Kenyans Who Bagged International Jobs in 2021

A collage of Prof. Phoebe Okowa (Left), CNN Journalist Larry Madowo (Center), and Arsenal Chef Bernice Kariuki (Right).
A collage of Prof. Phoebe Okowa (Left), CNN Journalist Larry Madowo (Center), and Arsenal Chef Bernice Kariuki (Right).
File

Over the years, many Kenyans have been appointed to various positions in some of the most prestigious organizations in the world.

From sports to diplomacy to education, Kenyan professionals have been recognized for their reputable skills and work ethics.

Just like previous years, 2021 was a wonderful year for some Kenyans as they were appointed to various positions in global institutions. They include;

Chef Bernice Kariuki at the Arsenal London Training Centre on July 10, 2021.
Chef Bernice Kariuki at the Arsenal London Training Centre on July 10, 2021.
Photo
Bernice Kariuki

Bernice Kariuki

In July, Kariuki was appointed as the first team chef for Arsenal Football Club. Following her appointment, Kariuki, who was born and raised in Jericho, Nairobi County, took to social media to confirm her appointment by the London-based club.

"A girl from the ghetto Jericho living nothing but her dreams. May I reintroduce myself as Arsenal's first-team private chef," Kariuki stated then.

Upon her appointment, Kariuki joined the reputable team of international chefs who oversee the preparation of meals for the first team players such as Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang and Bakayo Saka.

Before her appointment, the Kenyan chef worked at Dorchester Hotel and the Waldorf Hilton Hotel which are high-end hotels located in London.

Phoebe Okowa

In November, Okowa was elected to the International Law Commission (ILC). The International law professor at the United Nations (UN) broke history to become the first African woman to ascend to such a position.

Following her appointment, the law professor took to social media to express her gratitude for having been nominated by Kenya for the position.

“I am profoundly grateful to member states for their confidence in me. Throughout the campaign experience, I have remained conscious that the ILC is a subsidiary organ of the UN that is at its costs effective working in collaboration with the sixth committee,” she stated.

The ICL is a body of legal experts that help in the formulation of international laws and the academician was elected to serve at the commission for a period of five years.

 Vanessa Kingori

Vanessa Kingori posing for a photo
Vanessa Kingori posing for a photo
Twitter
VOGUE

On September 27, Kingori was appointed as the head of the business department of Condé Nast, a media company responsible for the production of the famous Vogue magazine.

With her appointment, the Kenyan business expert was mandated to oversee various commercial departments for the brand which include magazines such as GQ, Wired, Vanity Fair, Glamour among others.

At the time of her appointment, the media company stated that Kingori was experienced in the business world having served in the company in various capacities. The Kenyan writer broke the history of the company to become the first black publisher of the Company's England division.

"Kingori brings with her nearly 20 years experience in the media industry with a strong track record for digitalisation, business transformation, and change management across multiple brands,” Condé Nast explained at the time.

Larry Madowo

After serving at the British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC), Madowo was appointed as Nairobi correspondent for the Cable News Network international (CNN).

At the time of the announcement on May 13, the US broadcast company described Madowo as a journalist with vast experience and would help them in covering the East African region.

“Larry is an experienced journalist whose expertise across politics, business, entertainment, and hard news stories will play into our diverse coverage of East Africa and beyond,” Deborah Rayner, Senior Vice President of International Newsgathering stated

The former NTV anchor only served at the position for two months before he was promoted to become the network’s international correspondent. During his time at CNN, Madowo has interviewed several prominent world leaders and anchored during the opening of the Dubai expo 2021.

At BBC, Madowo served as the Africa Business Editor where he managed to oversee new shows for the station. He was later promoted to become the North American Correspondent in Washington, D.C.

A file image of the BBC studios
A photo of BBC studios in the UK
Photo
BBC

Zawadi Mudibo

As Madowo left for CNN, BBC appointed another Kenyan journalist, Zawadi Mudibo, was appointed to fill Madowo's role as the Business Editor for Africa.

Before assuming his role officially on October 30, the business editor served in the same position in an acting capacity. BBC explained that the Kenyan journalist had proven that he was ready for the task.

"Zawadi has been holding the position in an acting capacity and following a competitive process, is now confirmed to the role for the next 12 months. He is a talented and dedicated journalist, with over a decade's experience reporting Business News in Africa," BBC Programmes Editor Newton Ndebu explained then.

Mudido previously worked as a business editor for KTN and K24.

An image of BBC's Africa Business editor Zawadi Mudibo.
An image of BBC's Africa Business editor Zawadi Mudibo.
File