African Retooled

In this episode, we delve into People & Culture; a profession that remains the driving force for any business initiative. How will this profession have to shift in an ever changing world where the workforce is engaged remotely? Will the traditional employee lifecycle and entrenched HR practices stand the test of time? We speak to two leaders: Dr.Roze Phillips, an African futurist and founder of Abundance@Work and formerly Group Executive People & Culture at ABSA SA, and CHRP Margaret K. Kinyanjui, Principal at the College of Human Resource Management (CHRM) in Kenya who has overseen the growth and development of training and professional programs in the HR space.

Disability inclusion has in recent years been a key topic for firms across the African continent, but are they getting it right? In this episode, we speak to Bernard Chiira, Kenya Country Rep at the Global Disability Innovation Hub, and Director at AMREF Health Innovations. He takes us on a journey through his childhood, youth, career, and family and in doing so shows us what role each one of us can play in ensuring that Persons With Disabilities thrive in society. 

For more episodes, find us on https://www.africanretooled.org/podcast/.

Geospatial Science? Geomatics? GIS? If these terms sound unfamiliar, we have you covered. Listen in and find out how this field we speak so little about holds significant value in solving some of Africa’s most pressing challenges. We are joined by Dr. Clara Mundia, a geospatial analyst and currently the Location Analytics (LOCAN) Department Head at Dalberg Research, who enlightens us on what it means to be a professional in this field, and why we as Africans should be paying more attention to it. 

This episode is brought to you in partnership with Campus France Kenya and AFRAKEN (Association of France Alumni in Kenya). For more details about studying in France, please visit https://www.kenya.campusfrance.org/, or Campus France Kenya on Facebook and Instagram. For more details on AFRAKEN, please visit https://afraken.org/.

Love, lights, cheese, and wine... All ideas that come to mind when one thinks of France. In this episode, find out why education should also feature prominently on this list. We speak to Clara Galea and Mathieu Guerin of the French Embassy in Nairobi, where we explore the French higher education system, and the avenues it presents to upskill yourself.

This episode is brought to you in partnership with Campus France Kenya and AFRAKEN (Association of France Alumni in Kenya). For more details about studying in France, please visit https://www.kenya.campusfrance.org/, or Campus France Kenya on Facebook and Instagram. For more details on AFRAKEN, please visit https://afraken.org/.

France , Europe's agriculture power house and home to the cereal-producing region of the Paris Basin, the wine sanctuaries of Bordeaux, and the cattle ranches of Basse-Normandie is leading the charge in  the digital transformation of the agricultural space. In this episode we speak with Vincent Abt PhD - Agricultural and Food Counsellor for East Africa and the Indian Ocean, at the French Embassy in Kenya and Dr. Sarah Murabula, a Kenyan Climate Adaptation expert, to explore how France is partnering with Kenya and other African countries to drive innovation in this sector.

This episode is brought to you in partnership with Campus France Kenya and AFRAKEN (Association of France Alumni in Kenya). For more details about studying in France, please visit https://www.kenya.campusfrance.org/, or Campus France Kenya on Facebook and Instagram. For more details on AFRAKEN, please visit https://afraken.org/.

The Industrial Revolution has contributed substantially to climate change since the 1970s. It therefore is no surprise that climate adaptation is a key driver for advancements in the 4th Industrial Revolution. But how does this affect your specific job? In this episode we speak to Dr. Sarah Murabula, a climate adaptation expert, who takes us through her path of higher education in France and her career journey. She highlights the very real impact of climate change on your day to day life and work.

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The 4th industrial Revolution continues to take root in Africa, with businesses and individuals alike embracing new technologies in their everyday lives. What does this mean for Africa as a continent? We speak with Prof. Bitange Ndemo about the need for both people and governments to realise the consequences of slow adaptation and adoption of the imminent changes, as well as advantages that come with the 4th Industrial revolution.  Are we too late? Find out on this episode. 

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Google is listening. Anonymous messages that leave you asking, "How did you get my number?" "How safe is my data?" If these are worries you have had, then draw near and hear what Dr. Bright Gameli has to say. A cybersecurity engineer, he takes us on a journey into this cryptic world that few of us have taken the time to understand. He gives us insight into what it takes not only to enter this field but also to thrive in it.

