Chris Rumenda
Nairobi
Summary
A Manager with over 10 years of successful experience in building and growing fast paced technology-based companies. Recognized consistently for performance excellence and contributions to success in the eCommerce industry and Asset Financing ,mobility and connectivity industries
Overview
11
11
years of professional experience
5
5
years of post-secondary education
2
2
Languages
Work History
Head of Commercial
Watu Credit Limited
07.2024 - Current
- Lead nationwide commercial operations across owned and partner locations, overseeing end-to-end customer touchpoints from acquisition and onboarding to support and asset resale.
- Define and execute commercial strategy aligned with business growth, market expansion, and profitability objectives.
- Drive revenue growth for Boda ICE and EV and repossessed assets
- Build and manage strategic partnerships with dealers, distributors, and external sales channels to expand market reach including boda boda leadership and county governments
- Oversee full product journey for boda and customer support for Simu product.
- Strengthen brand presence and customer engagement through innovative go-to-market initiatives.
- Lead, mentor, and develop high-performing commercial teams, fostering a culture of accountability and collaboration.
- Manage commercial financial performance, credit risk, and regulatory compliance in close partnership with operations and finance.
Head of Secondary Marketplace
Watu Africa
07.2023 - Current
- Established an efficient departmental team structure through recruitment, performance management, upskilling, motivation, and career development managing a team of over 300 Individuals across 64 locations
- Implemented new processes and automating existing ones to drive efficiency, reduce losses, and increase sales
- Developed new sales channels leading to over 50% growth in sales year on year.
- Implementing innovative solutions to reduce write off for repossessed assets by over 70% by maintaining or improving their value and ensuring their circulation back to customers through asset refurbishment
- Managing the departmental P&L and maintaining positive unit economics end-to-end
- Custodian of thousands of repossessed assets across over 64 Warehouses and sales points across the country
Chief Executive Officer
Shega Ethiopia
11.2021 - 07.2022
- Successfully launched Shega.com from strategy formulation, technology, projections and budget, recruitment ,marketing and scaled it up in terms of seller growth, assortment and revenue and customer acquisition.
- Recruited ,trained and mentored and managed a strong core team of the next ecommerce leaders in Ethiopia
- Responsible for the P&L of the company from projections, assumptions ,analysis and corrective measures
- Built productive relationships with various stakeholders -NGOs, Government and brands that are like minded.
- Spearheaded initiatives to better target business metrics tracking and improve decision-making with real-time data.
- Developed and implemented a logistics network to increase efficiency and customer satisfaction while managing costs and pilferage .
General Manager
Kifiya Financial Technologies PLC
01.2020 - 12.2021
- Responsible for launching and growing of four business lines by developing initial product road map and go-to-market strategy
- Responsible for recruitment, training, coaching and mentoring of core staff to support smooth adoption of new ecommerce, delivery and payment businesses
- Identified and capitalized on community business opportunities with effective networking e.g
- Working with the Job Creation Agency to onboard over 5000 sellers
- Developing and managing the business plan and owning the profit and loss statement for the company to ensure sustainability growth and profitability
- Delivering business strategy and developing systems and procedures to improve operational quality, team efficiency
Head of Jumia University and Engagement
Jumia Group
08.2019 - 01.2020
- Led the Seller Engagement team to engage and propel the growth of the vendors via 3 functions – Seller Communications, Seller Community, and Seller training
- Built a first-in-class training program (Jumia University) to enable vendors access to quality contents that serve their business needs
- Led in designing and executing seller growth strategies via engagement and educational activities, in line with the company's overall directions & sellers' needs eg Outreach program to improve seller join rate for mega campaigns and know-how on best campaign execution to boost the sellers' sales performance
- Collaborated with cross-functional teams in Jumia Kenya and regional team to identify opportunities to address sellers' pain points & develop shared solutions
- Conducted regular seller & brand focus groups, interviews, and research exercises and ensure sellers' voices are being heard and sellers' needs are met
