Boyden Expands in East Africa

November 22, 2021 – Boyden has added new partner Farah Esmail as Boyden East Africa continues to provide leadership solutions and client service to social impact enterprises, family firms and hyper-growth, private equity-backed businesses. “Boyden East Africa is culturally astute and demonstrates a deeply held commitment to the region’s social and economic progress,” said Trina Gordon, president and CEO of Boyden. “We are delighted that Farah Esmail is joining the team as Boyden thrives on its work with trailblazing organizations in the region. She has magnetic energy in collaborative success, an impressive track record aligned with client needs and valuable experience in corporate governance.”
Boyden East Africa provides leadership solutions to multinationals, family businesses, social impact organizations and start-ups building innovative new models leveraging digital payment capabilities distinctive to the region.
Boyden’s CEO track record in Africa includes a search for Copia Global, a retail goods and services m-commerce platform, built to serve 750 million middle- to low-income African consumers. Through a network of 25,000 Copia Agents (local shops where orders can be made and delivered), Copia is able to serve over 1 million customers in Kenya and Uganda today and meet them where they are, online via a smartphone app or offline in person, whichever interface they prefer.
“Boyden understood our leadership needs both as a start-up and as an organization with a compelling future in m-commerce,” said Tracey Turner, founder and chairman, Copia Global. “Farah Samanani enabled us to attract and acquire a global CEO with exceptional customer, retail and logistics experience. Tim Steel is focused on the low- to middle income customer and providing them with their everyday shopping needs. He has built a brand synonymous with quality and best in class customer service. He has also championed a life changing ecosystem between agents, customers and transport suppliers. We are delighted to have expanded into Uganda during the pandemic and look forward to further, customer-led growth.”
“Boyden East Africa is in a sweet spot, with our skills and capabilities perfectly matched to the needs of clients in a fascinating business environment,” said Farah Samanani, managing partner of Boyden East Africa. “Farah Esmail is an exceptional addition to our team, with strong consulting, corporate and board experience. Her personal drive and ethos have enabled her to achieve impressive social impact goals, including an innovative educational model in Kenya. Boyden East Africa will continue to support clients transforming people’s lives, as well as global investors seeking talent experts who understand these dynamic, complex markets”.
Ms. Esmail will leverage her extensive experience with multinationals, most recently as head of Kenya at Sirdar Group, as well as her affiliation with the Ibuka Program, an incubation and acceleration program run by the Nairobi Securities Exchange. Affiliation involved helping organizations in the program to structure their businesses, enhance visibility and gain exposure to local and international investors.
Expansion Plans
Boyden, headquartered in Purchase, NY, is a leadership and talent advisory firm with more than 65 offices in over 40 countries. It continues to expand and add talent across several global regions.
Here are some related Boyden news items from the Hunt Scanlon Media archives:
Boyden has named Stephen Irish as managing partner and head of Japan. Based in Tokyo, he joins Boyden’s global healthcare and life sciences practice, leading senior level searches for clients in Japan and Asia-Pacific, as well as those headquartered outside the region. “Japan is a unique market, and requires specialist knowledge and understanding of the cultural nuances at the individual, organizational and government level,” said Mr. Irish.
Boyden has opened a new office in Dublin which will be led by partners Kevin Keegan and Maurice Carr. Dubbed Boyden Ireland, the location will focus on executive search, interim management, and leadership consulting. “Ireland has consolidated its position as a bridgehead for Europe and has significant potential both for our existing clients and domestic Irish firms,” said Nick Robeson, managing partner of Boyden U.K. and Ireland.
Boyden has named Gilbert J. Carrara as a managing partner and Americas leader for the firm’s healthcare and life sciences practice. Dr. Carrara joins Boyden from Battalia Winston, where he served as a partner. Before that, he was managing director, North American healthcare practice at Nicholson International.
Contributed by Scott A. Scanlon, Editor-in-Chief; Dale M. Zupsansky, Managing Editor; and Stephen Sawicki, Managing Editor – Hunt Scanlon Media