By VICTOR KIPROP

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Adil El Youssefi, 39, the current chief executive officer of Liquid Telecoms Kenya, is no doubt one of the most experienced, yet among the youngest chief executives in Kenya .He spoke to The EastAfrican's VICTOR KIPROP.

What’s your off-duty passion?

My Family. I have three young daughters, so I always try to spend as much time as possible with my wife and the girls.

You have worked on three continents. How do you compare working in Africa with working elsewhere?

Different countries and continents have different working cultures. One of the most important working cultures in Africa is flexibility. In Western countries the rules are very rigid.

Meetings start on time and missing a deadline even by five minutes is not forgiven. While this makes work efficient, it also makes businesses less flexible in a dynamic environment.

What is your leadership style?

Seeing smiles on those I work with. My style involves supporting members of my team to reach their targets while at the same time holding them accountable for the same targets.

What is your typical day like?

I wake up around 6am everyday, just in time for breakfast with the family. I get to the office between 8am and 8:30am and leave at around 7pm.

I always make sure I make it home early enough for a quick interaction with the girls before they sleep.

What’s your biggest achievement over the years?
I am really proud of the impact that I have had on people rather than organisations. There are people I have met in my journey and I have been fortunate enough to have had a positive impact on them.

Any regrets?
Yes. Not being open minded enough. Sometimes I have been too stuck in my ways and not really opening up to different ways of doing things.

How do you unwind from a busy week?

Music and sports are my thing. If I’m not listening to music then I’m probably enjoying a game of tennis and a little bit of golfing at the Muthaiga Golf Club.

What is your favourite music?

I love soul music and artistes who have strong unique voices like Tracy Chapman and Mariah Carey.

What is your best last read?

Sapiens by Yuval Noah Harari.

Where would a random afternoon find you in East Africa?

Mount Kenya. It’s one of the most scenic and beautiful places I have ever visited in the world.

What do you love most about Kenya?

The people. They are hardworking, ambitious and hospitable. This is big asset to the country.

What is your favourite Kenyan food?

Nyama choma (roast meat).

What doesn’t miss in your fridge?

Yoghurt. Both the kids and I love yoghurt, so it’s ever present in our fridge.

Background

Currently aged 39, He has worked in Europe, Asia and Africa.

The Moroccan-born El Youssefi left his motherland at the age of 18 for France to pursue an engineering degree, after which he began his career as a software engineer at Royal Philips Electronics in London, in the United Kingdom.

He left Philips after five years to pursue a Masters degree in Business Administration before joining British Telecom as a business and technology manager.

“However I didn’t like it too much because the company was very big and as a consultant, I felt I wasn’t really making any impact.”

He left London for the war-torn Colombo, the capital of Sri Lanka, to take up a new role as the deputy general manager of Millicom International Cellular.
From Sri Lanka he returned to Africa when he was seconded to lead Millicom in Chad, and later Ghana before joining Airtel Kenya in 2014.
A strong desire to always have an impact, he says, has driven him up from one position to another in different companies.