Dr MAS Waweru, or 'Daktari' as he is affectionately known within the D&S family will in June retire from the company with full honours after an exemplary and unblemished twenty-nine year career. Currently the Managing Director of Kenya, he previously served as the first ever Chief Operations Officer, having previously been Commercial Director.
Working alongside CEO David Gatende in the executive office, he has been part of the top leadership team for more than a decade during which period the company has enjoyed unprecedented success, growth and positive transformation under his direction. Noted for his exceptional integrity and kindness as well as his thoroughness and attention to detail, his policies have been instrumental in transforming vital areas of company operations including the branch network, talent attraction and retention, credit control and project management. Owing to his contribution, he leaves the company well equipped to move forward into the future.
Hailing from Rift Valley Province, and born 'four months before Jaramogi Oginga Odinga called for the release of Jomo Kenyatta, in 1958', he is the first D&S staffer to achieve a Doctorate. Daktari began his long association with academia at Nakuru Day Secondary School before moving to Cardinal Otunga High School in Kisii. After this he undertook a degree in Engineering from JKUAT, an MBA from USIU, a PhD in Strategic Management from the University of Nairobi and finally he was invited to be a fellow by the Kenya Institute of Management.
Professionally he began his career as a project engineer in the Ministry of Water before joining a firm selling water pumps and in fact a competitor of D&S where he rose to the position of Technical Manager. In 1992 he joined D&S sales as manager and has played a pivotal role in the company since then.
Of what brought him to D&S, Dr MAS mentions that it was stock holding - as when he worked for the competition, he was frequently driven to buy from the company and mentions the satisfaction that being able to service his customers' needs gave him.
Happily married to wife Purity and blessed with grown up children Wanjiru and Waweru, he is a keen reader, traveler, and practitioner of agriculture on the slopes of the Aberdares where he has a farm. Also a fan of German Shepherd dogs, Daktari has three; Rex, Bellah and Bob who welcome him home each day whilst providing security! Passionate about mentoring young people to achieve their potential, he describes his colleagues as an exemplary team and is held in high esteem by them for his discipline and focus. Of life in general, he notes that the key attributes are humility, patience and forgiveness and that 'the greatest joy comes from serving those who cannot pay you back in any form but by the glitter in their eyes and the smiles on their faces'. Wise and moving words of advice indeed from the wise man of D&S! He is wished all success in his future endeavours.
