Bio
Naushad Merali is credited with having introduced telecommunication solutions in Kenya in the 1990s. He started the first independent pan-African mobile phone network ‘Kencel’ in 2000, which is now known as ‘Airtel’. He established the first Kenya Export Processing Zone in 1991, and the success of this EPZ made the Kenyan Government establish the Athi River Processing Zone and the Mombasa Free Zone.
Information
Education
- Naushad Merali was conferred with the honor of ‘The Elder of the Order of the Burning Spear (EBS)’ in 1986 and that of ‘The Chief of the Burning Spear (CBS)’ in 2001 by Daniel Arab Moi, the second President of the Republic of Kenya.
- Mr Merali was conferred with an ‘Honorary Degree of Doctor of Business Leadership (Honaris Causa)’ by Kabarak University on December 18, 2015, by Daniel Arab Moi the second President of the Republic of Kenya in recognition of his exemplary contributions to the wellbeing of the people of Kenya and beyond our borders.
Experience
- Founder and Chairman of the Sameer Group of Companies
www.sameer-group.com
- Actively involved in a wide range of sectors throughout East Africa for the last three decades. Agriculture and agri business, finance and insurance, banking, automotive and distribution, construction, energy and power, real estate development, export processing zones, and general trading.
Areas of Expertise
- Acquisition and Mergers.
- Buyout of companies, grow the business into profitability and put some of them into public shareholding.
What have been the main lessons you have learned in your career and how do you implement them in your management?
Have no fear and have no greed. Take everything as it comes, enjoy everyday of your life and build your team with you; at the same time let other people grow in your businesses and empower them economically.
Mentors
My wife has been very instrumental in my business empire and encourages me a lot and gives me advice.
My mentor is Sheikh Mohamed of Dubai.
Quotes
- TEA – Trust. Efficiency. Attitude These in a nutshell summarize success of every business in my view.
- Greed and Fear – Money and power are not as difficult to get as it is to digest.
- Nothing is impossible if you believe in it.
- Cynthia Nyamai of Cynthia Nyamai Communications said this about Naushad Merali: “From a humble finance clerk to a king – by buying and selling at the speed of light. Naushad Merali bought a bank with $6 in his pocket; his family and friends thought he was mad. He shook hands on a £10-million deal with a stranger on a plane, and it set him flying.” – Forbes Africa May 2013 page 12.
