This is a list of notable Kenyan business executives.
For other Kenyans, see List of Kenyans.
For the richest Kenyans in annualized ranking by Forbes, see List of Kenyans by net worth.
To be included in this list, the named persons must have existing articles written about them on Wikipedia and are known for business. This list of famous or popular business people in Kenya is incomplete. You can help by adding more names to it.
The Kikuyu are a Bantu ethnic group native to East Africa Central Kenya. At a population of 8,148,668 as of 2019, they account for 17.13% of the total population of Kenya, making them Kenya's largest ethnic group.
Jan Jerzy Kulczyk was a Polish billionaire businessman. He was the founder and owner of Kulczyk Holding and an international investment house Kulczyk Investments with headquarters in Luxembourg and offices in London and Kyiv, Ukraine. According to Forbes, Kulczyk was the richest Pole at the time of his death.
Sunil Bharti Mittal is an Indian industrialist and philanthropist. He is the founder and chairman of Bharti Enterprises, which has diversified interests in telecom, insurance, real estate, education, malls, hospitality, Agri and food besides other ventures.
Gautam Shantilal Adani is an Indian billionaire businessman who is the founder and chairman of the Adani Group, a multinational conglomerate involved in port development and operations in India. As of 21 November 2024, Adani is ranked second richest person in Asia and 25th in the world, with a net worth of $57.7 billion. In 2022, Times Magazine included him in the 100 most influential people in the world.
Sidian Bank, formerly known as K-Rep Bank, is a commercial bank in Kenya, licensed by the Central Bank of Kenya, the national banking regulator.
Centum Investment Company Plc, commonly known as Centum is a public East African investment company. It operates as an affiliate of the Kenyan government-owned Industrial and Commercial Development Corporation (ICDC).
Laila Macharia is a Kenyan lawyer, businesswoman, entrepreneur and angel investor based in Nairobi, Kenya's capital city. She sits on the boards of a number of national, regional and international enterprises, including (a) Africa Digital Media Group (b) Absa Bank Kenya Plc and (c) Centum Investments.
Naushad N. Merali, CBS was the founder of the Kenyan mobile service provider Kencell along with French media giant Vivendi. Merali became famous in an almost folk tale for a corporate boardroom manoeuvre that earned him a $20million dollar profit in one hour thanks to pre-emptive rights of his stake in private Telecom company Kencell Kenya in 2004. He attended Highway Secondary School in the suburbs of Nairobi, Kenya. As one of Kenya's leading industrialists, Merali brought commercial development in Kenya for more than 30 years and was constantly expanding his businesses throughout East Africa.
James Mwangi CBS is a Kenyan accountant, career banker, businessman, and entrepreneur. He is the current Group Managing Director and Group Chief Executive Officer of Equity Group Holdings Plc, the banking conglomerate with one of the largest customer bases on the African continent, over 14 million as of December 2019.
Christopher John Kirubi, born in Murang'a County, was a Kenyan businessman, entrepreneur, and industrialist. He was a director at Centum Investment Company, a business conglomerate, of which he was the largest individual shareholder.
Old Mutual Holdings Plc, Formally known as UAP Holdings Limited, is an investment, retirement, and insurance group that operates mainly in Eastern Africa. UAP Holdings is one of the leading insurance and financial services groups in eastern Africa with a network of branches and operational subsidiaries spread across the greater eastern and central Africa regions.
Vimal Shah is a businessman, entrepreneur, mentor and industrialist in Kenya, the largest economy in the East African Community. He is the Chairman of Bidco Africa and is responsible for the company's growth into new markets and product Bidco is a business conglomerate involved in the manufacture of edible oil, detergents, soaps, margarine and baking powder. He is reported to be one of the wealthiest individuals in Kenya.
Bhimji Depar Shah is a Kenyan businessman, industrialist and entrepreneur. He is the founder and chairman of Bidco Africa, a Kenya-based, family-owned manufacturing conglomerate with businesses in 13 African countries.
Bidco Africa, previously Bidco Oil Refineries Limited (BORL), is a multinational consumer goods company headquartered in Thika, Kenya with subsidiaries and distributorships across 17 countries in East Africa, Central Africa, and Southern Africa. Its products include edible oils, fats, margarine, laundry bars and detergents, personal care products, animal feeds and most recently, Food and Beverages. Bidco Africa owns over 40 brands and is the largest producer and marketer of consumer goods in the region.
Cytonn Investments is an international real estate company and private equity firm with offices in Nairobi, Kenya and DC Metro Area in the United States.
Ryan Williams is a technology entrepreneur best known as the CEO and founder of Cadre, a New York-based technology company. He was named to Fortune's "40 under 40" list for 2019, Forbes' "30 under 30" list for 2018, "Crain’s 40 under 40" list for 2017, is one of Commercial Observer’s "30 under 30" and has been profiled in Forbes, Ivy, and other publications. In February 2019 he was profiled and on the cover of Forbes Magazine in the "FinTech 50" issue; in 2022 he was a Business Insider "Top 100 Global Leaders Changing Business."
U. Gary Charlwood is a Canadian businessman, Executive Chairman and CEO of Charlwood Pacific Group, Founder & Executive Chairman of CENTURY 21 Canada, and Chairman CEO & Founder of Uniglobe Travel International. In 2017, Charlwood was ranked as the 92nd richest person in Canada. In 2015, Charlwood was named The Most Powerful Person in Residential Real Estate by the Swanepoel Power 200.
Saurabh Mittal is a Singapore-based Indian businessman, entrepreneur, investor, and philanthropist. He is the founder and chairman of Mission Holdings, a private investment holding company.
David J. Adelman is an American businessman and entrepreneur. He is the CEO of Campus Apartments, the Co-Founder and Vice Chairman of FS Investments, and the Founder of Darco Capital Chair. Adelman is also a limited partner of Harris Blitzer Sports & Entertainment, which owns and operates the Philadelphia 76ers and New Jersey Devils. His net worth was estimated by Forbes to be $2 billion in May 2023.
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