I specialise in strengthening African ideas, organisations and businesses. I passionately write about and promote African Reconstruction.
For sixteen years, I have carried ideas from the first sketch to the thing that actually stands — strategy that becomes an institution, argument that becomes writing people act on, the board seat where the hard question finally gets asked. I don’t leave at the idea; I stay until it is built.
"I've worked as a funder supporting Open Institute and have always admired Al's leadership in Kenyan civil society, the transparency and humility with which he approaches his work, and the focus he places on mentoring Kenya's next generation of civil society leaders."
"Al Kags is someone whom I have worked with on various platforms that have been in the spheres of Marketing, Governmental and Technology where his contributions have been impactful. His key traits all along have been straightforward, precise, thought provoking and effective. He is a sharp shooter who knows his stuff and will only speak if he feels and believes that his thoughts are engaged with what he wants to achieve. It is a joy to see how this young lad then has continued to soar and transform not only himself but all those that have come into contact with him in to a matured game changer. He is not an out of the box thinker, for him there is no confinement of a box! This is a man to watch for he is the future of the Africa!"
"Al Kags is a creative, strategic thinker with a unique combination of experience and networks from the public, private and non-profit sectors. From both a technical and business-culture perspective, he actively envisions how to tangibly improve outcomes and then puts the work in to garner the resources and support necessary for implementation and delivery. He provided practical and strategic leadership as a board member of a growing organization, and as the Chair of the Partnership Committee for the multi-lateral partnership. Kags matches this remarkable skill set with unwavering integrity and commitment. He is an absolute pleasure to work with and brings great, positive energy to the team."
"Al Kags is a brilliant brand strategist. He led us through the process to rebrand our Sacco and reposition ourselves from being a small Kilifi-based Sacco with just 10,000 members to a regional Sacco with more than 150,000 members. He knows how to bring ideas to life and I like to keep him close to Imarika."
Al Kags is one of the most thoughtful, principled people I've worked with. I first got to know him when he led the Open Institute with a rare combination of outside-the-box thinking and grounded pragmatism — he was always willing to challenge assumptions rather than default to "the way things have always been done." As founder and CEO, Al saw a gap that others missed and built an organization capable of doing real, effective work at the grassroots level. That took vision and grit, and he never lost sight of either, even when the work got hard.
What stands out most to me, though, is his integrity. Whether in conversation or in writing, Al is honest and direct, and you always know his advice is genuine rather than diplomatic hedging.
I also serve alongside Al on the board of Publish What You Fund, where I saw another side of his leadership: composure under pressure. In tense moments, Al has a knack for stepping back, seeing the bigger picture, and finding durable solutions — all while managing relationships with real sensitivity.
Al would be an asset to any organization or initiative lucky enough to have him!
Sign up to my Substack. Every Monday I work through the arguments in the open — African Reconstruction, brand and innovation, governance and development, and the harder question under all of them of who gets to build what comes next. Read along, push back, think it through with me.
Invitations to Boards, advisory services, speaking slots, media, thoughtful arguments or the beginnings of an idea — all of it reaches me here.
Don’t hesitate, reach out.