Kenyan business leaders convene to explore digital strategies for workforce productivity

Over 100 CEOs and managing directors from Kenya’s private sector gathered at Capital Club East Africa for a high-level roundtable on workforce productivity.

Themed “Unleashing Growth Amid Continued Economic Uncertainty: Strategies for Competitive Advantage,” the event, hosted by SeamlessHR in partnership with the Kenya Private Sector Alliance (KEPSA), focused on how digital HR tools and automation can help businesses improve workforce efficiency and remain competitive amid ongoing economic pressures.

Attendees included prominent business figures such as Jaswinder Bedi (Chairperson, KEPSA), Dr. Vimal Shah (Chairman, Bidco Group), Irfan Keshavjee (Chairman, Advisory Board, SeamlessHR), Brenda Mbathi (CEO, TRIFIC SEZ), Kris Senanu (Chairman, Smith & Berkeley), Martin Mugambi (CEO, Citibank Kenya), Benson Ndung’u (CEO, KPMG East Africa), and others from diverse sectors.

In his keynote, Jaswinder Bedi underscored the challenges businesses face in balancing immediate cost pressures with long-term growth.

“Manufacturing and services drive 76% of our GDP. As we navigate economic uncertainty, we must rethink how we manage people and productivity. Technology offers the tools to remain globally competitive.”

Dr. Vimal Shah echoed this, highlighting the urgency of digital adoption.

“Businesses that fail to digitize their people operations will fall behind. Tools like AI are helping automate repetitive tasks, freeing up teams to focus on higher-value work.”

Brenda Mbathi stressed the need to align talent strategies with evolving market demands.

“Future competitiveness will depend on how well we optimize human capital for both local and international markets.”

Irfan Keshavjee emphasized the broader implications of HR technology for the continent.

“Africa’s economic resilience will depend on how effectively we manage people. At SeamlessHR, we’re helping companies shift from reactive to data-driven HR strategies.”

The roundtable took place against the backdrop of a mixed economic outlook for Kenya, with inflation, currency volatility, and declining purchasing power continuing to challenge businesses. Participants agreed that investing in digital workforce tools is no longer optional but essential to remaining adaptive and resilient.

A panel discussion featuring Dr. Shah, Brenda Mbathi, Kris Senanu, and Martin Mugambi explored how cloud-based HR platforms, embedded financial services, and real-time analytics are helping organizations improve productivity while navigating uncertainty.

The event highlighted a growing consensus within Kenya’s private sector: that workforce transformation, supported by digital infrastructure and strategic planning, is critical to long-term competitiveness.