Bidco Africa

Vimal Shah: African Odyssey 

From humble beginnings Vimal Shah, Chairman, Bidco Africa, has grown his small firm into an African business powerhouse. He has received a slew of awards and recognitions for his outstanding achievements and contributions. A report.

Kenya, a diverse country in East Africa, is home to exquisite landscapes that transform as you move through its vibrant environs, including the Great Rift Valley and the sweeping plains of the Amboseli National Park. Coastlines, cities, and rugged and wild safari parks make up this beautiful country. It has 50 national parks and reserves. Of the national reserves, 28 are managed and maintained by the Kenya Wildlife Service, ensuring that the native wildlife is protected against hunters and poachers. Moreover, it has four national sanctuaries, four marine parks, and six marine reserves.

Besides its magnificent environs, Kenya is also known for its technological innovations. In recent years, the country has been on the forefront of Information and Communication (ICT). It has gained recognition as the "Silicon Savannah," besides making significant advancements in areas, such as mobile banking and blockchain technology. The country has adopted new technologies in its ecosystem and attracted entrepreneurs and investors globally. Its ICT sector, under the Ministry of Information and Communication Technology, has catapulted the nation into a regional leader, with a growth rate that outperforms all its other sectors. 

In the midst of this magnificent country, an Indian-origin entrepreneur set up his business. In 1985, Vimal Shah and his father decided to start a soap manufacturing business. They could not secure financing through banks, but undeterred they turned to family and friends. Vimal Shah, along with his father, built the business, Bidco Africa, growing the firm over the years into one of Africa's largest companies.

Vimal Shah is an accomplished Asian-Kenyan businessman who serves at Bidco Oil Refineries as its Chairman. Being the largest manufacturer of edible oils in East and Central Africa, the company has earned immense recognition under his leadership.  It has an extensive product portfolio comprising detergents, soaps, baking powder, canola oil, and other edible oils. It also produces cooking fats, margarine, baking products, hygiene products, detergents, laundry bars, and animal feeds.

Today, Vimal Shah is a highly regarded entrepreneur, mentor, and esteemed industrialist in Kenya, which is the largest economy within the East African Community. Born in 1960 in Nyeri, a picturesque town of Kenya, he began his business journey as a trailblazing entrepreneur. He pursued higher education at the United States International University, Nairobi Campus, where he received his skills and developed a passion for business. Later he graduated with a degree in Bachelor of Science in Business Administration and Finance.

Bidco Africa

From humble beginnings Vimal Shah, Chairman, Bidco Africa, has grown his small business into an African business powerhouse. His outstanding achievements have been recognized with numerous awards and recognitions. The company is East Africa’s leading producer of fast-moving consumer goods (FMCG). Started in 1985 as a soap manufacturing plant in Nairobi, Bidco has continuously grown over the years to become the byword for East Africa’s most loved brands across the edible oils & fats, hygiene and personal care, and recently food and beverage brands. With more than 50 brands, the company not only caters to consumer needs in edible oils & fats, hygiene and personal care but also recently started producing various products in the food and beverages category,  including noodles, juices and carbonated soft drinks.

Bidco Africa aims to grow and sustain its top position in the African markets by 2030. It is determined to achieve this through conventional marketing and enhancing the everyday experiences of customers. As per the Bidco Africa's management, the company will seek opportunities and overcome challenges ethically and strive to make them a reality. It upholds Integrity and relentlessly builds trust. Its commitment has been towards continual renewal, so that its workforce, structures, products, facilities, systems and partnerships remain dynamic. According to the company, its products touch common people in a special way and impact the community and environment positively, as it grows sustainably and inclusively. With the mission to offer happy, healthy living and a natural, wholesome lifestyle to all consumers via health-preserving and life-enhancing products, Bidco Africa has consistently been growing across Africa and beyond. 

Bidco was the first company in East Africa to adopt ISO standards, ensuring world-class products. It is also a Kaizen/Lean Management practicing organization, which entails a better way of doing things. It has consistently been renewing its processes, structures, products, systems and partnerships to keep the organization progressive. With Kaizen, the company has always been improving itself and adapting to the latest changes to add value to customers.

Vimal Shah is a member of the 3GF - Global Green Growth Fund - Advisory Board and the Tony Elumelu Foundation Advisory Board. He was the Chairman of the Kenya Private Sector Alliance, the apex private sector body in Kenya until 2015. Also, he is a former chairman of the Kenya Association of Manufacturers and the East African Business Council. 

Awards And Recognitions 

Vimal Shah has won a slew of awards and recognitions. In 2008, the Kenya Institute of Management conferred upon him the CEO of the Year award, with Bidco winning the Company of the Year award. In 2011, former President Mwai Kibaki awarded him the ‘First Class: Chief of the Order of the Burning Spear (CBS), which is the highest national honour for a private citizen in Kenya, for his contributions towards national development. Also, he is the recipient of the East African Entrepreneur of the Year award 2012 by All Africa Business Leaders Awards (AABLA) in partnership with CNBC Africa and Forbes Africa. In 2014, Forbes named Vimal Shah one of the richest people in Africa. In 2015, he received an honorary PhD from KCA University for his contributions towards the growth of entrepreneurship in Kenya. Moreover, he was named Oshwal Entrepreneur of the Year in the first-ever Oshwal Awards in 2015. In 2016, he was appointed as the chancellor for Jaramogi Oginga Odinga University of Science and Technology. Moreover, Bidco has received over 30 corporate awards in 15 years across various domains, including energy management, business leadership, ICT and manufacturing.

Vimal Shah is married to Manda Shah. The couple has a son, Soham Shah. He is the former chairman of the East African Business Council, the Kenya Association of Manufacturers and the Kenya Private Sector Alliance KEPSA. Also, he was elected to the 3GF (Global Green Growth Fund) based in Amsterdam in 2014. African Tycoons for the third consecutive year has placed the estimated wealth of Vimal Shah at $1.6 billion. 

Since mid-2017, Vimal Shah has actively been mentoring small and medium-sized businesses in Kenya, East Africa and continental Africa. The mentorship program is aimed at promoting the business and innovative spirit among young people in Africa. Bidco Africa has manufacturing facilities in Kenya, Tanzania and Uganda. The group's products are marketed across 13 African countries.

(Photo: Courtesy Bidco Africa)