From an events management perspective or indeed from a business development point of view, Kenya, in particular from Nairobi to some of the up and coming business venues on the coast, is quickly establishing itself as a hub of some major global summits and business events that could be crucial for the global investor.
This article looks at why attending or holding a business conference in kenya could be one of the most important events for global investors, and what to do to master networking for business events in Kenya and hold a truly memorable business.
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2. Why Kenya? Understanding the Business Landscape
Kenya has become one of east Africa’s leading in business and logistics hubs, to the world, particularly to global corporations seeking to do business in East and Central Africa. Jomo Kenyatta International Airport [JKIA] continues to be developed to remain an internationally recognized class quality aviation point for regional and international travelers and logistics business.
Robust global class physical and communications (high speed internet) infrastructure, the Silicon Savannah has seen a huge mushrooming of world class quality premium co-working spaces which are designed to spark great ideas to change the world through collaboration. The diverse economy and growing sectors in Finance technology and other agricultural innovations of sustainable agriculture and conventional finance, it is regularly attracting global business summits around the world and therefore continuing to bring in so much international investment to develop Kenya and its economy.
3. Key Sectors: Types of Business Conferences in Kenya
Tourism and Hospitality
With Tourism and Hospitality events held under the Magical Kenya brand banner, business conferences focused on sustainable tourism, wildlife conservation and luxury hospitality management are held in Kenya’s leading meetings venues. Other business travel services also experience a unique blend of business and leisure as attendees combine business seminars with a unique African experience while benefiting from top class venues and services offered by Kenya’s various tourist attractions.
Technology and Innovation
Nairobi hosts business conferences of leading companies in the mobile and telecom sector, where new innovations and opportunities in the use of mobile money are presented. Business meetings also include leading companies in the sector of Artificial Intelligence, Start-ups and software development. Conferences and meetings of these companies attract investors from around the world and major players in the global market.
Agriculture and Agri-Business
Agriculture has been the backbone of Kenya’s economy and, therefore, is a very critical area where trade business conferences are held. Most conferences in agriculture today are leaning towards the export market and the use of technology in sustainable farming. These conferences are also looking at food security, the use of modern irrigation technology and how to utilize digital technology in the agricultural supply chain to link up farmers with markets globally.
Financial Services and Green Energy
The Financial Services sector in Kenya takes center stage in terms of Financial business conferences in kenya, particularly investment banking conferences for the professionals within this industry such as deal makers and other institutional investors seeking to tap into East Africa’s markets. There are also currently strong indicators of a rise in Green energy summits as Kenya is fast emerging as a hub for Geothermal and Wind energy with conferences bringing together leading Sustainability gurus and environmentalists globally.
4. Master Planning: Logistics and Venue Excellence
Planning an event in Kenya involves deciding on a venue and planning networking opportunities. When it comes to selecting the best urban venues for events, there is no better location than Nairobi. Home to some of the commercial activities that take place in Kenya, venues such as the Kenyatta International Convention Centre (KICC) that can hold large amounts of people and have spaces with great views are ideal for holding business to business meetings.
Luxury hotels located in the Westlands are of great use for holding high end corporate meetings as the atmosphere is sophisticated, productive and of great value. Coastal regions such as Mombasa and Diani offer unique venues such as world class resort hotels which are great for holding business meetings in a work and play environment. Also the atmosphere in the hotels provide a great environment for holding business retreats and even international symposiums.
The true value of a business conference lies in effective networking among participants – particularly within organized B2B meetings with local industry leaders. Ideally, such conferences are not mere presentations to a large crowd of irrelevant people but rather a tool to get international business leaders to interact with a selected group of participants with a view to closing business deals in order to create investments and more business opportunities. In doing so, organizers have to respect the local setting of an event and utilize these to generate added value for attendees.
One of the key success factors when organizing business events is understanding of business culture in the country. This culture is deeply rooted in the traditional Harambee spirit or pulling together and is a guiding principle behind all collective efforts. This is reflected in business culture in Kenya that combines formal British etiquette of doing business like respect for titles, shaking hands on meeting start and end, with genuine traditional Kenyan culture and warmth of local people. This culture values first personal contact and small talk greatly before business negotiations actually start.
5. Essential Tips for Attendees On Business Conference in Kenya
Before attending sessions, participants should make sure that they have updated their LinkedIn profiles, prepared their digital business cards and booked local transport in advance. The same rules of Networking etiquette as everywhere in the world apply in Kenya as well – it is all about building a personal rapport with people you meet. Therefore, it is very important to start conversations with a firm handshake and to use formal titles in the first place.
Only after establishing some personal rapport and having nice small talk, can you start talking business with the person you are networking with. For local travels to attend sessions of this program, it is recommended to use established ride-hailing apps like Uber or Bolt. In order to arrive on time to all sessions, it is also very important to take into account the specific Nairobi’s traffic.
6. Conclusion: Your Next Step in the Silicon Savannah
For corporations and organizations with a global reach, holding a corporate event in Kenya can be the ultimate experience. Not only does it combine top-notch infrastructure, boundless economic opportunities and some of the friendliest people on earth, it is also an excellent chance to combine the latest technology with rich and varied local culture. Whether you see your event as a means to an end or an end in itself, your corporate sojourn in Kenya will be an invaluable launching pad for your global engagement strategy, opening up a vast array of new opportunities for future growth and partnerships within the Silicon Savannah and across the rest of the African continent.