Head of Marketplace
JUMIA KENYA
01.2017 - 12.2019
- Increased the number of vendors trading on the platform through digital marketing, offline sales and vendor referral program
- Increased the vendor base by over 300% in 2 years
- Account Management: Led a team of account managers handling key vendors and a call center handling the rest of the vendors
- Assisted sellers in growing their businesses on Jumia by monitoring their stock, pricing and providing visibility through marketing
- Drove all key metrics from user (Vendor and Customer growth), improving profit contribution margins, reviewing & managing unit economics and scaling top line at a sustainable basis
- Contributed to over 60% of the company revenue
- Drove Vendor retention initiatives depending upon past trends basis (regression analytic)
Head of Vendor Operations and Experience
Jumia Kenya
01.2017 - 01.2018
- Custodian of vendor experience and vendor journey by simplifying and optimizing processes from sign up to after sales to ensure a good vendor experience
- Redesigned the vendor sign up process and order processing to utilize available resources effectively and improved the vendor NPS score from 20% to 65% in 1 year
- Custodian of customer experience by ensuring vendors always ship good quality products on time and introduced innovative ways to incentive's good vendor behavior and deter bad behavior
- Improved shipping speeds from 48-56 to 24hrs with 1 year and maintained a customer Net Promoter score of over 75%
- Managed a team of vendor support agents’ tasks with handling all vendors issues via a call center, email and Chat
- Maintained a resolution speed of 98% within 24hrs and a Satisfaction score of 100%
- Started the Jumia Intern programme and recruited smart and ambitious graduates, trained and mentored them and had them absorbed within various roles in the company and had a 66% absorption rate with some moving to middle level management within 2 years.
Vendor Performance Manager
Jumia Kenya
01.2016 - 01.2017
- Tasked with the end to end order fulfillment process
- Managed a team of account managers with the main task of ensuring all orders are fulfilled on time
- Collaborated with other departments such as Operations, Seller Support, IT and finance and escalates issues as required to resolve seller's questions and issues.
Buying Operations Manager
Jumia Kenya
02.2015 - 01.2016
- Monitoring and analyzing all Marketplace activity
- Driving Marketplace growth by on-boarding and training the new suppliers on the seller platform
- Following-up with existing Marketplace sellers and building a long-lasting relationship
- Overseeing account management to ensure sellers grow to become active and independent
- Monitoring Seller Support Team activity, to ensure sellers can consistently achieve their KPIs
- Co-ordination with other departments: o Work with Operations team to monitor Marketplace orders
- Work with Production team for the upload of the products online
- Team up with Vendor managers and Category Managers to aid in commercial aspects of the business
Buying Operations Associate
Jumia Kenya
11.2014 - 02.2015
- Acted as the main touch-point for people/companies wishing to sell on Jumia
- Managed numerous accounts concurrently and strategically and develops strong long-term relationships
- Balanced ambitious commercial targets with adherence to strict service level agreements on fulfillment times, out of stock and return rates, retraining struggling sellers as needed
- Compiled weekly reports to sellers on their performance with improvement
- Guidelines and monthly internal reports to recommend way forward with sellers
- Collaborated with other departments such as Operations, Seller Support, IT and Finance and escalates issues as required to resolve seller's questions and issues
Education
Certificate - Digital Marketing
Shaw Academy
01.2016 - 07.2016
Bachelor of Commerce - Banking and Finance
Egerton University
Nakuru Kenya 01.2008 - 01.2012
Skills
Financial leadership
Operational leadership
Business start up
Operating budgets
Product development and expansion
Marketplace developlemnt and growth
Relationship Management
Timeline
Head of Commercial
Watu Credit Limited
07.2024 - Current
Head of Secondary Marketplace
Watu Africa
07.2023 - Current
Chief Executive Officer
Shega Ethiopia
11.2021 - 07.2022
General Manager
Kifiya Financial Technologies PLC
01.2020 - 12.2021
Head of Jumia University and Engagement
Jumia Group
08.2019 - 01.2020
Head of Marketplace
JUMIA KENYA
01.2017 - 12.2019
Head of Vendor Operations and Experience
Jumia Kenya
01.2017 - 01.2018
Vendor Performance Manager
Jumia Kenya
01.2016 - 01.2017
Certificate - Digital Marketing
Shaw Academy
01.2016 - 07.2016
Buying Operations Manager
Jumia Kenya
02.2015 - 01.2016
Buying Operations Associate
Jumia Kenya
11.2014 - 02.2015
Bachelor of Commerce - Banking and Finance
Egerton University
01.2008 - 01.2012