Jo Sang’s phone keeps ringing. I’m amazed at how powerful the battery is in this modern-day assistant brain, which seems to announce, “I’m a busy man.” There was a time when that wasn’t the case, when he could probably go days without charging his phone. He lost everything before that, you see. Did his phone stop ringing then? He’s still evasive about the answer. What happened? He got involved in a court case that has been going on for years. You know how it is. The wheels of justice turn slowly.
When he came back from the dead, he arrived knowing that all would eventually be lost. Your money, your possessions, your career. Gone. And now, like Steve Jobs returning to Apple, Muhammad Ali returning from years of exile, Jesus Christ rolling back a stone—he hopes his legend will be built on a man who had it all, lost it, and then rebuilt it all again. A man who came back from the dead, depending on who you ask.
Ask him what matters to him right now, and he’ll tell you the things that make him feel alive, things that no one can take away from him. Running the Chicago Marathon. His golf swing. Swimming. That’s life, and that’s how you live it.
At the Hemingway family home in Karen, we trace his childhood in Kabyanga, where he grew up without shoes, running to school—you know how that goes. It was a long way for that boy. Then his phone rang.
Does your phone never stop ringing?
I run a billion dollar company, so no.
When you became CEO, did you feel empty after achieving your dreams?
Yes, I felt a bit lonely when I got to the top, but what helped me was that I have an open door policy when it comes to communication. I connect with everyone, no matter what cadre they come from, and I appreciate what everyone brings to the ship.
Kenya Pipelines Corporation Managing Director Joe Sang.
You are also an accountant, and some people think that accounting is very boring. Do you agree?
I got my undergraduate degree in economics, so being an accountant, economist, and strategist with an MBA gives me the right recipe for CEO. I’ve diversified my investments, so I won’t necessarily be “boring.” I see the glass as half full, not half empty.
Accountants are, in general, people who want to cut costs. What are you spending lavishly on?
I’m an athletic guy. I play golf and love to run, so I tend to look for used fitness clothes.
Is this how you got to the marathon?
This (the Chicago Marathon scheduled for October 13, 2024) will be my first 42km race. I have run 21km and 30km, but this will be my first major international race. I started running in competitions 15 years ago.
But long before that, I would run five kilometres to school in the morning, then come home for lunch, then go back to school again – barefoot. If I had never been to the University of Nairobi, I would have gone to school in Kabyanga, gotten married, and died there. Besides running, I play golf and swim.
I run three times a week – Monday, Wednesday and Friday or Saturday. I ran 21 km on Monday, and today (August 15, 2024) I ran 10 km. I start my day at 4:30 am, start running at 5 am, and by 7 am I am done.
How do you maintain running discipline?
It takes perseverance and endurance. There are days when I feel like I need another hour of sleep, but because I set an ambitious goal, I have to keep going. But as a runner, you also need rest. I use Sundays to get enough sleep, then go to church mid-morning with my family.
How does a village kid learn to play golf?
Through interaction with friends. I would call my peers and they would tell me they were on the golf course. When I was at East Africa Breweries Limited, I joined Karen Country Club and one day I decided to join my friends. I signed up and today my handicap is 9.2.
Very much so and I aim for less.
Have any of your children noticed the athletic side of you?
I have two boys (ages 12 and 9) and a 14 year old girl. Both boys have started playing golf, but the girl is interested in other things. Neither of them likes running, hahaha!
What is it like being a city dad while being a village son?
When we were kids, there were no phones. But my nine-year-old son has one. I spend time talking to them about the importance of using their phones responsibly and the values they should live by.
How do you stay a present father?
I make time for my family, especially on Sundays after church. We eat lunch together and catch up with each other, and some days I drop them off at school so I can catch up with them.
(Long pause.) I’m a loving father. I tell them what to do and what not to do and correct them when they make mistakes. I grew up in a family where you spanked them to instill discipline, but these days, you just tell kids what to do. Kids look at what you say and do, and then they copy what you do.
