Chris Githiga moved to Nigeria for work and almost never returned. It was very addictive; The loud people, the constant buzz of commerce (and generator sets), and the unrelenting hope. Ipsos Nigeria was on its knees when he was sent to revitalize it in 2017, having joined them from global research agency Millward Brown EA, where he had been managing director for eight years.
He returned home in 2019 when Ipsos Kenya was on its deathbed and needed a final prayer or a blood transfusion. Five years later, the organization has flourished as their country manager. This is his magic. “Change and business growth can be magic for me. I trust people. I trust the right teams. I get the right people I trust in the right teams. Then I give them freedom.”
What causes addiction in Nigeria?
It's energy. Nigerians feed you energy. In the morning, the energy level is here. (He raises his palm above his head) He remains still throughout the day. They conserve that energy. They are the most optimistic people I have ever met even though everything around you is full of struggle and poverty. They are always smiling, always optimistic for a better tomorrow.
You know, they don't have social amenities like us – you can go for months without electricity. In our office, the power was out for four months. There is no piped water. They drill wells, buy their own generator sets, and create their own support system. They don't depend much on the government. Their economy works even when there is noise in their political environment. Their economy is not as politically sensitive as ours.
What did you learn about yourself while you were there?
I'm usually very calm. I was afraid I would have trouble coping because they were so aggressive. Everything is loud. I remember when I first went and two of my senior mates were fighting really hard. It was a fierce verbal battle, and they were yelling at each other and I remember thinking, Oh my God, I just started working here and these two guys are going to kill themselves in my office. But suddenly they started hugging, smiling and joking with each other.
I couldn't handle that emotional rollercoaster. So they are very expressive and they may seem very violent but they are very nice people. They are very loyal. When they do something wrong, they don't disappear. They say, I did it, it's the evil spirit that made me do it. However, I learned that I don't have to change who I am to adapt to a new environment. I stayed true to myself. When you're real, people will see it and connect with you on your level. I didn't have to scream or change to be like them. When they shout, I talk the way I talk, and everyone comes to my level. I loved Nigeria and made lifelong friends there.
Why did you come back?
I realized that if I didn't come home, I would never come back. I'll get used to it, and I'll feel very comfortable.
You mentioned that you have four children, what have you enjoyed least about fatherhood?
Well, firstly I like it. My daughter has just finished university. She is 23 now. My son will go to university in September in the United States. The others are in middle school. What I enjoyed the least was not being able to provide for my children when money was tight. this is scary. Feel anxious. It's tough. is not it? Knowing that your actions affect your children, all your actions. Spending time with them to create memories is key to me. I now play golf with my son and football on Saturdays.
Did you teach him anything on the golf course?
It's a game of chance, you can hit a bad shot on a hole but then have four other chances to get a better shot. The next hole could be better, don't get stuck on a bad shot. As in life, you ask yourself; How can I take a better photo? All of these lessons are as vital in life as they are at work. People make mistakes but you don't repeat them.
Where did you grow up?
I'm a yoke boy. Growing up, it was almost always cold; It can reach four degrees Celsius in June. We were coffee farmers, but I hated coffee. I was traumatized by coffee because we would have to work on our coffee farm even when it rained. But even though the coffee money wasn't much, it covered our education expenses. The coffee farming system is extortionate. The little person – the farmer never benefits from his coffee. It's the middle man who benefits. For a long time, I couldn't drink coffee because of that childhood experience.
Do you think your parents were happy?
They were not happy. But they never complained. They did what they had to do, they had children who needed to be fed and educated, and so they kept doing it, you know? They didn't even see the relationship between the value of their coffee production and what they were getting for it. They would wake up every day and work.
What did you want in those days when you were young, picking up coffee in the rain?
I wanted to be a doctor, to help people. I don't want to say I'm a savior but I liked the idea of making people's lives easier. I don't think there is a time when we become more aware of our fragility than when we get sick and our bodies take a beating. But the university I attended did not have medicine so I did not pursue it.
Will you follow that?
I don't know. I'm old now. I'm 52 but that's not it, I think it's over.
What do you like about 52?
I have come to appreciate every day as a gift. If I'm healthy, I can get up, walk, and go to work. I don't take it for granted like I did when I was younger. I value friendships. The beauty of this stage of my life is that I have better clarity on things and I react differently to situations because I know how things are going to go. Because I've seen it before. So this experience helps too. I can also smell a situation that is going to be a train wreck and know whether I should participate or let it happen until someone learns from it. So, I'm a little wiser at my age.
Ipsos Kenya Director Chris Githaiga.
Image credit: Swimming pool
At what point in your life were you most unstable?
My forties. I didn't know what I was doing or where to go. It was a little confusing. It's also a time to take stock and panic because you don't feel like you've done enough. But then you settle into peace by accepting what it is and making peace with what you have.
Do you think you did enough?
I did what I could. I could have done more. I can still do more. I don't think there is a limit.
What do you think is your superpower?
I've never thought of one.
What's your edge? Why are you the one sitting in this seat and not someone else?
I have run a successful business. Millward Brown EA has gone from nothing to become the largest agency in Kenya. Then I went to Nigeria and made Ipsos the largest research company five years ago. When I came to Kenya, this business was about to close. We are now number one again. So transformation and business growth can be magical. I trust people. I trust the right teams. I get the right people I trust in the right teams. Then I give them freedom. There is no point in hiring people and then managing them. I lead, but I don't manage. If you start managing, you know you're on your way out.
What's your next big thing?
I want to retire in Nanyuki. I love farming. I've tried that several times. I had some Kikuyu greenhouses. I like how you plant, then see the plant grow until harvest time. This whole process is very therapeutic. I will retire to the mountains where I can wake up and look at Mount Kenya on this side, and the Aberdares on the other. Yes, for me, that's what makes me happy. Maybe I'll play golf and spend time with my grandson. I would like to travel for leisure time. I have traveled almost everywhere except for work.
Are you worried about getting older?
No, I'm at peace with that. You can't stop it. I appreciate every day I live, and I don't worry too much about tomorrow. I'm afraid my health will deteriorate, because as you get older, some of these things become true. I don't want to get sick and be a burden on my family. So I'm doing what I can now: eating well, exercising, and making the right choices in life.
How did you meet your wife?
I'd seen her at work, but I didn't know her name. I could see her walking to her car in the parking lot. So she got her license plate and asked someone to verify her ID. When I got her name and workplace, I sent a bouquet of flowers with my number on it. She didn't call me right away, of course, but she eventually did. When she did, I didn't answer right away because I didn't want to seem like I was sitting there impatiently waiting for her to call. (He laughs)
I asked her out for coffee and she said she was busy for the next two weeks. She was playing hard to get. I said I could wait. Two weeks passed and we met for coffee. After that, I started eating dinners, breakfasts, and lunches seriously. She didn't know what happened to her. (Laughs) Here we are, 15 years later.