Nelson and his mother Jane Gicharu receive the award from Industrialisation CS Adan Mohamed on Wednesday
MOUNT Kenya University founder and chairman Simon Gicharu has won the 2014 Eastern Africa Ernst & Young Entrepreneur Of The Year Award.
Gicharu, who built the university from scratch, won in the Master Entrepreneur category and he will represent the East African region in the world finals, to be held in Monte Carlo, Spain, in June.
“I’m humbled by this win,” Gicharu said in his acceptance message delivered by his wife Jane Nyutu at Crowne Plaza Hotel, Nairobi, on Wednesday.
“I hope my experience will encourage other entrepreneurs, especially our students, that no matter your background, you can achieve exactly what you set your mind to. Hard work, persistence, determination and focus can surmount even the greatest odds, and as any successful entrepreneur will tell you, the odds are very many as you go up the rungs of success.”
Alex Nyaga of Parapet Group won the Emerging Entrepreneur category while Mary Okelo of Makini Group of Schools received the Lifetime Achievement Award.
In 2011, Equity Bank CEO James Mwangi won the global award.
