Meg Whitman: Inside the powerful world of the diplomat at the centre of Ruto's global frenzy

Gone are the days when a Sir Edward Clay would brazenly accuse the Kenyan government of "vomiting all over our shoes," sparking a heated diplomatic row and risking relations between two friendly countries.

Today, the relationship between the Kenyan state and the Western embassies has grown so exponentially, it is hard for either of the two to exist without the other.

That relationship can best be exemplified by the camaraderie that President William Ruto and US Ambassador to Kenya Meg Whitman share; since she was posted in 2022, the country has not witnessed such an escalated comradeship between the a Head of State and a High Commissioner.

After Kenya held elections and the results were contentious, Whitman publicly welcomed the results, calling the process free and fair - echoing what international observers had said.

Her stance, however, bothered the opposition who were at the time sharply against the outcome. It did not seem to bother her as she had clearly come for business.

And business unusual it was.

Whitman, a renowned American businesswoman and former CEO of e-commerce giants Hewlett-Packard and eBay, immediately launched into an economic diplomatic blitz which positioned her right at the centre of the Ruto administration, immediately getting down to work, bringing her tested business acumen to the fore.

According to the ‘New African’ magazine, Whitman envisions Kenya as the “Singapore of Africa,” a shining example of what can be achieved through strategic investment and innovative thinking.

With a vision grounded in Kenya’s strategic location, skilled workforce, and commitment to renewable energy and digital connectivity, Whitman’s dedication to trade and Kenya's self-sufficiency has become a beacon of her tenure.

Her visionary leadership, business acumen, and relentless pursuit of opportunities are reshaping America’s engagement with Kenya in the face of unprecedented challenges.

She has become instrumental in most of President Ruto's trips to the USA - accompanying him along the way as she seeks to woo investors and use her unrivalled skills at commerce to bring the goodies home.

She, according to a column by PR expert Gina Din, has brought a unique blend of corporate acumen and global foresight that has allowed her to identify untapped opportunities and cultivate partnerships that benefit American investors and Kenya alike.

Unlike previous US emissaries, Whitman has refused to sit back and watch, instead preferring to be front and centre, pushing the President to more opportunities, trumpeting the gospel of Kenya and unashamedly exerting her unmissable influence in all matters Kenya.

Just recently, she organised the President's session with the Harvard Business School Class of 2025 as she appeared to moderate a panel that saw Ruto explain his tax policies and economic agenda.

Presently, she's in the US alongside the President and other Kenyan leaders in a trip that has seen Ruto become only the sixth Head of State - after the leaders of South Korea, France, India, Australia and Japan – to be accorded a State visit to the US during the Biden presidency.

Ruto's historic trip is also the first time in two decades that an African president has been accorded a State visit to the US.

All of this is through the magic touch of Meg Whitman - a close President Biden ally and a former Republican contender for the US Presidency.

But who is Meg Whitman? The 68-year old is a notable American business executive and politician who was president and chief executive officer (CEO) of eBay from 1998 to 2008.

Afterwards, she became president and CEO of Hewlett Packard Enterprise from 2011 to 2015 and then served as the CEO of Quibi from its launch in 2018 until its closure in 2020.

During Mitt Romney’s run for Presidency in 2008 and in 2012, Whitman was a senior presidential campaign official for the Republican candidate.

She would later jump ship to the Democratic side by supporting Democrats Hillary Clinton and Joe Biden in the 2016 and the 2020 presidential elections, respectively.

Forbes currently evaluates Whitman to be worth a staggering $3 billion (Ksh.398 billion). In fact, so deep are her pockets that when she was running for the California gubernatorial seat back in 2010, she spent, at the time, more of her own money on a single election than any other political candidate in American history.

Despite losing the seat to Jerry Brown, Whitman shocked the nation after it was revealed that she spents $144 million (Ksh.19 billion) of her own money.

Closer home, she appears to apply her political astuteness to shape the country's policies, lend invaluable advice to the Ruto administration, and plug the country to the right international sockets and tap the country's immense potential.

Unlike most U.S. diplomats who tend to be more comfortable with security and governance issues, Whitman’s eyes are more on commercial diplomacy, becoming an evangelist for the idea that American businesses should consider her host country and continent as a business destination.

Last year, Whitman and Ruto toured Silicon Valley together, hoping to bring in investments. While flanked by Whitman in an event sponsored by Prosper Africa, Ruto made the intention of the trip crystal clear.

"I have come to the Silicon Valley to underscore the Kenya government's strategic intent to support, through infrastructure and other investment, the enhancement of Kenya's position as the epicenter of Africa's innovation and technological transformation," he said then.

While her intense involvement in the national affairs has raised some eyebrows, Whitman appears unfazed by the critics. She knows the US faces stiff competition from China and Russia and is steadfastly dedicated to put her country first - and Kenya too while at it.

Politico reports that if you’re a U.S. official on the phone with Meg Whitman and you’re wondering what Kenyan President William Ruto thinks about something, it’s entirely possible she’ll say: “Let me call and ask him.”

Minutes later, she might even conference Ruto into your call.

Such is the vigour, vivacity and commitment of Meg Whitman - she knows why Joe Biden picked her for Kenya. And she is consistently pulling all the stops to make the decision worthwhile.