Hassan Popat always knew he had to make a name for himself. The only problem was, the Popat name is already ingrained in the Kenyan business space.
His uncle, Abdul Karim Popat, was the patriarch who built Simba Corporation from a modest used-car yard in 1948 into a sprawling conglomerate. His cousin, Adil Popat (lastborn son of Abdul Karim Popat), runs Villa Rosa Kempinski Hotel in Nairobi, Simba Colt Motors, 20th Century Plaza, Africa Fleet Management Solutions, and Avis car rental, among other businesses. To stand out in an outstanding family, Hassan had to make his own bones.
