Ashok Shah, a highly experienced leader in the insurance industry. Ashok shares with us his leadership journey, starting as a gang leader for his younger siblings and leading youth and anti-apartheid groups in high school and college. He explains how he was initially attracted to the insurance industry because of the better pay but has since found passion in leadership.
Ashok discusses leadership challenges in the insurance industry and how he overcame them. He shares his advice for younger leaders and stresses the importance of investing in employee training. Ashok also emphasizes the significance of making stakeholders happy and leaving a positive legacy for them. Through our engaging conversation, you will learn about the ups and downs of Ashok's leadership journey as he openly discusses the difficult and joyous moments.
Ashok Shah is the Group CEO of Apollo Investment Limited. With decades of experience in the insurance industry, Ashok has led the Apollo Group to become one of the most impactful financial and insurance service providers in East Africa. In this episode, he shares his leadership challenges while leading the company and how he has overcome them.
As a former chairman of the Association of Kenya Insurers, Ashok is a highly respected industry leader who has earned numerous accolades, including the first Lifetime Achievement award for his significant contributions to the insurance industry. He has also sat on the boards of various organizations such as Barclays/Absa Bank Kenya and Central Depository and Settlement Corporation.
So, join us for an inspiring and insightful discussion on leadership and happiness, and find out what it takes to become a happiness-giving leader. Tune in now to the latest episode of our podcast!
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George Wachiuri is a leader who has dedicated his life to helping others. From his early days as a leader in his childhood to his university life, George shares his journey and the thrill of watching people grow and succeed. He candidly discusses his leadership drive, the mistakes he's made along the way, and how these experiences have shaped him into the leader he is today. In the face of the Covid-19 pandemic, George and his team of leaders learned valuable lessons that helped them weather the storm. He explains how generosity towards those in need is the antidote to a leader's greed. Throughout the episode, George shares his humble beginnings and the challenges he faced to reach where he is today. And he doesn't shy away from discussing the importance of God and prayer in his leadership success.
George Wachiuri is a Kenyan Christian entrepreneur, philanthropist, motivational speaker, and author. He is the CEO of the diversified firm Optiven, which invests in real estate, hospitality, insurance, and recreation. He is also the Chairman and Trustee of the Optiven Foundation, and the proceeds from his three books go toward the foundation. George sits on the board of Kenya Private Sector Alliance and Brook Hurst International School and is a married father of three children.
Tune in to this inspiring episode and be prepared to be motivated and encouraged.
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Salome's leadership journey began early on in her life when she seized opportunities to excel in her primary school class by writing names of noise makers and leading the music club and rugby team in high school. Her approach to leadership is coaching, and she speaks about the positive impact it has had on her team members and the organization. Salome also shares about the importance of adaptability and communication for leaders, and is candid about the mistakes she has made as a leader and the work pressures she has had to overcome and manage.
Salome likens the leadership journey to a roller-coaster with its ups and downs, and says that a chameleon best describes her approach to leadership. This is because she values adaptability and has found it to be incredibly helpful in dealing with the ever-changing context and circumstances when leading Sinapis. Salome also speaks about her personal fears, weaknesses and how best to manage her stakeholders. Additionally, she candidly shares about engaging a leadership coach to help progress in her professional trajectory. Salome shares with us her highs and lows, navigating leadership during unprecedented times, especially during the COVID-19 period, and her desire to grow teams into the best versions of themselves.
Currently, Salome oversees Kenya office operations as the Kenya Country Manager and the region's marketing efforts as East Africa Communications Lead. This is an impressive feat, especially considering that within 6 years, she speedily progressed from being an intern at the bottom of the food chain at Sinapis to being the Country Manager’s top post in Kenya.
Salome has also developed her marketing and organizational leadership skills as the founder of PassionBiz Academy's first marketing department. She has held marketing leadership positions in the Heels & Green Network and as an ICT committee member of the global Commonwealth Businesswomen's Network (Kenya Chapter). She is also a graded and studying member of the Chartered Institute of Marketing, and an alumnus of the Africa Management Institute's Pan-African Management Development Programme. Salome holds a B.A. in Communication and Media Technology with an I.T. focus from Maseno University.
Join us as Salome shares her leadership journey and the gems she's gathered along the way.
