The Kenyan Corporate Executive: An Endangered Species
I’ve been perusing the articles in BD Africa and I’m beginning to see an interesting phenomenon. Well, maybe it’s a regular phenomenon with all jobs, but is this a unique pattern? What am I talking about?
I am talking about seeing relatively young Kenyans, many of whom have been educated in the west, returning back to take the helm of investment banks and other companies and then not being able to last very long at those jobs.
It’s just happened to Maina Mwangi at Rennaisance Capital. He’s been let go.
It happened to Mugo Kibati at East African Cables.
It happened to Peter Mwangi at Centum. Does anyone believe he’ll be able to transform the NSE? I doubt it.
Look at Stella Kilonzo struggling at the CMA.
Transcentury just hired a new guy, a former consultant from Mckinsey, who probably went to school and worked abroad. The same thing is probably going to happen to him. He’ll get kicked out after two years.
There’s a more complete article here about these endangered mammalians.
You’ll never have power if you don’t own.
Isn’t this what the global economy is teaching us? That you are better off starting a small company in your basement with one client and building it up over time, than running into the corporate world with all of it’s “false” rewards.
But that’s so hard to do, especially if you are worried about your “reputation”. And we all know how Kenyans love to show off. Everyone wants to be seen in their mercedez benz, in a designer suit, in a big office with a big title, but that’s not where the job security is.
I credit one friend of mine with really hammering home for me the importance of keeping things simple. She’d always tell me not to develop these grand, fancy idea’s about business: Just keep it simple. Keep it basic and grow it slowly by slowly.
And I think she learnt that by watching her dad build a retail business. No fancy suits or fancy offices or fancy titles. You just focus on the work and on your profits or losses.
Do you think they are still too many Kenyans who are enamored with these corporate falsities?
There is overemphasis on employment in Kenya, as in ’someni vijana, baada ya kusoma mtapata kazi nzuri sana’. The opposite of what the 8-4-4 (=0?) should have been about, at least according to my History of Education in Kenya course at a public Uni in Kenya.
KE
I think you are only referring to the big companies.
What about the small and medium sized companies? Incidentally, these are the type fo businesses that should receive support because they are the real drivers of the economy.
ke,
Well, I agree with what you’ve said. I think the educated NRK’s should not be afraid of competing with the western counterparts.
I always recommend NRK’S to get down and identify an area where you can pursue a business here in the west and pursue it.
There are many Indians in the west who have started from nothing and made hundreds of mullion of dollars and they started small. Of course their otherswho decided not to follow this path and are still working for a salary from an employer instead of being an employer and hiring.
I guess it depends on how much risk you are willing to take and how much you trust your business acumen.
I always get into arguments with my friends about which place is better for doing business and making more money(Kenya or US).
I find that in the US hard work and patience pays better than Kenya. But if you are the type that doesn’t like doing things straight Kenya might be the place for you.
What do you think ?
Yap, the corporate animal is becoming a very distinct and near extinct animal. That why me is a different species and creature, FREELANCER.
check my tribulations at kenyanfreelancer.blogspot.com
Great ideas guyz.
I concur with the author to a big percentage. I am Kenyan educated all through but prospecting to do a masters in US on VSATs and Telcoms.
Granted, I have been applying for job placing in many organizations but none seems to be interested in me ( am not very desperate tho) despte the fact that, honestly, I am an A student and all rounded( guess u get what I mean).
Now, my point is: I do have reservations that,( perhaps) in some cases, most of these job placements for the abroaded educated friends (perhaps)are below universal standard,yet are executed.
You like me, may have heard fake law degrees from India. That is not very impossible, right?
But the working environments, in most of the Kenyan corporates, is more often than not “unique”shocking and wanting than what they portend to be.
Imagine a scenario whereby you went at the reception at Safaricom and found reception managers chatting in vernacular. Way out of place. Takes a pretty amonut of time to stream such in a corporate, mind that you dont want to seem to have a tyrannical sort of approach!
Just a thought, tho
That’s so true KE, the most successful businesses are those boring mom and pop corner businesses like a laundrymat, food kiosk etc. Here’s why; the smartest and brightest chase after fancy businesses, so you have far too many smart people chasing after very few opportunities. But those boring businesses do not have as many smart and bright people, so if you happen to be the token smart and bright, you literally dont have competition and will thrive.