#16
KAMAL DAISY ONYANGO
HR CLUSTER LEAD CORPORATE FUNCTIONS SAFARICOM PLC
“If it doesn’t challenge you, it doesn’t change you.” – Fred Devito. Kamal Daisy Onyango has embraced this philosophy throughout her journey. As the eldest of three children and one of the youngest HR directors in Kenya, Kamal has turned challenges into catalysts for growth and leadership.
Kamal’s education began at Makini Primary School, continued at Moi Girls High School, Nairobi, and culminated with a Bachelor of Arts in Business Economics from York University in Toronto, Canada.
Immersed in a diverse cultural environment, she developed an inclusive worldview that would later define her approach to People and Culture. From humble beginnings to rising leadership in 2009, after graduating from York University, Kamal returned to Kenya and began her career as a HR Assistant at Kenya Commercial Bank on a short-term contract. It was a modest start, but her perseverance, appetite for learning, and passion for people laid the foundation for an impactful career.
She would move on to work in both FMCG and NGO sectors while completing an MBA degree at the United States International University-Africa (USIU-A). Over time, she became recognised for her work in diversity, inclusion, and organisational culture—always ensuring that people remained at the centre of change.
Kamal’s leadership was nationally acknowledged in 2023 when she was named among Kenya’s Top 40 Under 40 Women, reflecting her growing influence in the business landscape. “Gone are the days when People and Culture was seen as a nice-to-have. Today, it is a strategic imperative to business success,” she notes. “HR leaders now have a seat at the table, co-creating business strategy with the people’s agenda at its foundation.”
Kamal joined Coca-Cola Beverages Africa (Kenya) in July 2014 as an HR Business Partner for the commercial team. Her rise was rapid. She would soon be promoted to the position of Senior HR Business Partner- Supply Chain, Head of Talent & Learning, Reward & Services Manager —culminating in her appointment as People and Culture Director in May 2022 at just 37. Her ascent to a top role in a multinational FMCG, in a space where women remain underrepresented, speaks to her competence, vision, and resilience.
Under Kamal’s leadership, People and Culture at CCBA evolved from a support function into a central strategic partner for business success. She focused on ensuring the business had the right talent for critical roles, a thriving, diverse, inclusive and enabling culture for employees and developing the next leaders of tomorrow.
Kamal blends strategic thinking with empathy, mentoring future HR practitioners and women leaders across industries to claim their space in decision-making rooms.
Outside of work, she enjoys travelling, reading, and spending time with her daughter, family, and friends. Her favourite book, My Life in Full by Indra Nooyi, reflects her belief in “performance with purpose” and her view of transformation as an ongoing process driven by vision and empathy.
From her early days as an HR Assistant at KCB to becoming the cultural architect of one of East Africa’s largest beverage companies before her very recent move to Safaricom PLC, Kamal’s career is proof that ambition, inclusivity, and an appetite for growth can transform both individuals and organisations.
Kamal’s leadership stands as a model for meaningful, people-centred transformation. At her young age, Kamal Daisy Onyango represents what the next generation of leadership in Kenya can and should look like.
