Position: Chief Executive Officer

Location: Nairobi, Kenya

About Intellecap

Since 2002, Intellectual Capital Advisory Services (Intellecap) has been committed to economic and social development through market-based solutions that help build and scale innovative businesses for social change. Intellecap's mission is to accelerate the growth of socially relevant businesses by connecting markets, people and capital. Over the past 12 years in India, Intellecap has built and refined an ecosystem-based approach to accelerating entrepreneurship and innovation at the SME-level. We have built services, tools, products, and methodologies to unlock support for SMEs from several private commercial and donor organizations. This approach has demonstrated success: over 900 SMEs connected with 300 investors, US$ 200+ million equity investments intermediated, over 70 angel investors committed to invest in impact SMEs, 10 angel investments facilitated and over 50 private sector firms joined hands to build the entrepreneurship and innovation ecosystem.

We seek to build institutional capacity and channel investments in the development sector through Consulting and Research services as well as Investment Banking services as well as through market building initiatives to further the inclusive development agenda and plug critical gaps. These initiatives include Sankalp Forum - the world's largest high impact SME focused platform and Intellecap Impact Investment Network (I3N) - India's first angel network focused on impact enterprises.

Intellecap's strengths include extensive field experience and a unique understanding of the last-mile development environment, as well as large international investors and corporations. As a result, we are well-positioned to act as a bridge between the development and commercial sectors. We also have proven capabilities in implementing market-based solutions to help low-income populations and our success is largely made feasible by a wide and diverse network of stakeholders combined with an awareness of Base of the Pyramid (BOP) market conditions. Through our work with social entrepreneurs, we have developed unique insights across six high-impact sectors: financial services, agriculture and rural business, clean energy, healthcare, water and sanitation and education and vocational training. We use these insights in a variety of engagements covering a spectrum of services that include raising equity and debt capital for early and growth-stage enterprises to specific advisory services that enable their growth such as market research, market entry, strategy and solution design, innovation management, stakeholder engagement and policy advocacy.

In addition, Intellecap incubates and invests in business models that have high potential to create, scale and improve financial and market access for the BOP. Intellecap's subsidiary IntelleGrow is a financial services company that provides venture debt to small and growing social businesses in India to address the severe shortage of appropriate debt finance options for the SME sector. With a more than-money approach, IntelleGrow also provides dedicated business development assistance to help fuel growth for these companies. Another subsidiary, IntelleCash, provides incubation and consulting services to Microfinance Institutions (MFIs). IntelleCash recently took a majority stake in Arohan Financial Services, one of the most respected MFIs in eastern India and the two businesses have consolidated.

Intellecap Africa

Intellecap's vision is to be the global market leader in providing advisory services to clients who seek to create social and environmental impact at the Base of the Pyramid (BOP) in emerging markets.

As part of our plan to realize this vision, we propose to replicate this approach in East Africa over the next several years. We will bring together capital, advice and networks to support high impact small and medium enterprises (SMEs) at two levels:

(i) we will provide direct support to SMEs in the form of acceleration, fund-raising, technical assistance, innovation transfer, and market linkages, and

(ii) we will discover and engage critical ecosystem players such as African corporations, and international corporations in supporting SMEs.

We have done advisory work in the region since 2008, and since 2013, have developed and run ecosystem building initiatives (through Sankalp Forum and I3N) that have brought together over 600 SMEs, investors, corporations, governments and others to catalyze innovation and entrepreneurship. We have also selected, supported and showcased East African SMEs to angel, seed and VC investors. We are in early stages of launching East Africa's first impact-focused angel network. Intellecap now has a strong East Africa foundation and a small local team in place which is being further strengthened in the next few months.

As Intellecap looks to evolve and scale up in Africa, it envisions a roadmap that helps to link inclusive development hubs of the Global South to each other; and also with the Global North to drive a cohesive inclusive development agenda. This will include:

- Corridor building programs in Sub Saharan Africa that lead into the Global Convening

- Build a knowledge corridor between India-Africa and create a platform to scale high impact SMEs in the East African region.

- Create a South-South Knowledge corridor that can exchange learning and create a common action platform for building a similar ecosystem for small and growing businesses in Africa.

- Advisory work and thought leading research including landscape analyses, advocacy, and developing tools and other market infrastructure to drive inclusive development.

Role Objective

We are currently looking for a dynamic leader to lead our Africa offices. Working with the Board of Directors and the leaders of the different practice lines at Intellecap, the CEO will be responsible for providing Strategic Roadmap, Governance, Leadership, and Operational Excellence, to meet company's growth plans, create shareholder value, and build Intellecap as a leading advisory Firm in the Africa market.

This is a highly entrepreneurial role in a fast-growing organization and a start-up environment, with overall responsibility for the business growth. The incumbent will be working closely with the India Leadership team and will be responsible to build and lead the Consulting, I3N and Sankalp teams for Intellecap in Africa.

This role reports to the Board of Directors.

Key Responsibilities

Business Strategy & Roadmap

Develop and drive a comprehensive business strategy and roadmap, to achieve goals, and targets articulated by the Board. Implement the strategic business plan into an effective action plan for long term sustainability and profitability

Profitability & Shareholder Value

The CEO will be responsible to drive profitability and shareholder value creation, while focusing on the following business objectives:

- An - Entrepreneurial- mind set - sustained focus on profitability and shareholder returns

- Growth Centric approach coupled with a culture of cost effectiveness

- Optimal utilization of reserves and capital

Business Building and Development

The CEO will be responsible for generating business and play a key role in Intellecap Africa's growth through foray into new markets and Client segments, including branding Intellecap in Africa. He/she must have a good understanding of social media platforms, Internet, and technological advancements, for business, and brand building.

Leadership & Talent Development

The CEO will be responsible to build a credible and highly motivated team, provide effective leadership from the front, alongside grooming and developing talent and transforming them into successful business leaders.

Operational Excellence

The CEO will foster an environment of operational excellence and discipline, which is aligned to, and enhances the entrepreneurial spirit and approach of the organization by setting- up robust operational procedures, policies, and standards; drive compliance to key operational processes and measure performance through metrics on all key operational, financial and strategic performance parameters.

Enterprise Risk Management

The CEO must constantly keep abreast of the rapidly evolving and changing global political, social, economic, business environment, and regulatory - both, to leverage the opportunities which emerge, as well as to manage the risk. The CEO must proactively anticipate, and manage all risks - Governance, Compliance, Financial, Regulatory, etc.

Communication and Brand Building

As the primary brand ambassador, the CEO should be able to effectively articulate, and communicate Intellecap's vision, social objectives, and unique positioning to Employees, Clients, Media, as well as on key Social and Industry forums globally.

Experience/ Education:

- At least 15+ years of strong Consulting work experience and market insights in BoP markets. The incumbent should have demonstrated a successful track record in leading high-performance teams

- He/ she must have practical knowledge of MSME Consulting offerings and services in an emerging market

- Ability to instill governance and process orientation without compromising the entrepreneurial DNA of the organization

- Experience in creating and scaling-up knowledge businesses, building and managing teams, and designing large-scale interventions to address challenges of African market

- Strong Leadership skills - should be able to earn credibility, and work with a high-calibre leadership team.

- High degree of Integrity, Ethics, and a strong focus on transparent Governance.

- Well-networked business builder with an ability to identify new client segments, open doors, and build strong, sustainable, and long-term relationships.

- The Candidate should have should have an advanced degree, preferably a MBA from a premier institution

Compensation is commensurate to skill and experience. In addition, the incumbent will also be eligible for attractive incentives, including stock options and bonus payouts as and when applicable

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