Recently, Apple appointed Pressy Akinyi as the Head of Government Affairs and Public Policy for East Africa.
She is the first female Kenyan lawyer to assume the role and will be operating between Nairobi and Dubai.
Announcing her appointment on LinkedIn, Akinyi said she was excited about joining Apple and thanked those who had supported her career.
“I’m excited to announce my new role as Head of Government Affairs & Public Policy, East Africa at Apple. Many thanks to everyone who’s been part of the journey- it takes a village. I look forward to this next chapter and to contributing to an amazing team. I’ll be in between Nairobi and Dubai; feel free to connect,” she said.
Akinyi has a background in International Trade Law, regulatory affairs, and commercial law. As a lawyer, she has especially specialized in arbitration, real estate, and banking.
She joined Apple from the American Chamber of Commerce Kenya (AmCham Kenya), where she was working as the policy lead.
She also helped develop policies on AI governance, data centre licensing, cloud infrastructure, and cross-border data flows.
Before joining AmCham, Akinyi worked at TripleOKLaw LLP, where she was in charge of commercial law, international arbitration, and dispute resolution.
Akinyi’s academic repertoire features an LLB Degree from the University of Nairobi, where she graduated in December 2022.
She also has a certification in generative AI Governance training at the University of Michigan.
Akinyi is also a member of the Independent Continental Youth Advisory Board on AfCFTA, representing the organisation at the national and international level.
She is also a representative of the Afronomicslaw Academic Forum (East Africa).
In her new role at Apple, she will oversee the company’s talks with governments and regulators across the region, while also helping draft laws for the region’s digital economy.
Her appointment comes as more Kenyan women take up senior leadership positions in major international companies.
One of them is Angela Nganga, who was recently appointed by Microsoft as the company’s Country Lead for East Africa.
When announcing the news, Microsoft stated that Akinyi will be advancing the company’s commitment to empowering people, governments, and organizations across Kenya and the larger East African region.
She will also support Microsoft’s efforts at enhancing digital and AI transformation across the region.
Nganga, who is based in Nairobi, joined Microsoft in 2012 and served as the company’s Regional Director of Customer Success for East and West Africa.
She has also held senior positions and roles at Telkom Kenya and AAR Health Services Ltd.
Another Kenyan lawyer who has risen to a senior corporate position is Kathryne Maundu.
In 2026, Maundu, aged 48, was appointed Company Secretary at British American Tobacco (BAT) Kenya.
She is an Advocate of the High Court of Kenya as well as an accomplished governance professional with over two decades of experience in corporate governance, company secretarial practice, and board advisory.
She has also served as company secretary for Safaricom, East African Breweries (EABL), British American Tobacco Kenya, Eaagads Limited, and NCBA Group.
She holds a Bachelor of Laws Degree from the University of Nairobi, a Diploma in Law from Kenya School of Law, and other certifications in Corporate Law and International Business Law from the University of London.