JANUARY - FEBRUARY, 2021 KENYA 1,000/= TANZANIA 20,000/= UGANDA 25,000/= MEDICINE: WHY THE OXFORD ASTRAZENECA VACCINE IS NOW A GLOBAL GAME CHANGER HEALTH: LESSONS FROM AROUND THE WORLD ON FIGHTING COVID’S SECOND WAVE IMAGE: CORPORATE ACTIVISM IS MORE THAN A MARKETING GIMMICK ENVIRONMENT: CEOS MUST FACE UNCERTAINTY AND TACKLE IT HEAD-ON TOP 25 CEOs MAKING AN IMPACT IN BUSINESS 2021 SURVEY #1 DR. JEREMY ANNIVERSARY CELEBRATION PUBLISHER’S NOTE JANUARY - FEBRUARY 2021 Vol. 16, No 155 Top 25 CEOs setting the COMMENTARY OPINION SCIENCE business agenda in 2021 Why the Oxford AstraZeneca What Netflix’s involvement Why it matters that the coronavirus is From a list of 100 media submissions, it has not been easy ending with only 25 each celebrating each vaccine is now a global in Nigeria’s massive film changing – and what this means for year this magazine has in published. It has been hard work of reading and researching and occasional getting permission from some of you or counter checking some facts to try to ensure accuracy. game changer 98 industry really means 106 vaccine effectiveness 110 NOMINEES Dr Githinji Gitahi - Group BEYOND BUSINESS 6 Dr Jeremy Awori - MD & Nairobi’s air has been polluted CEO Amref Health Africa for decades: New review CEO Absa Bank Kenya Dr Gitahi is currently one of the most suggests a path forward 116 Advertising campaigns: distinguished thought leaders in the Other research has found that the What you don’t see 10 Phyllis Wakiaga - CEO Kenya healthcare industry and policy, a space he fuel economy of vehicles in Nairobi Association of Manufacturers (KAM) demonstrated his acumen and vision since is 2-3 times worse than in countries the advent of the Covid-19 pandemic. 118 Corporate activism is more like Japan, India and China. 14 Joshua Oigara - MD & 48 90 than a marketing gimmick CEO, KCB Bank Group Wachira Waruru 18 Rita Kavashe (MBS) - MD, MD & CEO Royal Media Services NEWS FEATURE OPINION ART/CULTURE Isuzu East Africa If there is a media executive whose star is shining, it is none other than Wachira Waruru. 82 Large Africa study makes important 20 Rebecca Miano (OGW MBS) 120 Big Brother Naija’: Nigeria’s Known to his friends as Ondiek, meaning breakthrough in HIV prevention 102 African countries need more - MD & CEO Kenya Electricity of the ‘wild’, Wachira started the year with air quality data - and sharing unlikely public relations campaign? Generating Company Plc an appointment by the President of Kenya to the star studded COVID-19 Emergency 84 Massive project on African DNA it unlocks its benefits 122 What archaeology tells us Response Fund Board on March 30, 2020 sets out to close the knowledge 26 Arvinder Singh Reel - CEO 104 Dimming the sun could reduce about the music and sounds 22 gap on mental illness CFAO Automotive-Kenya future drought risk in Cape made by Africa’s ancestors & MD Toyota Kenya 86 The loss of vegetation is Town – but there’s a catch SOCIETY 28 Carole Karuga - KEPSA CEO Carole 62 Dr Wilfred Marube - CEO 76 Dr Macharia Irungu - MD creating a dangerous heat Kenya Export Promotion & CEO, Kenya Pipeline island over Nairobi 30 Ashok Shah - Group CEO- and Branding Agency 124 Anxiety in Johannesburg: New Apollo Investments 78 Dr Naim Bilal - MD 88 New year, new exciting offer for views on a global south city 64 Jane Karuku - MD & CEO, The Kenya DStv, GOtv customers to cushion 34 Peter Ndegwa - MD & & CEO, EABL Broadcasting Corporation Kenyans from January blues i CEO Safaricom PLC 126 Dar es Salaam’s new 66 Rebecca Mbithi - MD & 80 Samantha Siyieyio Kipury - Group 92 Legal audits: Antidote to rapid bus system won 36 Mohammed Hersi - Chief Visionary CEO, Family Bank of Kenya MD & CEO, Dentsu Kenya corporate legal risks international acclaim – but Officer, The-Power-Of-A-Tweet it excludes the poor 38 Allan Kilavuka - MD & CEO Dr Elizabeth Wala - Chief SECTOR REVIEW SPORTS Kenya Airways PLC Visionary Officer & Founder of Wanderlust Diaries 94 What is bipolar disorder, the Has the skin lightener condition Kanye West lives with? industry learned from 128 Football and politics: When 44 Andrew Mutuma - MD & Dr Wala studied Economic Evaluation Black Lives Matter? CEO, DHL Express Kenya of Global Health at the University of Algeria won the 2019 Washington in 2018, and holds a Master 96 CEOs must face uncertainty Ending the most dangerous dimensions of Africa Cup of Nations 52 Peter Nduati - CEO and of Science degree in Infectious Diseases and tackle it head-on the trade – the promotion of racist beauty Founder-Resolution Group (LSHTM) from the University of London ideals and the use of products containing (2008-2011) and a Bachelor of Medicine, mercury and other toxic ingredients – will LAST WORD COMMENTARY 54 Peter Njonjo - CEO & Bachelor of Surgery (MBChB) degree from require ongoing consciousness-raising the University of Nairobi (1996-2002). and effective government regulation. 