How global CEOs network is growing young leaders

Drhuv Pandit is a Kenyan real estate developer and the current regional chairman of YPO Africa, formerly known as the Young Presidents’ Organisation. He says his mission is to see others succeed and make things happen.

Mr Pandit, who is also as the chief executive of the Fedha Group, talked to Business Daily. Here are excerpts:

Please tell us about your background?

I am a Kenyan citizen and I was born 45 years ago in a third generation Indian family. I studied at the Hillcrest School in Kenya, where I sat my A-Level examination. I then proceeded to the London School of Economics to study economics. After I graduated, I returned to Kenya and worked in our family-owned bank, Akiba Bank, rising to be the CEO. Later, we merged the bank with the East African Building Society, which was formed by my late father, Lalit Pandit, to form ABS Bank. Thereafter, Ecobank invested in the bank. We left the investment sometime back.

My brother spoke passionately about the exchange between YPO members being inspiring for his business, personal development and the well-being of his family. I saw this first-hand and as a leader I was intrigued about the organisation and the opportunity to further develop in a safe environment.

I joined in 2003 (at the age of 29) and was soon given the opportunity to take up responsibilities which showed me the value of service leadership and gave me the satisfaction derived from organising events enjoyed by fellow members.

What is your earliest recollection of YPO?

When I was 15, my eldest brother, who has been a YPO member for many years, invited me to attend a YPO family motivational event. This highlighted mindset training and ended with a demonstration of walking barefoot over a path made of broken fragments of glass bottles, similar to a firewalk.

As a leader, how have you benefited from YYPO membership?

When I joined at the age of 29 I was the youngest CEO of a Kenyan bank. I might have felt lonely, but this was countered by networking with fellow YPO members, which has proved to be extremely valuable. Knowing that all discussions with my peers are both frank and completely confidential gave me encouragement.

A major feature of YPO is the monthly forum of fellow members, usually a maximum of 10, who are chosen from different fields and are happy to link with each other. Discussions are confidential and enable us to help each other cope with the challenges of work and our fast-moving lives. I have benefited from advice and guidance which have improved my family relationships and the capacity for balancing running a business with rest and recreation.

How did you develop your YPO career from being a new member to becoming the Africa regional chairman?

The warm welcome I received from established members when I started attending events and functions inspired me to try to make a significant contribution to YPO. Very early in my first year I was invited to take on responsibilities which gave me the opportunity to start the climb up the leadership ladder.

I became more confident and developed the ability to cope with being pushed outside my comfort zone. My work for YPO was recognised by the allocation of greater responsibility and after 16 years of membership I was invited to become the Africa Regional Chairman for a two-year stint. A very prestigious honour indeed, and I’m looking forward to ensuring YPO Africa region grows and develops.

How does the organisation contribute to Kenya’s economy?

I can’t quantify the contribution that YPO makes to the Kenyan economy. However, it is astronomical. The organisation has over 27,000 members in more than 130 countries around the world and YPO-managed companies employ 16 million people and generate $6 trillion in annual revenues.

How do you feel about tackling the responsibilities of covering YPO activities in the Africa region?

First and foremost, I see this as an honour for my country Kenya and I am inspired to give it my very best.

I aim to be a good representative for Africa in the global YPO organisation. Guiding the leadership of the 23 chapters spread from East to West Africa and North to South Africa in 13 different countries will strengthen the high reputation enjoyed by Africa in YPO. YPO Angola is our newest chapter and we continue to offer value to our YPO Africa members. Out of the 25 international board of directors in the world body three are from the Africa region and are drawn from a membership of 890 on the continent.

You say that you intend to guide chapter leadership through sharing best practice. How do you intend to achieve this in a network of 23 chapters?

It is my intention to collaborate with each and every chapter leader across the continent by making one-on-one contact with as many of them as possible during the next two years. I intend to visit half of the chapters during my first 12 months and then follow up with the rest. There is a need to raise the profile of YPO Africa Region. The statistics show that the 96 percent of prospective members globally have never heard of YPO. The second objective is to diversify the membership with more women and young CEOs who meet the membership requirements. Lastly, being geographically relevant across the continent to support business and personal growth is a key focus during my tenure as chairman.

You are a busy real estate developer with a family. how do you manage to find the time for YPO activities which will involve travelling around the continent?

I always look at my task list and pick out one key item to tackle, which helps the less important matters to fall into place. Each week, I devote the equivalent of one day to YPO and I must point out that some of the YPO events involve families. The monthly meetings are a great help and inspiration for me to shoulder my responsibilities and achieve results.