Tuesday, September 29, 2015

Help mentor talent, leading women urged

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
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 
By DAVID HERBLING
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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. 
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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