Sandra Njagi, 37

Head of Corporate Planning and Strategy

Isuzu East Africa

The Igbo people of Nigeria have a saying that what an old man sees sitting down, a young man cannot see standing up.

This is true until you meet 37-year-old Sandra, whose job entails having a peek into the future and then guiding Isuzu East Africa through the whirlwinds of time.

She is one of the youngest individuals in the management of Isuzu East Africa.

But her job description barely betrays her age. It is a job that requires the foresight, wisdom, and experience of an old man standing.

"Set ambitious career goals, go for them, unapologetically. Ensure that you enjoy what you do."

Her day-to-day job entails leading the formulation of strategic solutions for the sustainability of the car maker.

“I have a responsibility to ensure that the company attains its vision and goals innovatively and effectively while ensuring proper strategic risks are managed,” says Sandra.

The tools she uses to peek into the future of, not just Isuzu East Africa but also the car industry, are mostly numbers.

Growing up, Sandra’s dream was not to be in finance. She wanted to be an aeronautical engineer. But she could not afford to study abroad.

“I thereafter got admission to the University of Nairobi School of Business, embraced the finance profession, and now completely enjoy what I do in finance and strategy,” says Sandra.

Getting to the top has not been a walk in the park. Focus, hard work, and reliability have catapulted her to the top of the corporate ladder. But above all, she says, you have to be consistent.

“Set ambitious career goals, go for them, unapologetically. Ensure that you enjoy what you do,” she says.

Dominic Omondi