Six Biggest Companies In Kenya
Article by Kenyaentrepreneur @ http://kenyaentrepreneur.hubpages.com/
In this hub I will be listing the top six biggest indigenous Kenyan companies and their shareholders (people who own them). In indigenous I mean the companies that have their roots in Kenya or in other words that were registered and incorporated in Kenya. The likes of Barclays bank of Kenya and Standard chartered Bank are excluded because their holding companies are foreign in nature meaning they are owned outside Kenya and therefore don’t qualify to be included here.
For now though, here below are the top 6 biggest companies in Kenya in no particular order
1. Kenya airways
Website: http://www.kenya-airways.com
C.E.O: Titus Naikuni
Founded in the year 1977 after the collapse of the east African community, Kenya airways is today one of the biggest national carriers in the African continent. With over 100 flight destinations worldwide, the pride of Africa as is commonly known is undoubtedly one of the biggest, finest and respected companies in Kenya and beyond. The airline is a public-private partnership company after privatization back in the year 1966. The airlines stock is traded in the Nairobi securities exchange and the top shareholders are as follows;
In this hub I will be listing the top six biggest indigenous Kenyan companies and their shareholders (people who own them). In indigenous I mean the companies that have their roots in Kenya or in other words that were registered and incorporated in Kenya. The likes of Barclays bank of Kenya and Standard chartered Bank are excluded because their holding companies are foreign in nature meaning they are owned outside Kenya and therefore don’t qualify to be included here.
For now though, here below are the top 6 biggest companies in Kenya in no particular order
1. Kenya airways
Website: http://www.kenya-airways.com
C.E.O: Titus Naikuni
Founded in the year 1977 after the collapse of the east African community, Kenya airways is today one of the biggest national carriers in the African continent. With over 100 flight destinations worldwide, the pride of Africa as is commonly known is undoubtedly one of the biggest, finest and respected companies in Kenya and beyond. The airline is a public-private partnership company after privatization back in the year 1966. The airlines stock is traded in the Nairobi securities exchange and the top shareholders are as follows;
- KLM has a 26% ownership
- Government of Kenya- 23%
- Paul Wanderi Ndungu- 3.32%
- Barclays bank Kenya nominees limited 2.5%
- Mansukhlal Khetshi Shah 2.03%
- Kumar Shah 1.26%
- Khetshi Dharamshi and company limited 1.13%
- Rameshchandra Shah 1.01%
- Apollo insurance company limited 0.94%
- Shah Mahendra Shah 0.92%
Website: http://www.safaricom.co.ke
C.E.O: Bob Collymore
With over 18 million subscribers safaricom is the mobile phone and communications provider of choice in Kenya and as such the company is the biggest company not only in Kenya but in the east and central Africa region. Safaricom may not be offering cheaper calling rates like its competitors like Airtel and Orange but what has made them the darling of Kenya mobile phone users is the award winning M-pesa service (mobile money transfer service). One can transfer as little as ksh.100 to as much as ksh. 200,000 in a day from one mobile phone to another and withdrawals can be done any of the nearest over 20,000 agent outlets across the country at a very affordable rate.
The company’s main products that generate chunk of its revenue are voice, data and mobile money transfer services. U.K telecommunication company, Vodafone owns 40% of safaricom limited while the remaining 60% is owned by individual and corporate investors who are mostly Kenyans.
3. East African breweries limited
Website: http://www.eabl.com
C.E.O: Seni Adetu
Founded in 1922 east African breweries is one of the biggest companies in Kenya and the east African region. The Ruaraka based alcoholic beverage manufacturer produces some of the top beer and wine brands in Kenya and this is testified by the presence of its products in every Kenyan bar. The company’s biggest shareholder is Diageo plc of the United Kingdom. The top shareholders of eabl are as follows
Website: http://www.kcbbankgroup.com
C.E.O: Martin Oduor Otieno
Kenya commercial bank is the banking and financial service provider of choice for many individual, business as well as corporate customers in Kenya and the larger east African community region. With assets of over $2.65 billion and a branch network of over 168 branches in Kenya alone KCB is truly one of the biggest brands in Kenya. Share stocks of Kenya commercial bank are listed in the Nairobi securities exchange as well as cross listed in Uganda securities exchange, Rwanda stock exchange and Dar-es-salaam stock exchange.
The top shareholders of Kenya commercial bank are as follows;
5. Equity bank limited
Website: http://www.equitybank.co.ke
C.E.O: James Mwangi
Like KCB, Equity bank limited is an indigenous Kenyan bank which started as a building society back in the year 1984. Since then the bank hasn’t looked about and today it boasts of an asset base of U.S$1.7 billion and over 6 million customer base. Although it provides the same services as other commercial banks in Kenya, what differentiates Equity bank from other Kenyan financial service providers is its business portfolio that mostly targets the low income earners in the Kenya economy.
Majority of the bank’s customers are individuals who are in the lower income bracket whom it continuously provides them with cheap financial products like loans and mortgages. This business initiative has enabled many poor people access affordable loans that may contribute to their lives in one way or another. Equity bank’s efforts haven’t gone unnoticed and that is why the bank has won many local and international awards. It was named the best performing company in Africa during the annual African investor index awards that was held in New York City in the year 2009. Euromoney also voted the bank as the best in Kenya in the year 2008.
