Upon graduation, James Mworia was
literally head-hunted by big firms for his
skills in technology. But unlike many a
graduate who would have welcomed such
opportunities, Mr Mworia said: “No, thank
you.”
“The offers were many, all based on my
final year project and the fact that I had
scored a first class but I was advised
against taking any of them,” he told
Money.
His project was a sacco management
software that automates day-to-day
transactions by integrating both the front-
office and back-office deals.
The software by the Jomo Kenyatta
University of Agriculture Technology 2005
graduate caught the eye of a leading sacco
in Kenya but instead of taking up a plum
job post, Mr Mworia negotiated to contract
out his product to the microlender at a
fee.
Then, he was an inexperienced 21-year-old
with little exposure to big money
agreements.
“The contract was worth Sh500,000. I
would not have negotiated such an amount
without the help of my lecturers,” he says,
adding this is the point Empire
Microsystems limited, an information
technology solutions firm that he has built
over a period of nine years was
established.
By offering telecommunication outsourcing,
financial management software and other
business solutions, he estimates his
enterprise to be worth Sh300 million after
nine years of business.
At 30, he is the chief executive of a firm
with presence in over 20 African countries
handling clients ranging from financial
institutions to telecommunication firms.
Later this year, Mr Mworia says that the
company has an ambitious target of listing
on the Nairobi Securities Exchange or court
a venture capitalist to help raise about Sh1
billion to fund its expansion.
“Whichever comes first, the bottom line is
that we will be aiming to raise capital to
up our coffers and strengthen our capacity
to serve,” notes Mr Mworia, now a PhD
student.
The firm was registered in 2005 when Mr
Mworia signed his maiden contract. He
was the sole staff then. Today, the firm
boasts of a workforce of 200 employees.
By 2007, he had over 20 saccos on his client
list, prompting him to register a limited
company to conform to taxation rules and
also ready himself for more opportunities.
“I did not at any time doubt my
programming skills and I was sure great
opportunities lay ahead,” he said.
When in 2008 the IT industry was gripped
by the fibre optic craze, Mr Mworia
diversified into the telecoms, a step away
from his flagship sacco management
software. The move paid off instantly as
Empire Microsystems landed a contract
with one of the major triple play (video,
voice and data) companies in Kenya as
opportunities continued to prove limitless
for his venture.
“What the company does here is basically
outsourcing. The operator gives us the
mandate to install, maintain and support
its clients,” he says.
In 2010, the two arms seemed not enough
for the ambitious start-up, seeing the firm
diversify into project management
outsourcing with an eye on banks and
financial institutions.
Under the new unit, the firm provides
human resource expertise to financial
institutions intending to change or
overhaul their information technology
systems.
And for its success, the company was feted
last month by the ICT association of Kenya
as part of the Kenya @50 celebrations:
“We were crowned ICT Company of the
Year Award (SME) beating a list of 45
competitors and this has fuelled our
belief,” he said.
Empire Microsystems has an estimated
annual turnover of Sh100 million which
the CEO says is just a scratch on the
surface, considering the enormous
opportunities in the ICT industry.
How have you managed to steer your firm
considering your age? I ask. “We’ve solid
structures in place without which probably
the venture would still be a small entity,”
he said.
The company draws ideas from a think
tank comprising of individuals from various
fields. It advises the executive committee
which Mr Mworia chairs.
The team is the firm’s command centre
where projects are conceptualised and
delegated to a designated manager.
“If we’ve a contract to overhaul a bank’s
IT system, we hand the project to a
manager who has a free hand in
determining staff, budget and time for as
long he accomplishes the task,” said Mr
Mworia.
It has not been an easy ride to establish
and run such a company with the major
challenge being high employee turnover
due to the many opportunities and better
offers in the IT industry.
source: nation.co.ke
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