This year’s Top 40 Under 40 finalists pose for a group photo after
receiving their awards at the gala on September 25, 2015. PHOTO | DIANA
NGILA | NATION MEDIA GROUP
Women who have made it to the top have been challenged to mentor
and share their experiences as well as support those who are upcoming.
That was the rallying call during the commissioning of this year’s class of ‘Top 40 Under 40 Women’ held on Friday.
Nation
Media Group chief executive Joe Muganda challenged the finalists to use
their expertise and hands-on experiences to help grow the next
generation of women leaders.
“This initiative is
designed to promote mentorship. Take up that role diligently,” Mr
Muganda said at the dinner party held at Norfolk Hotel to honour the top
women.
Each of the them was presented with a bronze statuette and a personalised bottle of Baileys engraved with the finalists’ name.
This
was the fifth edition of the awards scheme started by Kenya’s premier
business publication, Business Daily, to honour outstanding women below
the age of 40.
Business Daily Managing Editor Ochieng’
Rapuro challenged the finalists to uphold integrity as the awards open
them up for public scrutiny given their status.
“By honouring you, we’re also putting our credibility on the line. You are the women the country will be watching,” he said.
A
total of 367 candidates were nominated for the coveted list, reflecting
increased awareness and appetite for the Top 40 Under 40 Women.
The
2015 class is made up of women engaged in various sectors including
corporate executives, techies, entrepreneurs, community organisers and
artistes.
A judging panel sifted through the nearly 400 names to come up with Kenya’s 40 women game changers.
A judging panel sifted through the nearly 400 names to come up with Kenya’s 40 women game changers.
Women
occupying senior positions in companies with a multinational reach
scored higher marks than those in charge of national/local agencies.
Professionals
such as lawyers, corporate finance dealers and partners in accounting
firms who handled multi-billion shilling deals such as mergers and
acquisitions, restructuring or loan deals gathered more points.
This
year, a quarter of the 40 finalists were in their 20s, reflecting the
freshness and vibrancy of Kenya as a hotbed of young entrepreneurs and
innovators.
They include 26-year-old Hilda Moraa who in
May sold her mobile app to Mauritius-based consumer firm AFB for Sh170
million ($1.7 million), one of Kenya’s biggest tech deals.
Other
notable finalists were musician Judith Mwangi aka Avril, Citizen TV
presenter Janet Mbugua, sports journalist Evelyn Watta and techie Linda
Kamau of Ushahidi and Akirachix
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