Equity banks top shareholders are as follows;
Website: http://www.nationmedia.com
C.E.O: Linus Gitahi
Nation media group is the undisputed top media company in east and central Africa. Headquartered in nation centre along Kimathi Street in Nairobi central business district, the media house is the leader in print and electronic media across the east African region. The company has subsidiaries in both Uganda and Tanzania. In Kenya nation media group owns the popular Daily Nation newspaper, Business Daily newspaper, The East African, NTV, Easy fm and Q fm. In Uganda it has the Sunday Monitor newspaper, ntv Uganda. In Tanzania it has the Mwananchi newspaper. The Nation Media Group is a project of the Aga Khan and he is believed to be the majority shareholder.
C.E.O: Bob Collymore
With over 18 million subscribers safaricom is the mobile phone and communications provider of choice in Kenya and as such the company is the biggest company not only in Kenya but in the east and central Africa region. Safaricom may not be offering cheaper calling rates like its competitors like Airtel and Orange but what has made them the darling of Kenya mobile phone users is the award winning M-pesa service (mobile money transfer service). One can transfer as little as ksh.100 to as much as ksh. 200,000 in a day from one mobile phone to another and withdrawals can be done any of the nearest over 20,000 agent outlets across the country at a very affordable rate.
The company’s main products that generate chunk of its revenue are voice, data and mobile money transfer services. U.K telecommunication company, Vodafone owns 40% of safaricom limited while the remaining 60% is owned by individual and corporate investors who are mostly Kenyans.
3. East African breweries limited
Website: http://www.eabl.com
C.E.O: Seni Adetu
Founded in 1922 east African breweries is one of the biggest companies in Kenya and the east African region. The Ruaraka based alcoholic beverage manufacturer produces some of the top beer and wine brands in Kenya and this is testified by the presence of its products in every Kenyan bar. The company’s biggest shareholder is Diageo plc of the United Kingdom. The top shareholders of eabl are as follows
- Diageo Kenya limited 42.82%
- N.S.S.F board of trustees 4.82%
- Diageo holdings 4.60%
- Barclays Kenya nominees account 3.06%
- Guinness Overseas limited 2.61%
- Karsandas babla 2%
- Kenya reinsurance corporation limited 1.38%
Website: http://www.kcbbankgroup.com
C.E.O: Martin Oduor Otieno
Kenya commercial bank is the banking and financial service provider of choice for many individual, business as well as corporate customers in Kenya and the larger east African community region. With assets of over $2.65 billion and a branch network of over 168 branches in Kenya alone KCB is truly one of the biggest brands in Kenya. Share stocks of Kenya commercial bank are listed in the Nairobi securities exchange as well as cross listed in Uganda securities exchange, Rwanda stock exchange and Dar-es-salaam stock exchange.
The top shareholders of Kenya commercial bank are as follows;
- Government of Kenya 26.23%
- Icdc investment company 5.04%
- N.S.S.F 4.74%
- Kcb staff pension fund 3.43%
- Sunil Narshi Shah 2.23%
- Cfc stanbic nominees 1.53%
5. Equity bank limited
Website: http://www.equitybank.co.ke
C.E.O: James Mwangi
Like KCB, Equity bank limited is an indigenous Kenyan bank which started as a building society back in the year 1984. Since then the bank hasn’t looked about and today it boasts of an asset base of U.S$1.7 billion and over 6 million customer base. Although it provides the same services as other commercial banks in Kenya, what differentiates Equity bank from other Kenyan financial service providers is its business portfolio that mostly targets the low income earners in the Kenya economy.
Majority of the bank’s customers are individuals who are in the lower income bracket whom it continuously provides them with cheap financial products like loans and mortgages. This business initiative has enabled many poor people access affordable loans that may contribute to their lives in one way or another. Equity bank’s efforts haven’t gone unnoticed and that is why the bank has won many local and international awards. It was named the best performing company in Africa during the annual African investor index awards that was held in New York City in the year 2009. Euromoney also voted the bank as the best in Kenya in the year 2008.
Equity banks top shareholders are as follows;
- British American Investment Company 14.75%
- Nelson Muguku Njoroge 8.3%
- James Mwangi (current C.E.O) 7.32%
- John Kagema Mwangi 6.29%
- Equity bank employees 5.52%
- Africap limited 5.52%
- Andrew Kimani 4.02%
- Fortress Highlands Limited 3.72%
- Peter Munga 3.2%
- Mary Wamae 1.97%
Website: http://www.nationmedia.com
C.E.O: Linus Gitahi
Nation media group is the undisputed top media company in east and central Africa. Headquartered in nation centre along Kimathi Street in Nairobi central business district, the media house is the leader in print and electronic media across the east African region. The company has subsidiaries in both Uganda and Tanzania. In Kenya nation media group owns the popular Daily Nation newspaper, Business Daily newspaper, The East African, NTV, Easy fm and Q fm. In Uganda it has the Sunday Monitor newspaper, ntv Uganda. In Tanzania it has the Mwananchi newspaper. The Nation Media Group is a project of the Aga Khan and he is believed to be the majority shareholder.
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