Paris-based firm OLEA Insurance Solutions has announced the appointment of a new CEO Mr. Anthony Wachira who replaces the outgoing CEO, Herbert Ocholi, the founder of OLEA Kenya Insurance Solutions, effective 1st April 2023.
Wachira has a solid and proven Kenyan and regional insurance market background. He joined OLEA Kenya in 2021 in a management position. Before then, he worked at Minet and Alexander Forbes. Some of his big wins were steering profitable growth strategies while forging lasting relationships.
OLEA Insurance solutions entered the Kenyan market in 2019 after buying a 40% stake in the Kenyan Koolridge Insurance Brokers. The acquisition came with a name change to OLEA Kenya Insurance Brokers.
“The OLEA Insurance partnership was a great feat for our company,” said outgoing CEO and Founder Herbert Ocholi. “As fate would have it, the Covid pandemic hit the world a few months later, and our company suffered the same devastation and loss of business as most businesses. But, we managed to survive due to our clients’ utmost confidence in us.”
In Africa, OLEA Insurance Solutions has a footprint in 38 Countries, 24 subsidiaries, and 14 correspondents. The company recently made a foray into South Africa. Plans are also underway to open offices in Uganda later this year.
“Our continental spread allowed us to acquire business from international brokers who do not have a presence in Kenya. That, together with new business opportunities from local companies contributed to our ability to survive the Covid Pandemic devastation. Indeed, we can attribute our continued growth and success to the very same reasons,” concluded Mr. Ocholi.
One of Wachira’s most significant tasks in his new role is to spearhead business expansion within the country. His focus, amongst other things, will be to identify and maximize new business opportunities in health products, aviation, and the hospitality industry.
Mr. Ocholi will transition to the role of the Executive Director of the OLEA Kenyan Board and the OLEA Group’s Technical Director for East Africa.