Bharat Velji Shah
Vice Chairman – Kenafric Industries Ltd.
Director – Kenya Association of Manufacturer (KAM) | Nairobi (KENYA)
Native:
Dhichda (Dist. Jamnagar)
Birth:
Nairobi (KENYA)
Residence:
Nairobi (KENYA)
Quality Products
Converting the Challenges, Disaster, Obstacles into Opportunities
Mr. Bharat Velji Shah has shown how a family by staying together can achieve success. He along with his brothers has established Kenafric Industries Ltd. which is currently the largest manufacturer of Confectionery, Food, Footwear, and Stationery products in Kenya. That is not all, he also holds some important posts in the business arena, and he is the Director of Kenya Association of Manufacturer (KAM), a principal body for manufacturers and the chairman of the Trade and Tax committee which deals with all the issues with the government.
Mr. Shah was born in Nairobi in 1957 and is the eldest son of Velji Punja Shah an 81-year-old trade veteran who came to Kenya immediately after his marriage in 1956. His father started off as a salaried employee but soon started his own FMCG retail and wholesale business in 1969. Mr. Shah and his three younger siblings Nilesh, Kirtan and Mayur stayed in Mwea Tebere, a very small rural area in Central Kenya but later moved to Nairobi where there were better education prospects.
Mr. Shah recalls that he and his brothers share a special bond and they grew up together more as friends. He still remembers that as kids they not only had fights and arguments but they even played together and assisted each other in academics.
The Shah Brothers loved to play Table Tennis and Mr. Shah along with one of his brother Mr. Mayur Shah really excelled in this game and they even represented Kenya. In 1974 Mr. Shah won 5 titles of Table Tennis in Nairobi and in 1975 he won a Bronze medal in all African Championship Games in Cairo. He represented Kenya for 7 years consecutively, even at Commonwealth games in Australia and the World Championship in India.
The Real Failure is When you Stop Trying
After completing his schooling in Kenya Mr. Shah had gone to India to do his Bachelor’s degree in Commerce. When he came back to Kenya in 1980, he joined his father’s business while his brother Nilesh Velji Shah had already joined the business in 1976. Soon the brother duo decided to move from wholesale to distribution. In the year 1981 they bought a furniture workshop also which they disposed off in 1984 as it had limited growth. Even their FMCG, the distribution was sold as a conscious decision to expand to manufacturing activities in 1989. Unfazed by the disappointments the Shah Brothers did not give up and acquired a footwear business in 1987 and named it Kenafric Shoe Industries Ltd. It had a very humble start with just 20 employees. In 1988, they were the smallest footwear manufacturers competing with 18 factories however, with relentless focus by the end of the year 1992 they managed to match up with the biggest competitor. After 25 years there are only four competitors and Kenafric is now one of the biggest units in footwear, making a wide range of products.
Continuing Economic Growth Requires Expansion of Existing Businesses
In the year, 1991 Shah Brothers decided to change the company’s name to Kenafric Industries Ltd. and started the confectionery division and this diversification has shown phenomenal growth and they have become the largest manufacturer of confectionaries in East and Central Africa and the only manufacturers of chocolate in East and Central Africa. In 2010, they ventured into manufacturing exercise books and related products, which was their long-standing dream. Now the third generation, Mr. Shah’s nephew Mikul Shah and son Chehar Shah have also joined the business.
Laurels for the Company
The company under the leadership of Mr. Shah has won many accolades. Kenafric has won the National Overall Energy Management Award for 4 years running and the Golden Honours Award. The company got SAP ERP system in a record period of 86 days becoming the reference point for African companies. They also started Kaizen process for excellence in production, better teamwork, internal promotions and efficiency.
Lose Yourself in Service of Others
Besides professional, Mr. Shah also has long list of achievements in social arena. He has been the chairman of Nairobi Gymkhana from 2006 – 2008 and the member of the Managing Committee. He is currently a Managing Committee member of the Visa Oshwal Community and Oshwal Education Relief Board, and the Chairman of a few sub-committees. He was the Chairman of Treeside special school for physically and mentally handicapped children.
Mr. Shah is surely a visionary leader and it looks like he will build a valuable conglomerate with a prominent presence in 30 African countries by 2030.
Mr. Bharat Velji Shah’s Gujarat
Gujarat is among the top five industrialised states in India and a leader in industries like petrochemicals, textiles and engineering. The visionary leadership given by Mr. Narendra Modi over the last decade or so has transformed the state’s social and industrial landscape making it a model of governance & one of the most forward looking and dynamic state of India. The state’s industrial status and its potential to create jobs, India looks up to Gujarat as a model of bringing in inclusive growth for the poor.
Message for Youth :
Mr. Shah’s mantra of life is : Two Os where one O is for Obstacle and the other O is for Opportunity. He says youngster should try to convert the challenges, disaster, Obstacles into Opportunities and if one has a dream it is best to build a team which will help in making the dream into reality.
Rich Family Values
Mr. Shah is married to Sangita who has been a pillar of his family. She takes care of his elderly parents and she likes to do painting during her spare time. Interestingly, the very week that they got married there was an attempted coup d’etat in Kenya and their business was completely plundered. However, Mr. Shah converted this obstacle into an opportunity by embarking on the manufacturing business. They have one son and two daughters. His eldest daughter Kalena, an educationist, is married to Navneet Iyengar and settled in India. His son-in-law is currently working with a Multinational company.
Son Chehar Shah is, a qualified Aerospace Engineer, married to Anuja and he is currently working with his father as the Executive Director in the company. Anuja is a Physiotherapist and a Pilate’s instructor, specializing in prenatal and postnatal health. In June 2014, the couple was blessed with a bouncing baby girl : Dyani Chehar.
Medini, the youngest, 18 years old has completed her A levels and will be joining Kings College, London later this year to specialize in Mathematics. But besides his immediate family he lives in a joint family compound where each of his brothers has a house and all live like one big family. Among the four brothers, they have, 8 daughters and 2 sons. Both sons have since joined the family business while the others are either working or studying in different places.
Gallery
ISBN : 9788192722146