Interviews

In this exclusive interview with Ashif Kassam, Executive Chairman of RSM Eastern Africa LLP, he outlines the firm’s strategic initiatives aimed at reinforcing its position as a leading provider of audit and advisory services in East Africa. As part of the global RSM audit network, the firm is aligning its operations with international standards through the RSM Africa Regional Council, chaired by Kassam. The council ensures uniform delivery of quality services across over 15 African countries, reinforcing RSM’s growing footprint in Sub-Saharan Africa.

A major area of focus is the integration of technology in audit services, particularly data analytics to enhance complex audits and deliver critical insights. RSM is also prioritizing Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) advisory services by investing in global and regional ESG teams, including a free ESG self-assessment tool for clients. The firm also supports SMEs in East Africa with transaction advisory services, helping family-owned businesses with succession planning, ownership transitions, and growth strategies.

Kassam highlights how professional services in Kenya must differentiate on values like care, collaboration, and cultural fit, as well as trust, to ensure client retention and service quality in a crowded market of over 2,500 auditors. For RSM, most growth is referral-based, underlining its commitment to high-quality client relationships rather than mass marketing.

The firm also contributes to economic development by working with key organizations such as Kenya Private Sector Alliance (KEPSA) and the Kenya Association of Manufacturers (KAM). Its publication, Doing Business in Kenya, remains one of the most comprehensive guides for foreign investors, along with similar resources for Uganda and Tanzania.

RSM sees immense opportunity in intra-African trade, especially through the African Continental Free Trade Agreement (AfCFTA), which is already creating shifts in manufacturing, agriculture, and agro-processing. Kassam urges international investors to view Kenya’s economic fundamentals such as investments in universal healthcare, education, and housing as strong indicators of growth despite isolated incidents covered in the media.

On a personal note, Kassam shares his commitment to Islamic philanthropy, particularly through the Aga Khan Development Network (AKDN), which supports initiatives in education, healthcare, and cultural restoration across East Africa. He highlights the Aga Khan University Hospital as a model for integrated medical education and service delivery.

In closing, this interview underscores RSM’s regional leadership in offering ESG services, SME consulting, and data-driven audit solutions solidifying its role as one of the top audit firms in Africa while promoting ethical leadership, innovation, and long-term economic transformation.

In this interview, Peter Schokker shares his vision and strategic direction for Kibo Africa, a motorcycle manufacturer based in Kenya. He emphasizes quality, customer focus, rugged utility bikes built for African terrain, and growing partnerships to enhance customer value. Kibo has expanded its dealer and service network across Kenya and East Africa and is collaborating with financing partners to make its motorcycles more accessible to SMEs and Boda-Boda riders.

A key part of Kibo’s roadmap includes the phased introduction of electric motorcycles, with a strong focus on preserving the brand’s values of reliability, endurance, and suitability for difficult terrain. Schokker also outlines regional expansion plans, including Uganda, Tanzania, South Sudan, DRC, and Ghana. Efforts are underway to strengthen local manufacturing, improve operational efficiency, and develop new service models to enhance customer experience.

Kibo’s motorcycles are used for a variety of purposes: by government agencies, SMEs, adventure riders, farmers, and logistics companies. The interview concludes with Schokker’s personal motivation—building a business that empowers people economically and working as a team to create impact.

In this in-depth interview, Manish Shah, Chairman of Kingsway Tyres, discusses how the company is adapting its market leadership strategy in Kenya’s rapidly evolving and highly price-sensitive tyre market. Amid increasing pressure from low-cost Chinese tyre imports and global trade shifts, Kingsway has pivoted from a purely product-focused business model to a service-oriented approach, prioritizing tyre safety, driver security, and customer experience.

To stay ahead in the Kenya tyre industry, Kingsway has taken proactive steps in tyre recycling. The company pioneered green tyre disposal in Kenya, establishing a plant that converts used tyres into oil for industrial furnaces. With a second recycling facility opening in Eldorado, Kingsway strengthens its position as a leader in sustainable tyre solutions in East Africa.

Beyond the automotive sector, the Kingsway Group is expanding into real estate development near diplomatic zones in Nairobi, especially in response to the expected influx of staff to the UN headquarters and foreign embassies. They are also active in Kenya’s hospitality sector, investing in Masai Mara eco-camps, Mount Kenya resorts, and coastal hotels, along with launching restaurant brands in Nairobi to support their hospitality and tourism strategy.

Shah also highlights the group’s commitment to developing infrastructure for foreign direct investment (FDI) within Kenya’s Special Economic Zones (SEZs). The SEZ projects include logistics centres, manufacturing hubs, and facilities to support international companies entering the East and Central African markets. These developments offer attractive features such as 10-year tax incentives, currency flexibility, and access to regional markets of over 500 million people.

The SEZ initiative is also fostering ICT sector growth in Kenya, particularly in call centre development, postgraduate education in computing, and the export of tech talent across Africa and the Middle East. Kingsway’s long-standing track record in commercial real estate development in Kenya, including industrial buildings, shopping malls, and hotels, provides a strong foundation for these efforts.

Manish Shah ends with a clear message to international investors: Kenya offers political stability, economic resilience, and a unique gateway to scale across sub-Saharan Africa, making it an ideal base for regional logistics, manufacturing, and ICT operations.