Kenya's Business Voice In The Emirates
Registered with the Dubai Chamber of Commerce, the council connects trade, capital, and enterprise across the Kenya–UAE corridor.
Vision
To serve as the premier cross-border economic catalyst — positioning Kenya as East Africa's gateway for UAE capital, and bridging UAE networks for Kenyan scale-ups and SMEs.
Establishing the foundational pipeline for secure foreign direct investment and direct capital transfers across the corridor.
Mission
To empower our bilateral enterprise members by providing top-tier government advocacy, advanced matchmaking networks, and clear regulatory guidance — so the corridor's strategic treaties become their commercial advantage.
Membership is open to Kenyan-owned companies, businesses with substantial Kenya interests, and Kenyan professionals across all seven emirates.
Core Identity
Three principles that define how the council operates.
- 01
Regulatory Integrity
Strict structural alignment with Kenyan business registration requirements and the statutory compliance standards of the Dubai Chamber of Commerce.
- 02
Strategic Synergy
Actively joining sovereign macro policy with private-sector flexibility, ensuring bilateral policies lead to tangible cross-border transactions.
- 03
Trade Innovation
Pioneering tech-driven trade lanes, modernised agricultural supply chains, green-energy initiatives, and structured diaspora investment vehicles.
The Founding Board
The founding leadership team, serving a three-year board tenure.
Mr. Lionel Smith
Chairman
Chairman & Founder, ACI Logistics DWC LLC
Leads the council and chairs the board — representing the membership to the Dubai Chamber, government stakeholders, and partner institutions across the corridor.
Mr. Ibrahim Bakhrani
Vice Chairman
Managing Director, Digital Communication LLC
Deputises for the Chairman and drives the council's strategic agenda, ensuring the board's commitments to members are delivered across the year.
Mr. Charles Simekha
Head of Memberships
Managing Director, Haven Prime Trading
Grows and stewards the membership — from application through renewal — and champions the member experience across every membership category.
Mr. Stephen Omolo Odiembo
Head of Partnerships
CEO, DIASOL — Diaspora Solutions FZC · Furaha Baraka Farms Ltd
Builds the council's institutional relationships — with the Dubai Chamber network, KNCCI, the Joint Business Council, and the corporate partners who back the council's programmes.
Ms. Evalyne Muthoni Mbaabu
Treasurer
Investor, Evalyne Holiday Homes
Responsible for the council's finances — budgeting, fee collection, and the audited accounts presented to members at each annual general meeting.
Mr. Vishaal S. Shah
Secretary General
Director, Panache International FZ LLC
Oversees the secretariat and the council's governance — board proceedings, Chamber compliance, and the day-to-day services members rely on.
Ms. Hawamaa Harunany
Head of Events
Director, Zabash Travels & Tourism
Programmes the council's calendar — bilateral sectoral forums, networking events, and delegations — and the member experience at every one of them.
Mr. Crispin Otieno Mangongo
Head of Communications
CEO, Global Link Security Services
Stewards the council's voice — member briefings, the newsletter, media relations, and the KBC UAE brand across every channel.
Accountable To Members, From Day One.
Registered as a Business Council with the Dubai Chamber of Commerce.
- Governance Compliance
- Operating in strict compliance with the regulatory statutes of the Dubai Chamber of Commerce, including transparent quarterly reporting.
- Dual-Jurisdiction Financial Integrity
- International AML (anti-money-laundering) checks and strict corporate compliance measures secure cross-border transactions and investments.
- Internal Corporate Democracy
- A one-member-one-vote model, board elections on a three-year tenure, and a mandatory 50% voting quorum protect constitutional continuity.
- Constitution
- The constitution guiding the board and the members — covering membership classes, elections, financial stewardship, and general meetings — is in drafting for adoption by the membership.
Strategic Roadmap 2026–2027
Year one, in four moves.
- 01
Structural Launch
Complete official onboarding and set up the CEPA helpdesk within the secretariat.
- 02
B2B Matchmaking
Host bilateral sectoral forums in the UAE — logistics, agri-tech, services, and more.
- 03
Bilateral Missions
Lead the first multi-sector investor delegation from the UAE to Kenya to seed projects.
- 04
Annual Audit
Complete financial transparency: independent reviews, with audited accounts presented to the membership.
The Corridor Story
Five milestones that turned a trading relationship into an institutional partnership — and made the council necessary.
2023
Trade Crosses $3.1 Billion
Kenya–UAE bilateral trade grows 26.4% year on year, led by tea, cut flowers, and fresh produce moving through Dubai's re-export hub.
2024
CEPA Signed
Kenya and the UAE sign a Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement — a stable, agreed framework for goods, services, and investment.
2025
Joint Business Council Formalised
The UAE–Kenya Joint Business Council is formalised at State House Nairobi in May, connecting the chambers of both nations.
2026
KNCCI Opens In Dubai
The Kenya National Chamber of Commerce & Industry launches its first Gulf liaison office in Dubai in January.
2026
KBC UAE Is Registered
The Kenyan Business Council UAE is officially registered with the Dubai Chamber of Commerce as the council for Kenyan business in the Emirates.