What changed in you when you became a father?
I have become more responsible. I have realized that I am responsible to and for others. Sometimes my children ask me to stick to their plans. Being a father means being a leader to the community, to your children, and to your employees.
When you think of the word “father” what comes to mind?
Responsibility and care.
With all these parental responsibilities, who is the father to you?
I interact with other CEOs, especially when I’m playing golf. Nobody has a monopoly on knowledge, so we have to keep learning.
What are your insecurities as a father?
If you lose control and respect as a parent, you have to enforce that respect.
What would you change about your parenting style?
My father passed away when I was very young. I grew up in a polygamous environment. At school, our teachers were very strict and loved to beat us with sticks to discipline us. I would put myself in the child’s shoes and ask myself what I would have done differently?
What do you miss most about growing up in Kericho?
Life was simple. We would wake up and play in the sun or rain – life was not complicated like it is in Nairobi. In the village, you didn’t have to drive your car to get from one place to another – life was simple.
Do you go to the village often? With children?
We try to do it twice a year, they don’t like the countryside very much.
What does the boy who grew up in Kericho say to the city man now?
You are an inspiration.
Have you ever felt the need to heal your inner child by getting the things you missed in your childhood?
It doesn’t bother me. As long as I dress well and can do my job, that’s all that matters.
How do you show love to yourself?
My time. I love running and I take time to watch golf and keep up with the world.
What is the most boring part about being you?
Haha! I’m asking a lot of you. I could text you at 1am, telling you you owe me this report. Not everyone can handle that kind of pressure. Everything is based on results, especially in the private sector.
Would you say your work has defined you?
I define my work. As a planner, I write down the things I need to get done. I deal with many stakeholders. The trick is to balance all their interests.
So how can you stay spontaneous?
I panic buy when I go somewhere new, hahaha! Especially if it’s something I really like, something sporty, like iWatches.
What is something you are proud of but never get a chance to brag about?
What we have achieved at KPC. We have an open environment that empowers and shapes employees to become leaders. I want to live a life of purpose, leave a lasting legacy and make a difference – a positive difference.
I try to take advantage of the positive side of life. We are all on a journey so that people who come after us can draw inspiration from our experiences.
What is your superpower?
Ability to switch between sports.
What is something that would surprise me to know about you?
Selfless clamor to try to influence others.
What are the things on your bucket list?
42km marathon. I have climbed Ngong Hills and Mount Longonot. I also want to climb Mount Kenya and maybe Mount Kilimanjaro.
I like to try things.
Does your evaluation come from setting a goal or achieving it?
In order to achieve my goals, I want to go after things. This year, my goal is to run a marathon.
When I make an impact, family is very important, and I want everyone to see me as a successful family man, especially my children. It’s not about running or climbing a mountain, it’s about the life lessons and the impact you can make.
What is the life lesson you have learned so far?
Make a positive impact, make someone better than you found them.
What will your billboard say about you?
A great man lived and left a lasting legacy.
Why is legacy so important to you?
We came into this world to make it better than we found it. And I’d like to look back and say I did my part.
What did you finally come up with?
Appreciating people’s differences is what matters. Peeling back the onion and getting to know Eddie on a deeper level is what matters.
What is the biggest loss in your life?
I was unemployed for four years in a court case, and then the court acquitted me. I have forgiven the people who helped me in this process.
How does this affect the way you live your life?
You understand people because when you’re a CEO you get a lot of phone calls. And when you stop being a CEO, the phone calls stop. Sometimes when you’re out there, your closest friends can be that gatekeeper. I’ve learned to appreciate everyone.
Are you ready for the day when your phone stops ringing?
I’ve been there. I’m ready. And I will continue to impact the community – both within and outside of KPC.
Who do you know that I know?
The President. He means well for this country. He wants to succeed and he can change the country.
Can you introduce me to the president?
You probably have better connections than me haha! But why not?