The seasoned finance and strategy leader steps into the role after more than two decades spanning healthcare, FMCG and manufacturing across East Africa
Stephen Maina has been appointed managing director of Tropikal Brands Africa , effective August 2026.
He boasts over 25 years of experience across healthcare, insurance, FMCG, and manufacturing, with executive leadership roles in Kenya, Uganda, and the UK.
Stephen began his career at PwC in London as a consultant from August 1996, spending two years on systems and process assurance before returning to East Africa.
He joined AAR Health Services Uganda as finance director in March 2000, where he overhauled the finance and accounting systems and introduced profit and cost centre budgeting and reporting over four years.
In February 2004, he moved to AAR Healthcare Kenya as general manager before being appointed COO of AAR Holdings in January 2005 and subsequently managing director of AAR Kenya in January 2006.
He took on the role of group head of strategy at AAR Holdings in September 2007, leading capital raising, insurance regulator relationships, and low-income product design, and serving as a director of the Kenya Healthcare Federation.
He departed in March 2013 to found Stekmah, a financial consultancy operating in healthcare and insurance.
From June 2015 to May 2018 Stephen served as managing director of AfroCentric Health Solutions before joining Haco Industries Kenya as financial director in May 2018.
He also serves as a non-executive director of BOC Kenya, where he chairs the risk and audit committee, and of FinCredit, where he has held the same committee chair since January 2010.
Stephen holds an MBA in strategic management from United States International University Africa and a BCom in accounting and finance from the University of Nairobi.
