On January 17th, 2019, we kicked off the inaugural event for Kaleidoscope Africa, at Nailab in Nairobi with a catchy topic: Launch to Scale: How Successful Startups Scale into Global Enterprises. Only two days after…
Al Ain – Serene, Green Haven in the Desert
Al Ain is an oasis city, quite off the beaten track in the Emirates. The Al Ain Oasis and Jebel Hafeet are among the best-known landmarks
El Acebuchal – A Mountain Village Rebuilt around a Restaurant
El Acebuchal, a hidden little village in a narrow valley, with a unqiue Andalucian fusion restaurant as its main attraction
Cedars – A Legend in Kilimani
Cedars is one of very few restaurants in Nairobi that has managed to stay relevant for decades. Back in the Moi era, this Lebanese restaurant was a hangout place for regime bigwigs. It mainly catered…
Kilimani – From a leafy suburb, to a concrete jungle
When I first moved to Kenya, in 2002, Kilimani was was an idyllic, leafy suburb, dotted with tall, green trees. The area mainly consisted of colonial-era bungalows with lush spacious 1-acre gardens. It was the…
HotelOnline Equity Crowdfunding Video
In October 2017, we were looking to raise money to accelerate HotelOnline’s expansion. With the HotelOnline/Savanna Sunrise merger completed earlier in the year, we had become a dominant traveltech player in Africa, and we had…
Nairobi – The post-election silence
Election lauded by the international community Friday August 11th. Kenya voted on Tuesday. The Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) is expected to announce the winner of the Presidential tally anytime soon, but keeps postponing…
2017 – Election fever as Kenya votes
Throughout most of 2017, Kenya has been in an election fever mode. Being here while it happens, is a peculiar experience, as all activity grinds to a standstill, while all eyes are on the campaigning….
Jomo Kenyatta International Airport (JKIA) – future hub for Africa?
JKIA in an advantageous position When Kenya (or the Kenya Civil Aviation Authority, to be precise) finally gained the coveted Category One status in February, it was a game-changer. With Kenya Airways recently obtaining air…
Lunatic Express – New life as a tourist attraction?
Lunatic Express – The Railway that Built a Country Kenya is doubtlessly the only country in history to have been built around a railway line. When construction on the “Lunatic Express” (its official name being…