Bob Collymore’s wish fulfilled as Jeff Koinange hosts top female executive, Jane Karuku, Rita Kavashe, and Serah Katusia on JKL

Bob Collymore’s wish fulfilled last night after Jeff Koinange hosted these 3 women

Tony Mukere

July 18, 2019 12:55 PM

It was Bob's last wish when he was interviewed by Jeff

Bob Collymore’s wish fulfilled last night after Jeff Koinange hosted these 3 women

Former Safaricom CEO Bob Collymore’s wish to have female executives given media attention was on Wednesday night fulfilled after his friend, Jeff Koinange, hosted three female captains of industry on JKL.

Collymore, in his last interview on JKL, had emphasized the need to have female executive given the same media spotlight that is allocated to their male counterparts.

“Promise me that you will do that (host female corporate leaders). In my company, we have some great women, Debrah, Rita, Sylvia. They have a lot to share... and please call us and let us watch the show,” Collymore urged while appearing as a guest alongside KCB CEO Joshua Oigara.

“We have Anastacia, Angela and many others,” Oigara added.

Although Collymore was not able to watch the show, Koinange honored his request by hosting Jane Karuku (CEO Kenya Breweries Limited), Rita Kavashe (managing director at Isuzu East Africa), and Serah Katusia (Managing Director at MediaCom).

The three women shared their career journey up the corporate ladder in a society where the top positions were traditionally dominated by men.

“Leadership is a journey. You have to be willing to take the time and to put the effort as a woman. Sometimes women get the opportunity but do not get the space to be heard. One has to realise that leadership is not given. It is taken,” Katusia advised.

“I am happy I made a decision to have a family earlier on in my career. I left for a while and only came back when my children were a little older,” Karuku stated, noting that her company now has 6 months maternity leave for its female employees.

"I left when my daughter was crawling, I found her walking. I had missed a milestone in her growth,” Kavashe narrated her experience, saying separating from her family was the toughest decision she ever had to make in her career.

Tony Mukere