Brian Gachichio Karanja | Strategy & Transformation Executive | Expert in Strategy Formulation, Execution, Innovation & Business Growth | Driving Transformation in Kenya | SBSP™ | FTIP® | Six Sigma Master Black Belt | CFA Private Equity Certified

Professional summary:

I am a high-impact strategy and transformation executive with 10+ years of experience navigating complex financial and digital landscapes.

I bring a proven track record of managing executive agendas, bridging operational gaps, and driving cross-functional alignment, demonstrated through functionally equivalent roles such as Strategy Manager to the C-suite and Principal Assistant at the executive level. I am an expert in translating top-tier vision into operational reality, having successfully cascaded 5-year corporate strategies and applied Six Sigma methodologies to drive process excellence and cost optimization.

My fintech and capital markets experience spans steering a national mobile money platform and executing large-scale corporate actions, including a $450M recapitalisation and a 50% reduction in institutional debt.

Core skills:

1. Corporate Strategy & Transformation - Strategy formulation and execution; mergers and acquisitions strategy and project management; value creation strategy; due diligence; strategic transformation project management; performance management
2. Digital Strategy & Transformation - Digital transformation roadmapping; digital strategy project management
3. Finance & Accounting - Financial analysis; business planning and analysis; financial modelling
4. Operations Management - Business process redesign; process improvement; process automation
5. Market Research - Competitive analysis; pricing analysis and optimisation; market landscaping; market mapping & TAM analysis

Professional experience:

1. January 2026 - date: Strategy & Transformation Consultant (Clients include: Sygnia Consult, a strategy implementation consulting practice)
   • Strategy & Advisory: Serving as a trusted strategy, execution and governance advisor to boards of directors and CEOs in the financial services sector in East Africa.
   • Digital Product Development: Designing and building full-stack web applications and PWAs to digitise client customer journeys.
   • M&A & Growth Advisory: Supporting clients on market-entry strategy, capital raising, and corporate transactions.
2. February 2023 - December 2025: Strategy Manager, Telkom Kenya Limited (reporting to the Chief Strategy & Business Development Officer)
   • Executive Support & Leadership Proxy: Acted as a strategic advisor and execution arm for the Chief Strategy & Business Development Officer, driving the executive agenda and developing a 5-year corporate strategy focused on digital infrastructure and data-led growth.
   • Interim Business Lead, T-kash: Served as the executive proxy and Interim Business Lead for the T-kash mobile money unit for 12 months, directly overseeing P&L and market stability.
   • M&A & Capital Raising: Architected the Strategic Information Memorandum for a $450M transaction, managing a complex two-part deal involving a majority shareholder transition and a multi-tranche capital injection (debt and equity).
3. March 2022 - January 2023: Business Process Excellence & Performance Manager, Telkom Kenya Limited (reporting to the Director, Transformation & Performance)
   • Process Excellence & Digital Transformation: Operationalised the enterprise process excellence function and spearheaded a company-wide digital transformation program, driving strategic performance management and operational efficiency across all business units.
4. March 2021 - March 2022: Performance Manager, Telkom Kenya Limited (reporting to the Chief Transformation & Performance Officer)
   • Designed and managed executive performance management frameworks, tracking enterprise-wide KPIs and providing the C-suite with actionable insights to drive operational excellence.