130 Reconnecting Business Co-founder-Twiga Foods Lessons from around the world 70 100 112 Success with Social Progress 58 Vivienne Yeda - MD & CEO - EADB on fighting Covid’s second wave 2 BUSINESS MONTHLY | JANUARY-FEBRUARY 2021 BUSINESS MONTHLY | JANUARY-FEBRUARY 2021 3 ANNIVESARY EDITION Publisher’s Note Top 25 CEOs setting the business agenda in 2021 From a list of 100 media submissions, it has not been easy ending with only 25 each celebrating each year this magazine has in PUBLISHER: published. It has been hard work of reading and researching Dr. Hanningtone Gaya and occasional getting permission from some of you or counter [email protected] 0722 742287 checking some facts to try to ensure accuracy. EDITOR: munities and occasionally in solve debilitat- Martin O’Neil ing environmental problems. At this stage, CONTRIBUTORS: profitability is latent reason, not the main Cathy Mputhia reason. Enter Peter Njonjo, the CEO and Mike Eldon Co-founder of Twiga Foods. His dream has Scott Bellows Lennox Yieke become a largescale solution to solving the Anzetse Were plight of small-scale producers and distrib- Jeff Aludo utors of food in the country and beyond the PUBLISHED BY: borders into the larger sub-Saharan Africa. The Knowledge Warehouse Most people strive for hard work. Other 020 26504 937 prefer upscaling themselves in their pro- 0722 742 287 fessions. This, they do meticulously while DESIGN & LAYOUT: respecting their professional code of con- airline afloat, through quick decision to Wilfred Marube, Dr Macharia Irungu (ICDC) with oversight on the boards of Fontana Creations duct and practice. Instead of disappearing turnaround the business from passenger to and Dr Naim Bilal of the Kenya Export Kenya Pipeline, Kenya Railways and Kenya DR HANNINGTONE GAYA MIS & ADMINISTRATION: into the thin air, overnight with clients’ cargo transport as the main business model Promotion and Branding Agency (KEPBA) Ports Authority. ICDC is responsible for the Marilene Mercy CEO - The Knowledge Warehouse Kenya money, they have chosen the right path of and subsequently preparing in readiness to Kenya Pipeline Company (KPC) and Kenya management of the State’s investments in 0722 420 493 professional integrity: instituted corporate distribute the Covid-19 vaccines globally Broadcasting Corporation (KBC). ports, rail and pipeline services. BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT governance structures that steer them and and in particular to Africa makes Allan Of note, is the Kenya Pipeline Company, For those never been feted before, this MANAGER: he Media is the public watchdog and the organisations they founded to multi-na- Kilavuka, the new CEO at Kenya Airways the leading state-owned enterprise (SOE) is your time to shine in public. From today, Martin O’Neil often the barometer for all actions tional blue chip company levels with strong (KQ) a business leader to watch. that has been turning a profit in the last 8 you are marked men and women who have 0721 989 263 and omissions. The media also sets brands, with sterling quality products and Most befitting, of course, are the words years and paying dividends to the National to continue to strive to excel in whatever ADVERTISING: the public agenda and mediates the customer services. Enter Peter Nduati and of the Kenya Private Sector Alliance Treasury, in addition to being self-financing led you to being noted and outed in the Dr. Hanningtone Gaya Tpublic discourse. Edward Kirathe, CEOs and founders of (KEPSA) Chairman, the amiable, focussed for all its capital expenditures, without first place. Be humbled. Awards are public [email protected] In this second business leaders’ awards Resolution Insurance and Acorn Holdings and witty Nicholas (Nik) Nesbitt in con- needing government guarantee when tak- endorsements and appreciation. 0722 742287 issue, the media is bringing to the fore, pub- respectively. These two operate in very gratulating Mohammed Hersi for his ing out loans for its massive infrastruc- From a list of 100 media submissions, it DISTRIBUTED BY: lic acknowledgements of 25 CEOs who have difficult industries with all kinds of poor latest award as the 2020 Winner Most ture undertakings. The KPC is one of the has not been easy ending with only 25 each Nation Marketing & Publishing displayed tremendous leadership traits in corporate practices and indulgences. These Influential Digital Leader by IAfrikan.com, few SOEs that continues to benefit from celebrating each year this magazine has in A Division of Nation Media Group their respective organizations, in addition two are soaring high above the hawks. ‘@Mohammed Hersi fantastic recognition sustainable good corporate governance published. It has been hard work of reading P.O. Box 49010-00100 Nairobi Tel: 020 3288588 / 8574 to providing time and sterling service to Enter Covid-19 pandemic that has been for how thoughtfully you share and shape practice, benefitting in the last five years and researching and occasional getting per- the sectors, industries and institutions they creating havoc on the economic and social insights into so much more than tour- from the chairmanship of John Ngumi, a mission from some of you or counter check- CONtent: have been made responsible.