This archive report was first published on 14 July 2019.
On July 14, 2019, the passing of Safaricom CEO Bob Collymore sparked a national conversation about corporate leadership in Kenya. While researchers agree that the country suffers from a shortage of medium-sized companies, the lack of corporate leaders is a pressing issue that has not been adequately addressed.
One of the primary reasons for this shortage is the country's obsession with tribal affiliations. Governors must balance tribes and clans in county jobs, and at the national level, the term 'regional balance' is often code for tribal balance. Even supposedly tribeless institutions like universities are not immune to this issue, with statistics on which tribe holds which jobs.
Another factor contributing to the shortage of corporate leaders is the disconnect between aspirations and reality. Our graduates have the academic knowledge but lack the soft skills and corporate socialization that are essential for corporate leadership. This is particularly evident in public universities, where students from different backgrounds often struggle to adapt to the corporate culture.
Private universities, on the other hand, have a head start in terms of corporate socialization. Students in these institutions often begin their corporate journey early, even in primary school or through their parents. This is reflected in the composition of corporate boards, where private university graduates are increasingly represented.
So, what can be done to address the shortage of corporate leaders in Kenya? One possible solution is to create more opportunities for Kenyans to develop their corporate skills. This could involve establishing more big firms, like the Nairobi Securities Exchange, which has a thousand listed firms. By growing the economy and creating more opportunities for entrepreneurship, we can increase the supply of corporate leaders.
Another approach is to focus on the supply side of the equation, rather than the demand side. If we can create more opportunities for young men and women to develop their corporate skills, we may find that the shortage of corporate leaders is not as pressing as we think.
Ultimately, the solution to Kenya's corporate leadership conundrum lies in creating more opportunities for Kenyans to develop their corporate skills and in addressing the socio-psychological disconnect between our aspirations and reality.
