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
Nairobi, KE
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
Addis Ababa, Addis Ababa
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
Addis, Ethiopia, Ethiopia
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
Nairobi, Kenya
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
Nairobi, 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
Nairobi, 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
Nairobi, Nairobi
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
Nairobi, 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
Nairobi, 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