CEO, Kenya Private Sector Alliance (KEPSA)

Carole Kariuki holds a Bachelor of Arts Degree in Economics and Sociology from the University of Nairobi and a Master’s Degree in Public Administration from Bowling Green State University, Ohio, USA. She has also pursued several professional courses on Stakeholder Management, Leadership and Private Sector Development among others.

 Carole before joining KEPSA did work briefly for Barclays Bank of Kenya, Nairobi Chapel and Sagamore Institute for Public Policy Research, Indianapolis – Indiana, where she acted as a liaison between Kenya Private Sector Alliance (KEPSA) and the Institute before formally joining KEPSA. She worked for several years at KEPSA before being appointed KEPSA CEO.   

Ms. Kariuki is credited for transforming KEPSA from a little-known Business Organisation to one of the most influential Organisations in Kenya and Globally. KEPSA is the Apex body of the private sector in Kenya, galvanizing the private sector through public-private dialogue and influencing the economic and development agenda.

Current Leadership Positions:

• Board Chair: Kenya Vision 2030 Delivery Board, Kenya
• Board Member: The Nairobi Securities Exchange (NSE), Kenya
• Board Member: Jubilee Health Insurance Limited, Kenya 
• Board Member: EA Cables (East African Cables PLC), Kenya
• Board Member: USIU-Africa Trustees (United States International University–Africa), Kenya
• Board Chair: LPC Global Logistics, Kenya
• Board Member: Give Directly, USA
• Board Vice Chair: Kiine Secondary School, Kirinyaga County, Kenya
• Board Member: UN Global Compact Network, Kenya
• Council Member: NCAJ chaired by the Chief Justice of Kenya (The National Council of Administrative Justice), Kenya

Past Leadership Positions:

• Board Chair: SEZA (Special Economic Zones Authority), Kenya 
• Board Member: IS Kenya (Internet Solutions), Kenya
• Board Member: Harvard University Centre for African Studies, Africa Advisory Board, USA
• Board Member: BAF (Business Advocacy Fund, Danish Embassy), Kenya 
• Committee Member: WTO Trade Committee, Geneva
• President: East Africa Chapter, Choiseul Africa, France
• Board Member: The Centre for Corporate Governance Board, Kenya
• Board Member: Nairobi Centre for International Arbitration Board, Kenya
• University Council Member: Daystar University, Kenya
• Board Member: Emerging Leaders Foundation, Nairobi, Kenya
• Board Member: Rotary Club of Lang’ata, Kenya
• Board Member: Growth Oriented Women Enterprises Kenya Program (GOWE), Kenya
• Advisory Board Member: ACF Women in Business Initiative of the Africa, France
• Advisory Board Member: Nailab 3.0 (Nairobi Innovation Lab), Kenya
• Advisory Board Member: For the Operationalisation of the Kenya National Convention Bureau
• Caucus Member: Business Leaders Caucus Group of Global Partnership for Effective Development Cooperation by OECD, France
• Trade Mark East Africa (TMEA), National Organizing Committee, Nairobi
• Governing Board Member, Kenya 2030 Water Resources Group (WRG) Partnership
• The Advisory Board of the School of Economics, University of Nairobi  

She is a member of several professional bodies including, The Rotary Club of Langata and Institute of Directors.   

Awards and Recognitions in Leadership; Presidential 

• The Elder of the Order of the Burning Spear (EBS) 2021, for National Development Contribution to the Country, Kenya by H.E. Uhuru Muigai Kenyatta, President of the Republic of Kenya.
• The Moran of the Order of the Burning Spear (MBS) 2012, for National Development Contribution to the Country, Kenya by H.E. Mwai Kibaki, President of the Republic of Kenya 2002 to 2013.
• The Head of State’s Commendation (HSC) 2011, for National Development Contribution to the Country, Kenya by H.E. Mwai Kibaki, President of the Republic of Kenya 2002 to 2013.  

International 

• Global Female Leadership Impact Award and Induction into the Global Women Leaders Hall of Fame
• (GWLHOF), by Centre for Economic and Leadership Development (CELD), during the 2017 South America-Africa-Middle East-Asia Women’s Summit (SAMEAWS), under the patronage of His Highness Sheikh Juma Bin Maktoum, Dubai-UAE. 
• Women Super Achiever Award, by World Women Leadership Congress and Awards 2017, India.
• Ranked 14^th and first Kenyan on the list of 100 Africans by Institut Choiseul in the ‘Choiseul 100 Africa: Economic Leaders for Tomorrow 2015.’
• Women Leadership Achievement Award 2015 by World Women Leadership Congress and Awards, India.
• The International Advocacy Award 2014 by Institut Amadeus, Morocco.

National

• Women on Boards Network (WOBN) 2021 Woman Chairperson of the Year Award – 1^st Runner Up.
• In 2012 was voted ‘Extraordinary Personality to Inspire the Future’ by 80% of the 20,000 students of the Entrepreneurship Clubs of Kenyan Universities.
• Contribution to Society Award by Nairobi Chapel 2011, Kenya.
• Outstanding Role in Creating Public Private Partnerships (PPPs) for Business Growth by ILO Kenya Women Entrepreneurship Development 2011.
• Role in Growing Sustainable Business Initiative 2006 by UNDP Kenya. 
• Role in the Development of the UN Global Compact 2006 by UNDP Kenya.  

