Tom Mboya Overcomes Setback, Lands Major Role At Unilever

After experiencing the disappointment of being laid off from a lucrative job he had just landed at Amazon Web Services (AWS) in the United States earlier this year, former Head of ICT at Unga Group, Tom Mboya, has finally found a reason to smile again. He has secured yet another appointment as the Technology lead for East Africa at the multinational consumer goods company, Unilever.

In an exciting announcement on his LinkedIn account, Mboya shared his joy, stating, “I’m happy to share that I’m starting a new position as Technology Lead, East Africa at Unilever.” Mboya quit his previous job at Unga Group to take up the AWS role, which he was scheduled to begin in the United States on January 16th, 2023.

However, just four days before he was set to depart for the US with his family to begin the new job at AWS, Mboya received a call informing him that the company was laying off workers and that his position was affected. AWS announced that it was letting go of 18,000 employees worldwide due to economic uncertainties.

“My family is truly devastated after planning for the move for 6 months, but I trust that God has a plan for us. They will go for counseling, and I hope this helps,” Mboya shared the disappointing news on LinkedIn. Mboya also revealed that his family has already sold their household stuff, cars, and even moved out of their house, so they had start all over again.

Despite the setback at AWS, Mboya found some relief in May after securing a job as the Chief Digital Officer (CDO) at Mount Meru Group, a business conglomerate in Africa with interests in petroleum, manufacturing, real estate, and logistics. He was stationed in Lusaka, Zambia.

Mboya, who was crowned the CIO of The Year 2021, has an MBA in Finance from the United States International University-Africa and a BSc in Statistics and Computer Science from the Jomo Kenyatta University of Agriculture and Technology.

Mboya’s story is a testament to the resilience and perseverance of individuals in the face of adversity. Despite experiencing a major setback in his career at the start of the year, he never lost hope. His story is also a reflection of the volatile nature of the job market that has affected thousands of IT employees globally.