French tech firm Idemia eyes regional market with Kenya-trained executive

French technology firm Idemia Securities, formerly OT-Morpho, has hired a Nairobi-trained marketing professional to bolster its operations in East Africa just one month after the court overturned its 10-year ban in Kenya.

Last week, the firm announced the appointment of Henry Mkuzi a United States International University-Africa–trained marketer as its East African sales director. He holds a Bachelor’s degree in International Business Administration with a focus on marketing.

The appointment, which took effect immediately, sees Mr Mkuzi being tasked with establishing Kenya as Idemia’s regional hub through strategic partnerships.

Mr Mkuzi, who joined the firm last December, has worked in various commercial roles in the ICT sector for both local and international brands.

“Henry has a good working relationship with government entities in the region and brings on board the much-needed experience in executing commercial strategies essential to ensuring that East Africa emerges as a frontrunner in the digital identity and security solutions in the coming year,” said Idemia Group chief executive Yann Delabrière in a statement on Friday.

Idemia has been in the public domain for clinching high-profile government contracts under President Uhuru Kenyatta’s administration.

Its latest tender came last year when the interior ministry hired it to supply 31,500 biometric kits for Huduma Namba registration.

Last month, the High Court quashed a National Assembly recommendation that had barred the firm from doing business in Kenya for 10 years “for violating the Companies Act”.

MPs had resolved to have the technology firm held accountable for payments it received for contracts related to the 2017 General Election.

But Justice John Mativo ruled last month that the National Assembly Public Accounts Committee had contravened the law by applying it retrospectively against the French firm that managed the elections management system in the disputed 2017 presidential election.

The Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission had awarded the firm a Sh6 billion tender to supply voter identification and results transmission kits ahead of the 2017 polls.

ODM party leader Raila Odinga also accused the firm of being complicit in the alleged rigging of the presidential election whose outcome the Supreme Court declared null and void.