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From Maputo, Mozambique, Latifa Rijal Ibraimo shares the leadership journey that began as an 18 years old French teacher. As a teacher, she found herself having a leadership role towards her students, who were more mature than her. From teaching, she evolved into the natural resources, mining industry, and law. Over the years, she grew up the ranks of her career journey to become a leader with much experience in contract negotiation and drafting of mining, oil, and gas policy and legislation. Latifa gives us a glimpse of leadership adventure and explains her leadership nuggets of team building, and information sharing, among others. She shares her thoughts on what Africa needs to reach its full potential.
Between 1993 and 2003, Latifa was the Head of Licensing and Control Department at the National Directorate of Mines in the Ministry of Mineral Resources and Energy. After that, she worked as a Senior Contract Manager at Companhia Mocambicana De Hidrocarbonetos (CMH) for 15 years. She acquired a Law Diploma from the University Eduardo Mondlane in Maputo, Mozambique, and holds an LLM degree in Natural Resources Law and Policy from the University of Dundee (Scotland). Latifa is the Treasurer of the National Council of the Mozambican Bar Association and the elected Vice-President of the Advisory Board of the Mozambique Women in Energy Association (MWE). She is also a Member of the International Bar Association (IBA).
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From the time he was in middle primary school to date, Nicanor finds himself thrust into leadership of various social groups because of how he articulates the group's issues. Professionally, he has uniquely made a career in leading professional associations for more than fifteen years. Nicanor candidly reflects on his leadership journey and shares his leadership style and experience in managing associations. He offers excellent insights into the kind of leader an association needs to succeed.
As quasi-political organizations, professional associations need an inimitable leadership approach because their challenges range from managing personalities, casting a clear vision, and enhancing members' trust to mobilizing resources. Drawing from his reservoir of great wisdom, Nicanor sheds light on how to manage school and professional associations effectively.
Nicanor is the Managing Director of the African Association Management Company (AFAMCO), the premier Association Management Company (AMC) in Africa that supports the growth of professional and trade associations and nonprofit organizations. Before leading AFAMCO, he was the Chief Executive Office of the Kenya Association of Travel Agents (KATA), the East Africa Association of Grantmakers (EAAG), and the Executive Officer of the Association of Professional Societies in East Africa (APSEA). He has also served in the International Council of African Museums (AFRICOM). Nicanor is married to Vicky and they have three children.
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As much as it’s unexpected in the advertising industry, Serah has learned to control her character, not reputation, in this ever challenging environment. She believes in people first and states that if leaders invest in building great and diverse teams, their KPIs will be met.
These people she believes in and work closely with are Gen-Z! She happily shared how she has a better business leader by learning from this younger generation. Serah challenges older leaders to explore opportunities of improving their competencies by appreciating Gen-Z needs and drawing skills, strategies and solutions to meet them.
In this episode, Serah sheds light on her leadership style, and her passion for mentoring and growing women leaders and driving positive behaviour change and why it's important for any leader to be an avid reader. She particularly, believes African leaders cannot succeed if they ignore the needs of over 60% youth population within the continent.
Serah is the Managing Director, GroupM East & Central Africa & SSA Coordination lead. She is a senior strategist and leader with over 16 years of experience in advertising, having worked on some of the biggest brands locally and globally. -
As an introvert, Douglas Nyamori did not see himself as a leader throughout his younger years. However, he was good at sports and loved playing soccer, hockey, and rugby in high school. While in college, he played rugby for one of the top teams in Kenya’s national rugby league. His coach saw his potential and exposed him to leadership opportunities within the team. Unfortunately, this opportunity was short-lived due to a shoulder injury that ended his sports participation.
Douglas focused on graduating from the university and moving on to begin his career at Inteteck and continued to be there after twenty years. Over this period, he has climbed the leadership ladder to become its Regional Liaison Officer overseeing Kenya, Uganda, and Tanzania. Douglas faithfully did his work and grew his role within the organization. The organization needed a new boss when the country boss had to return to his country. Without much notice, Douglas was thrust into leading Intetrek after his boss gave him his office and car keys and told him to take him to the airport.
