Ride-hailing giant, Bolt, has announced the appointment of Caroline Wanjihia as the new Regional Director for its African and international markets, entrusting her with the leadership of its ride-hailing operations across Africa, the Middle East, and LATAM markets.
Bolt says appointing Wanjihia to her new role is an important part of its ongoing commitment to enhance operational efficiency, ensure sustained growth, and invest in local talent.
Wanjihia will oversee current operations in the region and spearhead new strategic initiatives, with a particular focus on expanding the company’s footprint across the continent. Expressing her excitement about the appointment, Wanjihia “I am dedicated to contributing meaningfully to the company’s mission, fostering safe, reliable, and accessible mobility solutions, and driving growth across the continent and beyond.”
Who is Caroline Wanjihia?
An innovative and accomplished strategy and operations director with over 15 years’ experience in the field, Caroline Wanjihia is known for being adept in crafting and executing long-term plans that drive rapid business development for the organisations she has worked with.
Early Career
A CFA Level III Candidate, Wanjihia is a graduate of the University of Nairobi, where she earned her Bachelor of Laws (LLB) degree. Additionally, she’s a certified public accountant from the Institute of Certified Public Accountants, Kenya. She has successfully leveraged the knowledge gained from these prestigious institutions to rise throughout her illustrious career.
Wanjihia began her professional career in her native Kenya, signing up as an investment analyst at Old Mutual Asset Managers Kenya Ltd in 2004. By 2005, she’d been promoted to Chief Dealer. She would go on to work with industry giants including PwC, Absa Bank Kenya, East African Breweries Ltd, Coca-Cola, and now Bolt, garnering success and senior leadership promotions along the way.
Caroline Wanjihia has an expansive skill set, encompassing new business development, strategic planning & visioning, tracking & KPIs, consulting, communication and presentations, stakeholder engagement, and risk management, among others. Her ability to seamlessly transition from high-level visioning to hands-on financial analysis has delivered impressive results for companies and shareholders.
Achievements
While at East Africa Breweries Ltd, Caroline Wanjihia strategically contributed to generating a Group Financial Statements/Cash Flow Model for the KES 11 billion Corporate Bond funding proposal. Additionally, she provided invaluable support overseeing business performance management and aiding the CFO at Absa Bank Kenya.
During Wanjihia’s nearly seven-year stint at Coke Cola, her attention to detail and dedication gained her a promotion to Head of Strategy in 2018 where she played a pivotal role in establishing a regional function from scratch. This involved incorporating best practices and analytic insights, covering mandates and KPIs, building teams, and achieving operational excellence, which led to her surpassing expectations with over $1 billion in system revenues. It’s unsurprising that Wanjihia was later promoted to Franchise Director for Zimbabwe, Mozambique, Nambia, Zambia & Botswana in 2021.
Conclusion
Outside the boardroom, Caroline Wanjihia finds joy in spinning and golfing, showcasing a personality that is bubbly outside the office. Her ability to build and maintain lasting relationships, coupled with her visionary leadership, positions her as a key player in the global business landscape.
Her impressive career, experience, determination and success while holding leadership roles at previous organisations are proof that Bolt has made a good choice.
By Derrick Kafui Deti – Digital Economy Magazine
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