Carole Kadenge: From Rhumba dreams to corporate leadership

In another life, the soft-spoken Carole Kadenge would have been a professional Rhumba dancer—and she would undoubtedly have been part of Koffi Olomide’s band. “When I graduated with my Bachelor of Education degree from Egerton University in 1991, my mother arranged for me to visit my older sister, who lived in France at the time. But I had ‘better’ plans—my ultimate goal was to go to France and find my way into Koffi Olomide’s band as a dancer. Well, we all know that didn’t happen, and that’s why we’re here having this chat today,” she chuckles.

While this childhood dream never materialised, Rhumba remains her favourite music genre, and she can effortlessly and passionately recall the names of all the Rhumba music stars. “I know all of them, and I attend all their concerts in the country. If Koffi is coming to Kenya, I’ll do whatever it takes to attend the show. Oh, and I’m a beautiful dancer, by the way,” she adds cheekily.

Ms. Kadenge’s real dance, however, has been with her career trajectory—a dynamic and impressive journey that reflects her adaptability and drive to continuously learn and grow. Today, she is the General Manager at the Sarit Centre Expo.

After returning from her trip to France, she got married in 1993 and welcomed her first child in 1994. “All this while, I didn’t have a job, but my husband was working. A few months after our firstborn arrived, he challenged me to return to school. That’s how I joined Queensway College, where I enrolled in a secretarial and typing course. I now had a routine, but my husband wasn’t satisfied yet; he pushed me and funded me to start a business,” she reflects. “He asked me what business I thought I’d do well in, and I said tailoring. We were living in a three-bedroomed house in Harambee Estate, and we transformed one bedroom into a sewing room after my husband bought me a sewing machine. That’s how Kayese Fashions was born.”

By December 1995, she had moved to a small space in town before acquiring a bigger space at Imenti House and employing more staff. “The business was thriving, and I was even making wedding gowns,” she shares.

“Even as I spearheaded operations at Kayese, my mother encouraged me to send my CV for consideration for a job in the Public Service, since I was already a graduate. In those days, there were no public announcements as such, so I heeded her advice and sent out an application without giving it much thought. Months later, I received an offer to lecture at the National Youth Service.”

This was in 1996, and her business was doing incredibly well. She admits that when the offer came, it was tough to decide whether to take it. “I decided to take up the job while running the business on the side. Unfortunately, this didn’t last long, and I had to let go of the business to focus on my lecturing job.”

“I had a fantastic run at NYS, lecturing common units to engineering students. The best part about this job was the flexibility, which allowed me to spend quality time with my kids during their formative years. I tell people that however my children turned out, I take all the credit, as I was literally with them during their learning stage,” she says proudly.

Balancing her demanding career transitions with family life, especially during periods of extensive international travel, was no small feat. She attributes her ability to manage it all to a competent house manager. “I also made daily calls to my children to stay connected, and when I was in the country, I maximised time with them by planning activities together.”

After working at NYS for over a decade, a friend mentioned to Ms. Kadenge that Barclays Bank (now Absa Bank) was creating a new position to train business owners on essential business lessons and tips to ensure success. At the time, she had just begun her Master’s in Entrepreneurship. She applied for the position, went through the recruitment process, and emerged as the top candidate. That’s how she became the Business Club Coordinator at Absa Bank.

“My dad, a career civil servant, thought it was the worst decision to leave a secure job in the public sector for the unpredictable private sector. He would remind me that I might lose my job unceremoniously,” she recalls.

She was 39 at the time, an age when many people are already settled in their careers, and making such a change is uncommon. But Ms. Kadenge daringly transitioned to the private sector, joining Absa Kenya. “At NYS, we would write out exam papers and have them typed by secretaries. Suddenly, I was in a world of emails, the internet, and laptops. I had to learn everything on the job.”

Despite the steep learning curve, she quickly adapted, embracing the challenges with determination and resilience. “I learned a lot by observation. I would never show that I didn’t know something; instead, I absorbed everything around me,” she says. This approach paid off, and she thrived in her new role.

Her primary responsibility involved managing the Business Club, a programme designed to support small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) through training, networking, and international trade missions. “I remember the first international trip I organised; I was terrified,” she admits.

“Managing adults, especially wealthy and successful businesspeople, was difficult. They had high expectations, and any small issue could become a big problem. But I learned quickly. Some customers advised me, ‘If you can’t control us, you won’t manage this job.’ I had to learn to be firm and decisive.”

Over the next decade, Ms. Kadenge transformed the Business Club into a hallmark of Absa’s customer engagement strategy. She organised countless trade missions to destinations as diverse as China, Turkey, Brazil, and South Korea.

These trips were not only about business but also about building relationships and offering unique experiences to customers. “We even went to the Demilitarized Zone in Korea,” she chuckles. “We tried to make every trip memorable.”

Her approach was hands-on and personal. “I got to know my customers, their needs, and their preferences,” she says. “I knew where they wanted to go, what kind of accommodation they preferred, and even where the nearest church or mosque was for those who wanted to pray during the trips. I made sure I was in touch with them constantly, always looking for ways to enhance their experience.”

Even today, years after she moved to a different department and eventually left Absa, customers still call her asking about the next trip. “People still associate me with the Business Club. They say, ‘Kadenge, when are we going on the next trip?’ Even though I left in 2018, the impact I made still resonates,” she says with contentment.

After a decade of leading the Business Club, she transitioned to a new role in the Cards Division, still at Absa.

She was confident she would retire in the banking sector. But the universe had a different plan for her. In March this year, she became the General Manager at the Sarit Centre Expo. “Every day is different because of the multiple types of events we host—from music concerts to art fairs, sector-specific expos, boxing competitions, bodybuilding competitions, beauty contests, and many, many more,” she says excitedly.

She envisions a bright future for the exhibition industry in Kenya, driven by the country’s strategic location and visa-free entry for other African nations. “We are primely positioned to host major exhibitions and conferences that would attract attendance and participation from across the continent. Data will be a key enabler in staging valuable expos, alongside embracing eco-friendly and sustainable venues (‘green venues’). More hybrid event formats will also be adopted.”

Reflecting on her journey, Carole shares her biggest career lesson for young professionals: “Stay ready, seek mentorship, believe in yourself, and take risks. It will pay off!” For those considering major career shifts later in life, she advises, “Embrace fear and take risks. Keep a positive attitude and never stop learning. If making a shift later in life, let it be an area of passion for you.”

Her leadership style, she says, is inclusive but blended with authority to ensure work gets done and exceeds expectations. “Adapting to different work environments has required me to be willing to learn, assess risks, and embrace fear,” she notes.

Asked about her legacy, she says, “I want to be remembered for giving 100 percent—plus more—to everything I did with passion and love.”

lmbuthia@ke.nationmedia.com