The domestic market is equally important to the international company. According to Mutuma, DHL has more one hundred and fifty outlets throughout Kenya.
“These outlets consist of independent entrepreneurs who we are collaborating with. We are actively working towards getting more Small and Medium Enterprises operators to come on board.”
Devolution has also been a blessing to the company. Mutuma says that the company is now eyeing to work with youths around the counties.
“We want to educate the youth on the opportunities there are in the outside. We can easily ship products for them to sell here and vice versa. This is especially possible because of the uptake of smart phones which has made youths well connected and informed of products available elsewhere.”
This, Mutuma says, is in accordance to DHL’s legacy of going everywhere in the world. “DHL is not scared of Ebola, or terror or even the diminishing currency.”
Its future prospects are also fine tuned. For instance, Nigeria and South Africa, which are its biggest African markets, are opening up to accommodate more shipments as its biggest market globally, Europe, continues to do well.
“Kenya is an equally big and important market. We therefore are here to stay,” Mutuma concludes.
As the newly appointed Managing Director escorts me to the door, he explains that although he puts in more than twelve hours per day into the job, he still creates time for his six-year-old daughter. “Saturdays are reserved for her. I will cancel any appointment just to be with her.”
He adds that he wouldn’t be the man he is today if it wasn’t for his family, especially his father who is his role model. The avid singer who reveals that he is part of his church choir adds that if it was not for people who believed in him such as former co-worker at Mobil named Millicent, he would not be where he is today.
