Future Leaders 5

Dr. Vimal Shah serves as the Chairman of BIDCO Oil Refineries Limited and BIDCO Group.

He has been the Chairman of Kenya Private Sector Alliance since April 2013 and serves as Chairman of the Board of Kenya Association of Manufacturers in Kenya. He serves as Vice Chairman of lobby at Kenya Private Sector Alliance and is the Chancellor of Jaramogi Oginga Odinga University, Kenya.

His Honours and awards include Chief of the Order of the Burning Spear (C.B.S) from The President Of Kenya, December 2011; Moran of the Order of the Burning Spear (M.B.S) by The President Of Kenya in December 2006, CEO of the YEAR by The Kenya Institute of Management ( Company of the Year Awards), October 2006; Fellow of the Kenya Institute of Management, Kenya Institute of Management in October 2014, Fellow of the Institute Of Certified Public Secretaries of Kenya from the Institute Of Certified Public Secretaries of Kenya, February 2015; Fellow and Warrior, Marketing Society of Kenya in April 2012.

As a Leader, he has been Chairman of the East African Business Council, 2013 – 2014, Chairman, Kenya Private Sector Allaince (KEPSA) 2013 – 2015, Vice Chairman at KEPSA from 2011 to 2013, Chairman, Kenya Association of Manufacturers, 2008 – 2010, held various posts at Kenya Association of Manufacturers for 17 years before becoming Chairman, held various posts with the Oshwal Education & Relief Board (East Africa) 1981 – 2006, Trustee, Oshwal Youth League Nairobi Kenya, 1999 – 2009; Advisory Board Member, Tony Elumelu Foundation, 2011 to date, March 2016; International Advisory Board Member, Mauritius Board of Investment 2011 – 2015.

His leadership in Education is as Chancellor, Jaramogi Oginga Odinga University, Board Member, United States International University - Africa 2009 – Present, Board Member, Management University of Africa 2012 – Present, Board Member, Technical University of Kenya (TUK) 2010 – 2013.

Alex is the Executive Chairman and Founder of QED Solutions Ltd. QED is a reseller of cutting edge and niche business management solutions in Kenya and the East Africa region. QED has an impressive portfolio of solutions focusing on eProcurement, Financial Management and Agribusiness that have been successfully implemented in many companies in the region in a wide variety of industries.

Previously, Alex was CFO of Kenya Airways Ltd for 8 years. Prior to that, Alex worked in South Africa first as a BPO consultant with PricewaterhouseCoopers and then as CFO for the largest gold mining company at the time, AngloGold Ashanti. In all his roles, Alex was keen to learn more about improving businesses processes and outcomes with technology.

Alex in as Harvard Alumnus having obtained his Advanced Management Program (AMP) certification from Harvard Business School in 2012. Alex also graduated in 2002 with a joint MBA from NYU and Wits Business School of South Africa. Alex is also a Certified Public Accountant (CPA) having attained his CPA certification in 1989 while working for his first employer KPMG in Nairobi Kenya.

QED value adding services include consulting, training, due diligence and procurement audits. www.qedsolutions.co.ke

Joan is admitted to Brown University (USA) on full scholarship. She was the best 2018 KCSE student in Western Kenya and among the best in Kenya after scoring an "A" , and has been offered a full scholarship to study Computer Science and Informatics at Strathmore University.

She is an associate and a scholar of the Equity Group Foundation where she mentors Wings To Fly scholars and has recently been an intern with Equity Leadership Program where she served as a Customer Relationship Officer for Equity Bank Limited, Ongata Rongai Branch.

She is currently helping high school students understand the process of pursuing education abroad by offering SAT and ACT training and the College Application process. She is also a part-time tutor in Math and Sciences for students preparing for KCSE examinations. Within her free time, she advocates for social justice- a topic she has grown to be passionate about- by spreading awareness and highlighting gender equality, mental health, student depression among others.

Joan aspires to pursue a double major in Computer Science and Psychology at Brown University. Apart from establishing her own startup, she hopes to create social change