Mike Eldon, Kenyan Tech And Business Leader, Passes Away

The Kenyan technology, business, and leadership community is mourning the passing of Mike Eldon, a long-standing corporate executive, mentor, and advocate for youth development, who died peacefully on January 29, 2026, at his home in Nairobi.

His passing was confirmed in a tribute written by his former wife, Kathy Eldon, who described Eldon as a man whose life was defined by “his sparkling wit, his service to others, his integrity, and his enduring commitment to young people, particularly the youth of Kenya, a country he deeply loved, and since our arrival in 1977, called home.”

Eldon was widely respected for his leadership roles at the helm of some of the world’s leading technology companies. A graduate of University College London and the London Business School’s Sloane Fellows Program, he served as Chief Executive Officer of the Kenyan headquarters of International Computers Ltd (ICL), Wang, and IBM, at a time when enterprise computing was taking root across East Africa.

Beyond executive leadership, Eldon was known for championing the belief that business should be a force for good. That philosophy, shaped in part by his father Bruno Eldon who oversaw management training at Shell in the UK, guided his approach to leadership development, mentorship, and governance throughout his career.

Over nearly five decades of involvement with the Rotary Club, alongside numerous board and advisory roles across Kenyan institutions, Eldon worked to integrate modern management thinking into youth mentorship and community-driven development initiatives. His work quietly influenced organisations, executives, and young leaders across Kenya and the wider region.

Perhaps his most enduring legacy lies in his commitment to young people. In 1993, he founded the DEPOT (the Dan Eldon Place of Tomorrow), in honour of his son Dan Eldon, a Reuters photojournalist, artist, and activist. The DEPOT has since become a hub for creativity, learning, and social impact, nurturing generations of young changemakers.

Using the DEPOT as his base, Eldon consulted with companies across Africa, facilitated executive leadership programmes, and convened peace-building retreats aimed at bridging cultural and organisational divides, often working behind the scenes, away from public recognition.

“At the heart of Mike’s life was his family,” Kathy Eldon wrote, noting his devotion to his wife Evelyn Mungai, their shared love for Kenya, and his pride in their extended family. She remembered him for his “wicked sense of humor, his courageous leadership, his absolute belief in young people, and his conviction that one person’s commitment can help shape a better tomorrow.”

Mike Eldon’s legacy endures through the institutions he helped build, the hundreds of articles he authored, the leaders he mentored, and the countless young people he encouraged to believe in themselves.

He is survived by his wife Evelyn Mungai, his daughter Amy, and a wide community across Kenya and beyond whose lives were shaped by his leadership, generosity, and vision.