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Courage and consistency: two ingredients you need to successfully retool. Courage, to choose a different path from what others expect and consistency, to walk this new path and get good at it. In this episode we speak to someone who espouses both these traits. He takes us on a journey of the choices he has made to retool himself into the person he is today. He is a music arranger, guitarist, producer, business owner, and as they say, you are what you eat, plant based diet enthusiast, and makes up one fourth of the multi award winning musical ensemble, Sauti Sol, Polycarp Otieno.

From medicine to journalism, not the most traditional of shifts. Well, our guest has a story that is in no way traditional. In this episode we speak to Dr Mercy Korir, medical doctor by training, journalist by practice. We glean from her journey what she feels are the key pillars of Retooling – Humility, Consistency and Mentorship. 

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Are you comfortable with where your career is? Taking charge of your career by constantly retooling and staying on top of your game is not easy. On this episode we speak to Kenyan icon Caroline Mutoko, CMO of Radio Africa Group, who has done just that. She takes us on her personal journey of pushing boundaries, establishing new normals and making it work. 

They say strength comes from within, so how can we as Africans collectively build the workforce of the future for the continent’s prosperity? In this episode, we speak to Rozan Ahmed, recently named one of the Most Influential Persons of African Descent, and a global powerhouse who uses art, music, and fashion to drive conversations that seek to empower the everyday African’s mindset towards greatness.

On this episode, we delve into the hospitality and leisure space. While we continue to see the sector slowly recovering, we cannot understate the profound impact the current pandemic has had on the sectors revenues, supply chains and operations. To explore this, we speak to an African leader, Priscilla Gathungu – Commercial Director Java House, one of Africa’s largest coffee houses. She gives us a peek into her world.  How will the leisure space adapt to enhance the willingness of customers to patronize their businesses?

Change starts with us and is supported to flourish by our ecosystem. On this episode we speak with Edith Kimani, news anchor, reporter and host of the 77Percent at Deutsche Welle. She talks about the re-tooling of the Journalist with the rise of citizen journalism and how the disruptions to the industry fueled by technology have been both detrimental and a source of hope. This episode is sure to leave you ignited and thinking about how you can be the change you want to see.

We look to the media to discover the truth, to fact check what we have heard and to spread information we deem critical for decision making.
Through this period we have seen tremendous shifts in the industry from reduction of salaries to loss of jobs. Much of this has been occasioned by the need for the industry to reinvent itself, but the Covid-19 pandemic has forced this to come years before the industry had envisioned. On this episode we speak to Laban Cliff, Communications Director of the Presidential Delivery Unit on his thoughts of the reinvention of the media industry.

On this episode of the Conversations With Leaders series, we speak to a truly Pan-African Leader. Peter Njonjo helps us re-imagine the sector as we discuss the opportunities available for growth in the industry during and beyond the pandemic period. As CEO of Twiga Foods, Peter has revolutionised agribusiness in Kenya by leveraging technology to enhance the supply chain giving better value to its key players thereby increasing access to farm produce for the consumer.

It’s time to pivot your skills and your business! Small and Medium Enterprises form a large part of our economy. Like all organisations, SMEs have taken a huge hit through the covid pandemic. Business owners need to be flexible enough to pivot and look to providing timely solutions to emerging problems. Join us as we speak to Joram Mwinamo, CEO of SNDBX about how SMEs and young entrepreneurs can do just this.

The creative industry has been and will continue to play a central role in the curation of our culture. On this episode we have a conversation with Bien Aime, a singer, songwriter and business owner as well as part of the multi award winning musical ensemble, Sauti Sol. He clues us in on what it's like to lead a business in an industry that was already rife with disruption and has now been thrust into a new equilibrium.

The cornerstone of any great organisation lies in the effectiveness and efficiency of its human capital. On this episode we have a conversation with Carol Hondonga, Senior Director Talent Management, GE Africa, on what leaders should be thinking about as they lead their teams. In as much as working from home, virtual teams and distributed teams are all concepts that have been with us for a while, this time we are thrust into working remotely not by choice, but by an unprecedented human and health crisis. There are hard skills and soft skills that we all need to learn and embrace as we settle in to a new normal.

