This archive report was first published on 8 July 2021.
On July 1, 2021, Bilha Ndirangu made history by becoming the first Kenyan and first woman to lead the African Leadership Academy (ALA) as its third CEO, succeeding co-founder Chris Bradford.
Bilha brings a wealth of experience to the role, having previously served as the CEO of Africa's Talking (AT), a Pan-African mobile technology company that supports software developers in bringing their business ideas to life.
Under her leadership, AT experienced incredible growth, expanding its workforce from around 8 to over 100 employees and establishing a presence in over 20 African markets within seven years.
Bilha has also worked as a Senior Project Manager at Dalberg Global Development, where she conceptualized and implemented the Equity Foundation's Wings to Fly Scholarship project, which has supported over 26,000 needy and bright Kenyan children in accessing secondary and university education.
ALA Board of Trustees Chair, Khumo Shongwe, praised Bilha's appointment, stating that her experience in building a pan-African company and working with senior leaders across the continent has uniquely prepared her to lead the academy.
Upon her appointment, Bilha emphasized the importance of technology in Africa's future, saying, 'No nation will be able to thrive in the future without technology, so now is the right time to raise the right leaders and global shapers who will secure Africa's place at the table.'
She also expressed her optimism about ALA's education model, stating that it offers the kind of education that every African child deserves and that she is confident the academy will expand its impact across Africa.
