PUBLIC RELATIONS TALENT

Kenyan PR professional appointed to marketing and communications role

By our African Marketing Confederation News Team | 2024

Wanjiru Kamotho, a former winner of the ‘Young PR Professional of the Year Award’, named Head of Marketing and Communication at BasiGo.

BasiGo, the electric bus and sustainable mobility company operating in Kenya and Rwanda, has announced the appointment of Wanjiru Dorcus Kamotho as its new Head of Marketing and Communication.

Nairobi-based Kamotho is described in a company statement as an “established communications professional with a passion for strategic, integrated and sustainability communications, with seven years of experience working with clients in the government and private sector”.

Wanjiru Kamotho. Photo: LinkedIn

The statement adds: “She is passionate about the power of technology in creating opportunities for the people in Africa and the growth of organisations committed to doing business responsibly while safeguarding our planet.”

A full member of the Public Relations Society of Kenya, Kamotho is a past recipient of ‘The Young PR Professional of the Year Award’ (Agency Category) awarded by the PRSK. She received the award in 2022.

Roles with leading public relations consultancies

Prior to joining BasiGo, she held the position of Senior Manager, Client Experience, East Africa at Weber Shandwick, an international strategic communications and consulting network.

Before that, Kamotho spent almost four years with Hill + Knowlton Strategies in the roles of Account Executive and Account Manager – Technology & Sustainability Practice.

In the latter, she planned, implemented and supervised public relations and communication management programmes for clients. Among them were BasiGo, HMD Global, Cadbury, CSquared and KWAL.

In a 2022 interview with The Comms Avenue, a platform for communications professionals, she listed the following as some of the key lessons learned on her professional journey:

Stay teachable – learning never stops. Those who keep learning stay relevant.

Get mentors – shadow someone who has been there, done that and have conversations with people who do what you would like to do. They will open your mind.

Hard work and going the extra mile never hurt anyone. Put your heart into it and you will increase your chances of doing great work.

Have a cheerleader – someone who believes in you and your ability to go beyond. They will come through for you when the imposter syndrome kicks in.

Enjoy your work. If possible, get a job you love and work will feel like play.

On her LinkedIn profile, Kamotho describes herself as a “relationship-driven strategic communication professional with a results-driven approach in building corporate brands, and establishing trusting relationships with stakeholders”.

A passenger jet at a gate viewed from the nose with a sunset sky and dark clouds in the background

Airline body urges African governments to act on opening market access

‘Strategies don’t move people. Now it is time to make the difficult decisions and execute them,’ senior executive stresses.

Two hockey players battle for the puck along the boards during a game one in blue and one in white

Uganda Tourism Board partners with major European ice hockey league

UTB says its ambition is to turn the visibility into interest, bookings and more visitors choosing to explore Uganda.

Two young women sit together looking at a tablet one in an orange sweater holds a bottle while the other in a pink hoodie eyes the screen

Researchers explain why 10-second micro ads outperform longer spots

Short ads shown on TV increased website visits within five minutes of airing by 10-40% compared with longer advertisements.

Worker on a ladder painting the yellow storefront of a corner shop labeled supeco and label vie with shoppers and parked vehicles nearby

Competition continues to grow in the Moroccan supermarket sector

Supeco’s rapid expansion shows how the discount model is becoming a bigger part of grocery retail in the North African country.

Gold hotel toiletries sachets arranged on a marble bathroom counter including a vanity kit and shower gel beside a glass

Study identifies harmful paradox behind well-meaning green efforts

Consumers reward visible eco-friendly additions such as reusable bottles, but give little credit to businesses that reduce or remove products.

Medical professional in a white coat and pink hairnet demonstrates handwashing at a stainless steel station while soldiers watch nearby

President Mahama commissions expanded evaporated milk facility in Ghana

Nestlé believes Ghana will continue to play a leading role in the future of Central and West Africa.

Diverse group of people posing for a group photo in a bright lobby under an empa banner with 'this is possibility ' text above

Momentum beginning to build for 2027 ACCS gathering in Addis Ababa

Ethiopia’s marketers gather to celebrate hosting next year’s conference – but with an eye on the hard work ahead.

Young woman with curly hair smiling while looking at her phone outdoors wearing earphones

PwC report examines the future of African entertainment and media

Tech is creating more ways for audiences to connect, but lasting value will come from understanding the people behind those connections.

Four professionals in blue protective coats and hairnets cut a blue ribbon during a factory ceremony celebrating a ribbon cutting event

Unilever investment expands its Vaseline production capacity in Africa

The new production line at the historic Maydon Wharf facility in Durban will address growing international demand.

Group of formally dressed award winners posing on stage with trophies at the world cruise awards ceremony

World MICE Awards in Jamaica honour best African and global achievers

Tanzania, Kenya, Zimbabwe, Ethiopia and South Africa all feature in the African meetings, incentives, conferences and exhibitions awards.

Five adults in a rural village square talk holding notebooks and papers as they discuss together at sunset

AI won’t replace market research. But it will expose weak strategy

Much of the broader conversation around AI in market research assumes conditions that do not consistently exist across many African markets, writes Soyinka Witness.