In a time of great uncertainty and constant change, it is paramount to have leadership that is present and visible. Join us on this episode as we have a conversation with Allan Kilavuka - CEO of Kenya Airways ( The Pride of Africa) as he gives us his insights into what leaders should be thinking about as they keep themselves and their teams in the right head space. 

CEO of one of the largest airlines in Africa;  a leader who has been tested through one of the toughest seasons in the corporate world. He leads an organisation of 4000 employees spread out across the globe. The recent global pandemic has seen his industry being disrupted in unprecedented ways. Many airlines across the globe have literally halted their operations , sending thousands of employees home or having to slash salaries. How does a leader navigate through this mayhem and still remain grounded. 

This and more on this Episode !!  

On this episode we take on a profession that has been around since the times of Ancient Greece and Rome. We are joined by Linda Anene - Senior Legal Counsel at Safaricom PLC and also the Founder and Chairlady of Lawyers in Technology (L.I.T.) Lean in Circle which is a women circle of thirty (30) women lawyers predominantly based in the ICT industry in Kenya. We are also joined by June Okal - Legal Trainee at Google (Sub Saharan Africa). She also serves as Co - Organizer for Legal Hackers Nairobi - a Global Community for Lawyers and Technologists who meet to discuss matters at the intersection of law and technology, and writes for Techweez, the leading technology blog in Kenya.

Discussions on the podcast revolve around the future of the legal profession and how lawyers need to prepare themselves for the imminent disruption in their field. Will it really change that much? Is there an oversupply of lawyers today? All this and more on this episode. 
 

On this episode of African Retooled we take a journey back in time to 3200BC, to the origins of Public Relations. One of the oldest professions, Public Relations is about story telling. The human being experiences life through narratives. In our discussion, we find out from Naomi Mutua, Deputy Managing Partner Ogilvy Public Relations, about how curation of stories is the back bone of PR. We paint a picture of where PR begun and what PR has become then imagine together what PR is going to be. Naomi gives us insights into the disruption the profession is going through and the key skill sets that the communications professional of tomorrow needs to have to remain relevant and employable. 

On this episode, Chris and Martin summarize key lessons learnt from discussions held with Leon Kiptum - Country Manager Betin on Episode 3 & 4  and Andrew Waititu - GE Healthcare East Africa CEO on Episode 2.  

You will also come out of this episode with four practical skills that you need to focus on in the year 2019 to ensure you remain relevant in the world of sales in the next two to three years. It is evident that sales roles(B2B and B2C) will disrupt, but you don't have to be left behind. Take on the challenge of retooling yourself. 

On this episode we delve further into the Future of Consumer (B2C) Sales roles. Leon Kiptum, picks up from part one where we discussed what the consumer sales landscape has been to date. Join us as we explore the disruption to various roles caused by emerging technologies and evolving consumer demands brought about by fluid knowledge in the market place.

On this episode we continue on the sales journey and begin the exploration of Consumer or B2C Sales roles. The landscape of business is becoming more and more homogeneous in product offerings with consumers having a wide variety of substitute goods and services to choose from. We are seeing that price is also no longer a sustainable differentiator if you want to survive. How will the salesman of the future need to evolve in order to stay ahead and navigate these dynamic and often turbulent waters of the consumer sector? What are the change drivers that have caused this shift in traditional push and pull factors that have hitherto defined a successful sales person?  Find out from Leon Kiptum, Country Manager Betway East Africa in this two-part episode on just how much the roles associated in Consumer or B2C sales such as Consumer Sales Director, Direct Sales Manager, Trade Sales Representatives, Retail Sales Associates among others will disrupt and what you need to do to stay ahead.

On this episode we explore the evolution of business to business (B2B) Sales. Sales Executives generate and can access valuable amounts of data, that if leveraged can yield great business results. Enabled by technology the sales man of the future will need to regularly update the business on his/her activity that will draw out insights and predict the most valuable business leads to be focused on.  Find out from the CEO GE Healthcare East Africa - Andrew Waititu, how the price and complexity of a product or service will determine how much the B2B sales role will disrupt.

On this episode of African Retooled , Chris and Martin ; two African recruiters introduce themselves . They explore the imminent changes that roles will go through driven by artificial Intelligence , cloud computing and increased computing power. The two introduce the audience to the 'Tafsiri-meter' - a tool they will use to discover the extent to which a role will be disrupted in the future.