Flora Mutahi first woman chair of KAM

Ms. Flora Mutahi has been announced as the new chairperson of the Kenya Association of Manufacturers (KAM) board and will serve for a period of two years. She becomes the first ever woman to serve a chair of KAM since the association was founded in 1959.

We welcome @FloraMutahi as the first KAM Chair lady since it inception in 1959!!! karibu sana pic.twitter.com/gFIyUsYHpS

— KAM (@KAM_kenya) July 21, 2016

Commenting on her appointment during the association’s Sundowner forum on Thursday themed, ‘Manufacturing 2016 and Beyond: Leveraging Innovations for Future Industries ‘ Ms. Mutahi said her vision will be to expand the markets through intra African trade to ensure access to markets.

“My leadership shall be based on three tenents Engage, Entrench and Expand. KAM shall work towards expanding markets by promoting inter Africa trade, expand businesses by creating linkages and it will remain the voice of industry in pursuit of ways to reduce the cost of doing business.”

KAM shall entrench a conducive environment, good governance and promote stability to drive down the cost of doing businesses

— Flora Mutahi (@FloraMutahi) July 21, 2016

She is the founder and CEO of Melvin Marsh International – a company known for making the popular Melvins flavored tea blends, salt and rice products under the brand name – Melvins.  She firstmade her debut into the entrepreneurial world in the 1990s and ventured into new territory introducing the first flavored tea into the Kenyan market.

Proven ability to innovate, conceptualize and implement products and business solutions and to lead and mentor others to achieve company and personal goals.

Flora holds an MBA from the University of Cape Town, BSc Finance and Accounts from the UK and is a Certified Public Accountant. She also serves on the Board for Seed Hope.

Ms. Mutahi takes over from ARM Cement CEO Pradeep Paunrana’s two year tenure that focused on strategies to protect, promote and prepare the manufacturing industry through partnerships with institutions such as, The Ministry of Industry, Trade and Cooperatives, KRA, KEBS, CRA, The Judiciary among others, in driving the industrialization agenda for the country.  He will remain an ex-officio member of the Association’s board.

KAM continues to promote a progressive and visionary environment for industry to thrive and to be the vehicle that delivers vision 2030 for the country, as demonstrated by its leadership and its outlined Manufacturing Priority Agenda of 2016.