With his background in sports, Douglas likens his leadership role to that of a sports team captain. He espouses peak performance principles in sports in his mode of leadership. He gives us a glimpse of who has had significant influence over his life, the challenges he has encountered, and his love for sports but more, how his parents reflected leadership to him and how his family inspires him to do what he does.
Douglas is the Regional Operations Manager East Africa at Intertek. Intertek is a leading Total Quality Assurance provider to industries World Wide. Intertek supports development in Sub-Saharan Africa by providing services that assist customers in improving performance and achieving growth.
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Raphael is not shy to confirm Eleanor Roosevelt’s quote: “Behind every great man is a great woman.” He does this by appreciating his wife's role in his growth and development as a leader, from his humble beginnings to becoming the Regional General Manager and MD at Atlas Copco East & Central Africa. His leadership journey is interwoven with his passion for business development, cross-cultural leadership, mentoring, and faith, among other things.
In this episode, Raphael takes us through his business leadership journey. He confesses the challenges he has experienced as a leader and how he overcame them. He gives us a glimpse into his role, his insights on African leadership, and the steps a next-generation leader can take to become a successful leader. Raphael also points out the progressive approach to his growth as a leader and dispels the myth that leaders are born and made overnight.
Raphael is a business leader with an engineering background interested in the convergence of technology and academia. Having honed his business and leadership skills in East and West African countries, he has become a market leader in his field. He is experienced in compressed air systems, industrial and medical gases, power and water sectors, mining, and construction. In his free time, he likes to keep fit by cycling and running, and he believes in the power of reading for any leader.
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As a high school captain, fellow students beat Edgar because they were unhappy with one of his leadership duties. However, this did not deter him from excelling in his role until the period just before his final examinations. Such an occurrence was rare because the school captain’s tenure ended a year before they sat for the final exams. To motivate Edgar, tell him he cannot do something, and he will prove you wrong. In this episode, Edgar fondly reminisces on his leadership roles over his career and how he became passionate about renewable energy in a social enterprise model, implementing projects, and influencing policy. He also shares the importance of good leadership for the growth of any organization, why we need to understand that leadership is stewardship and how young leaders can grow in their careers as influential people to those they lead. Edgar speaks about the kind of leaders needed in Africa to fully exploit its potential.
Edgar holds MA Int. Dev. from Maynooth University, Ireland, and received energy training from the University of Mzuzu, University of Strathclyde, and RES4Africa Foundation. He is a Commonwealth Fellow in Climate Resilience and Sustainable Energy, a Director of IEEE/Smart Village Development, and the International Village Programme Ambassador. Edgar is the Founder and Director of Community Energy Malawi.
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After the father formed his house cabinet, he asked Catherine to be his executive secretary and to write notes for the cabinet meetings. She was given this role because she was the ninth child of 10 children, hence too young to be a Cabinet minister. Catherine did not only take notes of the home cabinet but also did the same for the meetings the father chaired as a village elder and advisor. This was the beginning of Catherine’s journey to leadership. She shares the influence and impacts her father had on her and her siblings, who still meet monthly with their spouses! Unsurprisingly, she proceeded to study law and evolved to focus on the company secretaryship.
Catherine shares how integrity is her most important value and two things that give her a “kick” – governance and enablement. She is passionate about enabling women to join Boards; hence she co-formed Women On Board Network (WOBN) with three people in 2014. WOBN provides a platform that brings together women from diverse fields and ranks, facilitates those already serving on Boards to carry out their roles and responsibilities effectively, and upskills and prepares for the boardroom of those women who are already in senior leadership roles aspiring to serve on Boards.
Catherine Musakali is an Advocate of the High Court of Kenya and a Fellow of the Institute of Certified Secretaries of Kenya. She is the Founder of Dorion Associates LLP, a firm specializing in governance matters and commercial legal consultancies. Before founding Dorion Associates, Catherine worked for Kenya Shell Limited as their Company Secretary and Head of Legal for over fifteen (15) years. She is currently the Company Secretary of several Companies and sits on various Boards, including those in the public and private sectors. Catherine has led the development of three landmark codes of Corporate Governance. She has served as the Chairman of the Institute of Certified Public Secretaries of Kenya (ICPSK) and sat on the Council of the Corporate Secretaries International Association, a global body bringing together governance professionals.
- Visa fler
