AccessKenya deputy CEO exit ends era of founder managers

Dimension Data, a South African firm that acquired AccessKenya three years ago, is set to get a chance to overhaul the entire executive suite of the IT firm with the announcement of the exit of deputy CEO Chris Senanu in August.

Mr Senanu becomes the latest senior long-serving employee to leave AccessKenya, following the exit of Jonathan Somen, the former CEO and founding partner who relinquished his position in September last year. 

Joel Gachanja a former Chief Technical Officer CTO and Isabella Segina - Group Human Resource Manager also exited the firm early this year but their positions are yet to be filled. Mr Somen was replaced by Richard Hechle as the group managing director. Mr Senanu’s exit marks the end of slightly more than 15 years at AccessKenya.

The Somen family-founded business sold its shares to the public through an initial public offering (IPO) at the Nairobi Securities Exchange (NSE) in 2007.

It was later bought out by the South African firm leading to its de-listing from the bourse.

“I leave later in August of this Year which marks 15-and-a-half years since I joined the organisation after working in various capacities,” Mr Senanu said in response to Business Daily’s queries.

“I turn 43 in July and I am looking forward to getting a new great opportunity to be impactful. I have not yet decided on my next move however I shall continue serving on the boards that I currently sit on.”

READ: End of an era as AccessKenya MD Somen steps down

Mr Senanu is current Chair of Kenya Network Information Centre (Kenic) — a non-profit organisation that administers Internet addresses system.

The exit of the four veteran employees at AccessKenya’s top management now leaves Peter Ndirangu - Chief Financial Officer, Alice Kirumba - Group Client Service Manager and Raymond Macharia - Head of Research & Development and Planning as the only top managers after the acquisition.

Three years ago when AccessKenya was taken over Mr Senanu was tasked  with driving the Company’s East African expansion Strategy  as well as building strategic partnerships locally with companies such as dimension data, cisco, Dell, and IBM .

“I feel that in the three years since acquisition we have accomplished what I had set out to do by the board and the company now has all the necessary talent and foundation for strategic  growth, to  maintain its’ position as the leading provider of Corporate Internet and IT Solutions in the region,” he added.

AccessKenya Group was founded in 1995 by brothers David and Jonathan Somen as an information and communications technology firm targeting corporate clients in Kenya. It was then named Communications Solutions Limited. The company changed its name to AccessKenya in 2000.

In April 2007, the IT firm went public through an IPO at the NSE, becoming Kenya’s only publicly listed ICT Company. The IPO offered 80 million shares at a price of Sh10 each.