By Prudence Minayo
Nganga Njiinu is the man at the helm of TranCentury PLC. He has been able to steer the organization into greater heights since taking the mantle in 2016. During the third edition of the executive award series by Business Monthly, he was recognized among 25 most influential CEOs who will impact business in 2023.
Here is his story as told by WoK.
Education
He has a Bachelor of Science in International Business from United States International University (USIU) and an MBA in Finance and Investment Management from the University of Dallas in Texas.
Career
He joined TransCentury (TC) PLC in 2008. TC is an indigenous investment group which invests in products and services, and infrastructure. Started more than two decades ago, the company has investments spread across East, Central and Southern Africa having invested in companies, such as, Avery East Africa, Tanelec and East Africa cables.
Before taking charge of TC, he served the company in various capacities, such as, corporate finance, portfolio management, business development and coming up with and developing opportunities in the infrastructure field.
Since taking over, he has been instrumental in clarifying the organization’s focus on infrastructure, and cultivating structures in alignment with the opportunities available for the firm. The CEO has enforced a powerful reversal strategy, identifying four main areas of focus: profiling of debts in order to provide runway for capital relocation, delivering robust commercial opportunities to enhance earnings and support fundraising, creative fundraising and execution of order book.
Through this strategy, the organisation’s debt has lessened from US$55 million to US$52 million. The firm has also undergone organizational redesign, which includes strengthening the corporate governance structures and streamlining the business systems and controls in tune with its strategic organization. They were also in the process of raising more than Sh2 billion to be used in recapitalizing the business, reducing debt and unlocking working capital for their underlying business
Before joining TC, Njiinu worked for seven years for America’s Coldwell Banker Residential Brokerage. Here, he was part of financial planning, strategy, analysis and evaluation and integration of acquisitions.