Vimal Shah | |
---|---|
Born | 1960 (age 63–64) Nyeri, Kenya |
Nationality | Kenyan |
Alma mater | United States International University Africa (BSc) |
Occupation(s) | Businessman, entrepreneur, industrialist |
Years active | 1985–present |
Organization | Bidco Group of Companies |
Known for | Mentor of Small and Medium Sized business organizations |
Title | Chairman |
Board member of | Bidco Group of Companies |
Spouse | Manda Shah |
Children | Soham Shah |
Parent | Bhimji Depar Shah |
Relatives | Tarun Shah (Brother) |
Call sign | Vimal is a Villain!!! |
Awards | Moran of the Order of the Burning Spear (MBS) (2004) Chief of the Order of the Burning Spear (CBS) (2011) |
Website | http://www.vimalshah.co.ke |
Vimal Shah is a businessman, entrepreneur, mentor [1] 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 [2] 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. [3]
He was born in Nyeri, Kenya. [4] Vimal Shah attended the United States International University, Nairobi Campus, graduating with the degree of Bachelor of Science in Business Administration and Finance. [5]
In 1985, the three Shahs decided to start a soap manufacturing business. When Kenyan banks denied them financing, they turned to family and friends instead. Growing cotton locally would take too much time, so they imported oil from Malaysia. Together with his father and brother, Vimal Shah built the business, growing the firm, BIDCO Africa, into one of Africa's largest companies. He rose to the position of CEO before stepping down in 2017. [6] Since then, he has been less involved in the operational aspects of BIDCO, instead stepping up to a more strategic role as board chairman, a position he holds to date.
BIDCO Africa is currently one of Africa's largest and fastest growing manufacturer of domestic consumer products. Currently, they market and distribute the largest and widest range of product categories in the East and Central African regions such as: Edible Oils, Cooking Fats, Margarine, Baking Products, Hygiene Products, Detergents, Laundry Bars and Animal Feeds
In 2014, Forbes removed Vimal Shah as one of Africa's 50 richest people. [7] Forbes Magazine, replacing Vimal Shah with his father, Bhimji Depar Shah, this replacement was due to "new information". Forbes used their own methods to arrive at this figure, including the fact that BIDCO grossed US$500 million [8] in sales in 2013. It has manufacturing factories in Kenya, Tanzania and Uganda. The group's products are marketed to 13 African countries. [9]
Starting mid-2017, Vimal Shah has been actively mentoring small and medium-sized businesses in Kenya, East Africa and continental Africa through his blog. [10] In his blog, he talks about his life as an entrepreneur in Africa, drawing from his experience as a successful entrepreneur since 1985. Through his blog, he posts weekly on different aspects of the life of an entrepreneur. Plans are underway to expand the mentorship program beyond his blog.
Shah's mentorship program is aimed at promoting the business and innovative spirit among young people in Africa. New posts go up every Monday.
This section of a biography of a living person does not include any references or sources .(April 2019) |
Vimal Shah is a married to Manda Shah and is the father of one son, Soham Shah (born in 1998). He is a past chairman of the East African Business Council, the Kenya Association of Manufacturers and the Kenya Private Sector Alliance KEPSA. In March 2014 he was elected to the 3GF (Global Green Growth Fund) based out of Amsterdam.
Thika is an industrial town and commerce hub in Kiambu County, Kenya, lying on the A2 road 42 kilometres (26 mi), northeast of Nairobi, near the confluence of the Thika and Chania Rivers. Although Thika town is administratively in Kiambu County, the greater Thika area comprising residential areas such as Bendor estate, Maporomoko, Thika Greens, Thika Golden Pearl, Bahati Ridge, and Thika Sports Club, among others, are within Murang'a County. Thika had a population of 279,429 as of the 2019 National Census and is growing rapidly. Its elevation is approximately 1,631 metres (5,351 ft).
Karsanbhai Khodidas Patel is an Indian billionaire businessman, industrialist and founder of the Nirma group a company with major business interests in cement, detergents, soaps and cosmetics,pharma, pkg, high chemicals, As of 2024, hurun has listed his net worth at US$ 9 billion. He has interests in education and founded Nirma University.
Mohammed "Mo" Gulamabbas Dewji is a Tanzanian billionaire businessman and former politician. He is the owner of MeTL Group, a Tanzanian conglomerate founded by his grandmother, developed by his father in the 1970s. Dewji served as Member of the Tanzanian Parliament for Chama Cha Mapinduzi (CCM) from 2005 to 2015 for his home town of Singida. As of October 2024, Dewji has an estimated net worth of US$1.8 billion, Africa's 17th richest person and youngest billionaire. Dewji was the first Tanzanian on the cover of Forbes magazine, in 2013.
Wilmar International Limited is a Singaporean food processing and investment holding company with more than 300 subsidiary companies. Founded in 1991, it is one of Asia's leading agribusiness groups alongside the COFCO Group. It ranks amongst the largest listed companies by market capitalisation on the Singapore Exchange (SGX), being the second largest as of September 2010. It was ranked 211th in the Fortune Global 500 list in 2020. It was ranked 3rd in the World's Most Admired Company by Fortune in 2019.
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.
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.
Kenya–Malawi relations are bilateral relations between Kenya and Malawi.
Pradeep Paunrana is a businessman, entrepreneur, industrialist and philanthropist in Kenya, the largest economy in the East African Community. He is the former managing director of ARM Cement Limited, one of the leading cement manufacturers in Eastern Africa.
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.
Peter Kahara Munga is a businessman and entrepreneur in Kenya, the largest economy in the East African Community. He is the immediate past group chair of the Equity Bank Group, the largest bank holding company on the African continent, by customer numbers, with over 9.2 million customers as of 31 June 2014. He is reported to be one of the wealthiest individuals in Kenya, with a personal net worth exceeding US$100 million as of February 2014.
Atul Shah is a businessman and entrepreneur in Kenya. He is the managing director and chief executive officer of the Nakumatt Holdings Limited, the parent company of Nakumatt Supermarkets, the largest, privately owned supermarket chain in the African Great Lakes area, with branches in Kenya, Uganda, Tanzania and Rwanda. As of September 2014, the retail chain maintained 50 stores in four countries, employed over 7,000 people and had annual sales in excess of US$650 million.
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.
United States International University-Africa, also known as USIU-Africa, is a private university in Kenya. The university is accredited by the Commission for Higher Education (CUE) in Kenya and by the Western Association of Schools and Colleges (WASC) in the United States.
Brookside Dairy Limited, often referred to as Brookside Dairies, is a dairy processing company in Kenya, the largest economy in the East African Community. The company offers fresh pasteurized milk, cream, butter, yogurt, ghee, and long life milk products in Indian Ocean Islands, East Africa, Rwanda and Burundi. It provides products through distribution depots, agents, and sub agents to outlets in East Africa.
Eric Kinoti is a Kenyan entrepreneur of African descent born in Mombasa on 8 March 1984. Along with being the Founder and CEO of Shade systems EA.ltd, a million dollar enterprise that has a presence in over 6 countries, he is on the boards of several prominent East African companies. He has won several awards in East Africa and internationally, has gained recognition for his entrepreneurial endeavors, and is also a noted philanthropist.
Manny Stul is an Australian billionaire, and the CEO of Moose Toys, a company he took over in 2000, with sales subsequently increased by over 7,000%.
Harsh Mariwala is an Indian entrepreneur, who is the founder and Chairman of Marico, a Fortune India 500 company from Gujarat.