Kenyan entrepreneur makes it big in Australia

What you need to know:

  • Currently, he is exploring partnerships with young technology companies in Eastern Africa for purposes of engaging their respective strengths to deliver on outsourcing services to firms abroad or within the East African region.

One of the most difficult decisions that Ahmed Yusuf had to make was to leave Kenya with his family in 1998 and head to Australia to start life afresh.

Life in Kenya then was uncertain and the business environment was very difficult.

The Kakamega born Yusuf he had worked for various local and international firms in Nairobi but the business environment then was increasingly becoming difficult by the day.

A company he was working for closed shop due to dwindling business fortunes in Kenya then under the regime of former President Daniel Moi.

Kenya then was a good example of what The Economist magazine termed as ‘The Hopeless Continent’ in 2000. But, 16 years later, the Kenyan born Australia based could not resist the temptation to come back home to exploit the massive opportunities in Kenya and in much of the continent that The Economist would later in 2011 refer to as ‘The Hopeful Continent’.

“I went to Australia because I wanted a change of scene for my family. Security was a problem, corruption was at its height and things were really bad in Kenya. Even when I was in Australia, the reports I was receiving from Kenya, up to about 2002, were disappointing,” he said in an interview.

In 1998, he relocated to Australia where he established various businesses he now says are at least worth 10 million US dollars (Sh870 million). He has been in business since 2010, when stopped working as a general manager for a firm in Australia.

The businesses he established range from a college that trains people in building and construction from certificate level to advanced diploma, an early childhood enterprise that assists working or at school parents who may be working or studying fulltime in caring for their children from the point of birth right up to before school age.

He also founded a technology firm specialising in software development for firms back in Australia. He is now exploring prospects of extending his business to Kenya and other parts of Africa where he sees a lot of potential for growth.

“We have a range of businesses that operate in Australia. The first one is a college that trains people building and construction from certificate level to advanced diploma. Often, people who come to the college hope to go and get a certificate or a license to become builders. In Australia, you cannot build a house until you get a license,” Mr. Yusuf said in an interview.

The technology firm called Plycode, is a custom software company that offers automation services and systems for companies seeking to automate their revenue collection, accounting or car tracking software.

Currently, he is exploring partnerships with young technology companies in Eastern Africa for purposes of engaging their respective strengths to deliver on outsourcing services to firms abroad or within the East African region.

Partnership with local companies

The partnership with local companies in say Kenya or Uganda would entail collaboration in the development of information technology projects depending on the respective strengths of the individuals or firms involved.

In Australia, he also runs an ICT recruitment board called ‘Kazileo’ for IT jobs within Australia, which he says has so far been very successful.

“Within a year, we are going to introduce it to Canada, the UK, New Zealand, Malaysia and Singapore. But, we have introduced another one for Africa, Employ, a database for job seekers and employers,” he said.

With blue chip firms like Toyota and non-profit organisations on their portfolio, Plycode has also built revenue collection systems for firms in Australia, earning tidy sums.

He believes that Kenya now has the desire to grow and achieve a lot more for its populations and IT is one of those areas that will help drive the economy forward.

There are lots of opportunities to be exploited especially in the ICT front right from the private to the public sectors. This is given the fact that a lot of things in the country are still manual.

“If Konza city becomes a reality, there will be more of business outsourcing in ICT firms and opportunities coming here,” he said.

He also says opportunities in the IT sector lie in automating accounting systems and discarding of old manual systems.