Reflecting on his career journey, Marvin Kiragu, 37, describes making this Top 40 Under 40 list as both an honour and a privilege.
His journey has been driven by a passion for solving problems. It began during his internship at Citibank, which eventually led to a full-time role where, at the age of 24, he was given management responsibility within six months, a pivotal experience that taught him that age is not a determining factor in creating value.
At 30, he became one of the youngest vice presidents in Citi’s corporate and investment banking sector, where his responsibilities included client relationship management, credit analysis, financial modelling, valuations and portfolio monitoring. Citi is a leading banking partner for institutions with cross-border presence and a global leader in wealth management besides being a respected retail bank in the US.
In addition to his achievements at Citi, Marvin co-founded and served as CEO of ShopZetu, Kenya’s leading online fashion marketplace. He is also co-founder and managing partner of Mizizi, a New York-based consumer investment platform.
"While talent is equally distributed, opportunities are not. By creating opportunities for others, we can unlock incredible potential across Africa."
He is recognised as an Endeavour Entrepreneur by Endeavour Kenya, following the successful inclusion of his company, ShopZetu, into its network in 2019. Endeavour is a global network that supports and invests in high-impact entrepreneurs to help them scale faster, and provides them with a platform to scale up.
Driven by a desire to contribute to Africa, Marvin left his role and returned to the continent to continue his entrepreneurial journey.
“Despite the success I had achieved, I felt compelled to return to Africa and address the challenges here. So, at the age of 30, I resigned, packed my bags and moved back to Kenya to start my entrepreneurial journey,” he says.
Marvin acknowledges that doing business in Africa is challenging, but he relies on two beliefs that “Things always get better, and I can find solutions. I remind myself that ‘this too shall pass’.
He is proud of creating a platform that has helped more than 100,000 women in Kenya buy fashion, generating nearly $3 million (Sh390 million) in sales.
He is building a fintech company, Luka Africa, which aims to provide services to African migrant workers through a suite of financial tools, including savings, investments, credit and financial literacy programmes.
Through his ventures, Marvin has demonstrated resilience, innovation and a commitment to creating sustainable solutions. His contributions have earned him recognition, including a Star Award from the Global Subsidiaries Group, Citi Corporate and Investment Banking, in July 2013.
Looking back, he says he wouldn’t change a thing. “Every success and every setback has contributed to who I am today.”
With a Bachelor of Commerce degree in Finance from the University of Nairobi, he has learnt that while talent is equally distributed, opportunities are not. By creating opportunities for others, we can unlock incredible potential across Africa.
For Marvin, tackling exciting and challenging problems fuels his drive. Knowing that failure isn’t an option keeps him focused. For him, there is no plan B, only success.
As a family man, Marvin does not see work and life as separate entities, but believes in integration. “It’s about managing your time wisely and making sure that rest is part of the equation”.