Laila Macharia is a distinguished Kenyan serial entrepreneur, investor, and mentor whose investment experience spans across Africa and the United States. With over 20 years of high-level investment and advisory experience, she is widely recognized for her foresight, strategic leadership, and dedication to nurturing future leaders and innovators.
Education & Intellectual Pursuit
Her academic journey reflects a profound commitment to continuous learning across disciplines. She earned her Bachelor of Arts (B.A) in Planning and Public Policy from the University of Oregon, laying the groundwork for her deep understanding of governance and societal development.
Her legal acumen was sharpened at some of the world’s most prestigious institutions. At Stanford Law School, she earned a Master of Laws (JSM) in Technology, Law, and Society. She further pursued a JD/LLM in International Law from Cornell Law School.
Always in pursuit of knowledge, she complemented her formal education with several advanced certificates:
- Comparative Law from the University of Paris I: Pantheon-Sorbonne
- Political Campaign Management from Yale University
- International Business from Griffith University, Australia
- Executive Program in Women’s Leadership from Stanford University Graduate School of Business
- Virtual Reality & Augmented Reality from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT)
Career & Professional Impact
Laila Macharia’s career is marked by a diversity of roles that have bridged law, finance, policy, and entrepreneurship across multiple geographies.
Her professional journey began in Johannesburg, South Africa, as a Legal Intern at the Black Lawyers Association Legal Education Centre in 1993. She then contributed to governance and democracy promotion as a Program Assistant for Africa & the Near East at the International Foundation for Electoral Systems in Washington DC (1995-1997).
She advanced her advocacy for women’s rights and global philanthropy as a Program Officer for Africa & the Middle East at the Global Fund for Women in Palo Alto, California (1997-2000). Her pivot to corporate finance came with her role as a Corporate Finance Associate at Clifford Chance US LLP, New York (2001-2002).
Upon returning to Africa, she served as a Corporate Associate at Kaplan & Stratton Advocates in Nairobi (2003-2004), then as Senior Regional Advisor at USAID East Africa until 2007, guiding development initiatives across the region.
In October 2007, She became founder and CEO at Scion Real Estate Limited, which mobilized over $30 million USD for real estate development projects.
Her leadership roles expanded into the corporate boardrooms, where she continues to shape business and policy:
- Vice Chair, Centum Investment Company Plc (since 2013), a leading investment firm in East Africa.
- Chair, Absa Life Assurance (since 2019), contributing to innovative solutions for financial security in Kenya.
- Non-Executive Director, Absa Group and First Assurance
- Chair, Africa Digital Media Institute (ADMI) (since 2014), nurturing Africa’s creative economy and tech ecosystem.
- Founding Director, Aspen Initiative Africa (since 2022), promoting leadership for critical global challenges.
Her academic prowess also led her to Princeton University in 2012, where she was a Visiting Faculty, designing and delivering graduate seminars on Leading Change and Public-Private Partnerships.
Mentorship & Thought Leadership
A futurist and mentor, she dedicates time to guiding startups and young entrepreneurs. She advocates for mastering local investment ecosystems, emphasising that solutions effective in one region may not translate seamlessly elsewhere. Her mentorship philosophy encourages startups to “think big but build steadily”, ensuring sustainable growth.
Her insights and experiences are shared widely in conferences, boardrooms, and publications, inspiring a generation of African and global leaders to leverage innovation, policy, and investment for sustainable development.
Legacy & Influence
Laila Macharia’s journey is a testament to intellectual rigour, strategic investment, and transformative leadership. Across sectors and continents, she remains a bridge between ideas and impact, continually inspiring communities to reimagine possibilities for growth, equity, and prosperity.
