GREATER GOOD FOCUS by Dr. Nelson Kuria
Dr. Nelson Kuria appreciates his new season of reaching a broader constituency after retiring as the CEO of CIC Insurance Company in 2015. He narrates how his leadership journey began in high school as he got involved in extracurricular activities and later as he entered into employment. Due to his diligence and focus on doing things for the greater good, Nelson rose from being a Project Officer to CEO in his career life. After retiring, he continues demonstrating his leadership abilities as a Chairman and Member of several Boards.
Dr. Nelson reveals the influence and impacts his mother had on him and the inspiration for the greater good that drove his leadership journey. He shares the leadership challenges and what he did to overcome them. Nelson discloses how he risked losing his job because of a courageous decision he had to make. That decision propelled him to be at the steering wheel of transforming CIC Insurance Company. He unveils nuggets that made him revolutionize CIC from a very small cooperative insurer to the 3rd biggest insurance group in Kenya by the time he retired in Feb 2015. He is not shy to talk about his humble upbringing, faith, and values that made him who he is today.
Dr. Kuria worked for 36 years in the Financial Services sector and retired after serving 14 years as Group MD/CEO of CIC Insurance Group. He has received two Presidential awards for his contribution to cooperative and insurance development: Order of the Grand Warrior (OGW) in 2005 and Moran of the Burning Spear (MBS) in 2011. Nelson has been honored and awarded locally, regionally, and globally for his leadership duties.
Dr. Kuria is Chairman of CIC Group, the Governing Council of Africa International University, SMEP Microfinance Bank, Kenya National Entrepreneurs Savings Trust, Trustee of CITAM, and Kenya Bible Translation Trust. Also, he is Chairperson of the National Co- operative Policy Operationalization Task Force. Dr. Kuria is a regular speaker/trainer in local and international conferences and seminars in insurance, cooperatives, leadership, governance, and retirement planning.
