Tom Mboya, Unga Limited CIO Wins CIO Of The Year Award

Tom Mboya is the leading techie in Africa. Mboya was awarded the prestigious CIO (Chief Information Officer) of the Year award after he trumped his peers on 19 November at the Sarova Whitesands Beach Resort & Spa, Mombasa.

CIO Africa, the event organizer and leading technology publication in Africa recognized Unga Group Plc’s CIO for the top award.

The Chief Guest, Ezra Chiloba, the Director-General at the Communications Authority of Kenya (CA), congratulated the winners stating that “I think it is great to pause and celebrate good leadership in this sector, given its contribution during the global pandemic.”

He added that he has been contemplating leadership in times of uncertainty as a result of his previous roles, appreciating that “It has become clear in the past two years that most organizations’ decisions on COVID-19 were driven by interventions and events that were happening at the global level.”

He talked about the role of CA in the context of technology, citing that, “On our part as the sector regulator, we were not spared by the COVID-19 challenges. If anything, the dramatic shift by the world towards maximizing the use of IT during the pandemic, meant that we had to think outside the box to make the new ways of living possible. Our acknowledgment of the problem meant that we take unprecedented regulatory interventions. Not just to stabiles the sector, but to ensure that citizens continue to enjoy our services during the COVID-19 period.”

The nominees for Africa CIO of the Year included last year’s winner Jaine Mwai, the first woman to ever win the coveted award, Ramakrishna Potluri, Steven Obare, Francis Kamuyu, and Kenneth Ogwang.

“Each year, we have a team of judges from across Africa weighing the applications the CIOs share. We had a total of 450 applications. From this number, we whittle it down and shortlist the top candidates for the awards,” said Andrew Karanja, Director, CIO Africa.

Mboya could barely contain his joy at the recognition, stating that, “It has been 25 years of hard work. I have gotten a lot of support. I know people who have previously won the Africa CIO100 Awards and I really respect them,” he noted in his brief thank you speech as he received his award on stage.

The Africa CIO of the Year award is determined by fellow CIOs who assess and deliberate on the most accomplished CIO of that year in a rigorous selection process. The peer-to-peer recognition is what determines which CIO claims the title, Africa CIO of the Year based on applied technologies that improve the bottom line, set the organization apart from its competitors, offer creative solutions, and save money. “It has been 25 years of hard work. I have gotten a lot of support. I know people who have previously won the CIO100 Awards, and I really respect them.”

Other big winners of that night were:

Manufacturing Sector Award – Dangote Projects Ltd., Nigeria

Banking Sector Award – Standard Chartered Bank of Kenya Ltd.

Insurance Sector Award – Zep-Re (PTA Reinsurance).

Health Sector Awards – M.P. Shah Hospital

Public Sector Award – National Social Security Fund (NSSF)

Education Sector Award – Moringa School

Local Government Sector Award – County Government of Mombasa

Hospitality Sector Award – Sarova Hotels & Resorts

SACCO Sector Award – Safaricom SACCO Ltd

Transport Sector Award – Kenya Airways Plc

GreenEdge Award – Uku’hamba Prosthetics & Orthotics (Pty) Ltd

Overall Company Winner – British America Tobacco (BAT)

CIO of the Year – Tom Mboya – UNGA Holdings Plc

Inhouse Solution Award – Unga Group Plc

Technology Partner Award – Safaricom PLC

Women in Tech Leadership Award – Grace Vihenda, Kenya Airways