Media

• Ranked Fourth in the 2022 Business Monthly East Africa Top 25 Most Influential CEOs Impacting Business, by Business Monthly, East Africa Edition, January – February 2022.
• Named among the Top 100 Kenyans 2021, by Kenyans.co.ke on December 2, 2021.
• Announced as one of the Top 100 Women CEOs in Africa, by Reset Global People in partnership with the SDGS office at the Office of the President of Ghana and Avance Media, in April 2021.
• Ranked among 15 Inspiring Women in Corporate Africa, by Business Today, Kenya, Edition, March 2021.
• Nominated among the Top 25 Most Influential Chairs of Board Impacting Business, Chair of Board: Special Economic Zones Authority, by Business Monthly, East Africa Edition, March – April 2021.
• Nominated among the Top 25 CEOs setting the Business Agenda in 2021, by Business Monthly, East Africa Edition, January – February 2021.
• Ranked Second of the Top 25 CEOs, in the 25^th Anniversary Special Awards Nomination Edition of the Business Monthly, East Africa Edition, January – February 2020.
• Announced as one of the Top 100 Women CEOs in Africa, by Reset Global People in partnership with Pulse, and Avance Media, in 2019. 
• Ranked eighth of 19 Inspirational Kenyan Women That You Should know, by Business Insider in 2017.
• Top 40 Under 40 Women in Business Awards Kenya, 2011 and 2012 consecutively by The Business Daily, Kenya.

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Operations Manager at KEPSA. Holds an MBA in Human Resource Management and Strategic Management from Daystar University. She is a member of IHRM and ABE.

Hilda is a Finance & Accounting professional with over 15 years’ progressive corporate experience in four different sectors with profit and non- profit organizations and the public sector. She is a Certified Public Accountant of Kenya CPA (K) and a member of ICPAK since 2009. She holds a Bachelor’s degree in Business Administration and a Masters degree in Business Administration focusing on Finance. Before joining KEPSA, she worked with various organizations including USIU, Deacons East Africa PLC and Water for People- an international NGO. She has vast experience working across cultures and countries among them Rwanda, Uganda, Malawi, USA and India and appreciates the dynamics of working with multi-culturally diverse teams. She is a seasoned professional, who is passionate about organizational resource planning, financial reporting and management at a strategic level.

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Harrison Ng’atia holds a Bachelor of Commerce degree accounting option from the Catholic University of East Africa (CUEA), a Certified Public Accountant of Kenya (CPAK) and Certified Information System Auditor (CISA). He is a member of Institute of Certified Accountant (ICPAK) and possess over twelve (12) years of experience as an Auditor (both internal and external) with specialty in internal controls development and risk management. Currently, the Internal Auditor at Kenya Private Sector Alliance. His major focus is to create and add value to an organization through monitoring value for money; effective, efficient and economic use of resources by ensuring continuous improvement of business processes.

Timothy Odongo holds an MBA in marketing strategy, a professional chattered marketing postgraduate diploma (CIM – London) and an advanced diploma in business administration (ABE – London).

Dr. Jackson Kinyanjui Koimbori is a seasoned expert with over 11 years of experience in climate change, carbon markets, green financing, agriculture, WASH (Water, Sanitation, and Hygiene), GIS (Geographic Information Systems), and renewable energy. His expertise extends to business development, project management, policy formulation, greenhouse gas inventories, carbon markets, and stakeholder engagement. Currently, he serves as the Head of KEPSA Consult, Circular Economy and Climate Change at the Kenya Private Sector Alliance, following previous roles at Bodhi Global Analysis, EED Advisory, Climate Change Kenya Organization, and the Lead Agro-Climatologist, Climate Change and GIS Expert at the County Government of Nakuru.

He holds a Bachelor’s degree in Educational Science from Egerton University, Kenya, with a focus on Biology, Zoology, and Geography. He also has two Master’s degrees: one in Earth Science from Uppsala University, Sweden, and another in Climatology from Kenyatta University, Kenya. Additionally, holds a PhD in Agricultural Meteorology and Climate Change from the Graduate School of the Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, China. He is also a Danida Fellow, having completed a certificate course in Practices, Tools, and Technologies for the Green Transition from Denmark.

His personal skills include Business Development, Project Management, Climate Modelling using RCP and RCM Scenarios, Crop Modelling using DSSAT, Hydrology, Cartography, GIS, Web design, Visual design, interaction design, experimental design, qualitative and Quantitative research, GHG Emissions Analysis, Remote Sensing and Data Analysis using MATLAB, SPSS & MS Excel/Office.

He has published numerous papers in his area of specialization and managed to work on numerous projects on behalf of various organizations such as; UNDP, UNICEF, GIZ, SEACAP, FAO, IFC, CoMSSA, WRI, Aqua for All Project, World Bank Group, ODI, EED Advisory, County Governments and various CSOs.

Karin believes in using businesses as a force for good and the circular economy as a vital model for shaping new systems. She has extensive experience in multi-stakeholder projects across Africa and leverages creativity and innovation to transform climate change and circular economy principles into actionable business strategies. Her primary goal is to empower startups and established enterprises to rethink their fundamental principles and redesign their models to be future-proof. Karin is passionate about diversity, behavioral change, and youth and women empowerment.