Reginald Mengi
Encyclopedia
Reginald Abraham Mengi, a Tanzania
n industrialist and media tycoon, a Lutheran member, is the founder and Executive Chairman of IPP Group, one of East Africa's largest privately owned companies, based in Dar es Salaam
, Tanzania.
. Among other activities, it encompasses a Financial Consulting firm (IPP Consulting), a soft drinks bottling company in joint venture with Coca-Cola (Coca-Cola Kwanza, Bonite Bottlers and Kilimanjaro Spring Water), Tanzania's leading manufacturer of soaps, detergents and toothpaste (IPP Bodycare Ltd), as well as a media unit which is made up of eleven newspapers, three radio stations and two television channels, one which operates in Tanzania
, Kenya
and Uganda
(IPP Media
). These include The Guardian Ltd., which publishes some of Tanzania's leading weekly and Sunday newspapers: The Guardian, The Sunday Observer, The Daily Mail, and the Financial Times in English and Nipashe, Nipashe Jumapili, Alasiri, Kasheshe, and Taifa Letu in Swahili
, Independent Television Ltd. (ITV), East Africa Television (EATV, formerly Channel 5), Radio ONE, Sky-FM (in a joint venture with BBC) and East Africa Radio.
His long experience and success in doing business in Africa
has taken him to participate in a large number of national and international business as well as taking an active interest in private sector development. To this effect, he has been a long-time advocate of promoting good governance in Africa as well as enhancing technical and managerial skills in the private sector, as key mechanisms for improving the business environment and attracting foreign direct investment to the continent. However, as a leading media tycoon, he has also called on the African press not to follow the international media's inclination to portray only the negative aspects and constraints of doing business in Africa, since these only reinforce certain stereotypes, overshadow the business opportunities that exist in the continent and has a detrimental effect on potential foreign investors.
As a leading member of the business community Reginald Mengi has served as Chairman of Tanzania's National Board of Business Accountants and Auditors, of Tanzania's Chapter of the International Chamber of Commerce (ICC), and of the Tanzanian Chapter of the Commonwealth Press Union (PCU). He has also participated in several fora organised under the New Partnership for Africa's Development
(NEPAD), met with various African and Latin American leaders and is a member of the Board of Management of the Commonwealth Business Council (CBC).
In addition to his interests in business and industry, Reginald Mengi has been involved in a number of charities and other social activities, especially in the areas of health, environmental management and poverty alleviation. He has been a leading advocate of involving the private sector in the prevention and treatment of HIV
/AIDS
, and was appointed member of Tanzania Commission for AIDS
(TACAIDS). During his term as a commissioner of TACAIDS, he sparked a nationwide debate over the use and distribution of condoms, giving him the nickname of "Mr. Condom" and putting him in confrontation with Christian leaders, after criticising them for their position against the use of condoms as a central instrument in the fight against the propagation of HIV/AIDS.
In relation to his interests in environmental issues, he is Chairman of the National Environment Management Council (NEMC), the Poverty Alleviation and Environmental Committee (PAEC), patron of the LEAD Global Environmental Network in Tanzania and treasurer of Leadership for Environment and Development (LEAD) international. This non-governmental, non-profit organisation established in 1991 by the Rockefeller Foundation
, is committed to sustainable development and provides training for selected mid-career professionals from a variety of sectors in society. He has also been an important sponsor and benefactor of the Kilimanjaro Forestation Campaign and of several projects for youth employment and disabled people. Most recently, Reginald Mengi began building The Rodney Mutie Mengi Heart Institute in memory of his son who died on October 6, 2005 from heart complications. In the meantime he has begun sponsoring children in Tanzania with heart problems to travel abroad for treatment.
In recognition to his work, leadership and contributions in a wide range of business and social activities Reginald Mengi has been awarded the Order of the United Republic of Tanzania, the Order of the Arusha Declaration of the First Class for his exemplary contribution to Tanzania's Development, The East African Environment Leadership Award, and the Environmentalist of the Century Award 2000 in the Kilimanjaro region.
Mengi also holds the following positions:
.
Other facts
SKY FM is in a joint venture with the BBC
Tanzania
The United Republic of Tanzania is a country in East Africa bordered by Kenya and Uganda to the north, Rwanda, Burundi, and the Democratic Republic of the Congo to the west, and Zambia, Malawi, and Mozambique to the south. The country's eastern borders lie on the Indian Ocean.Tanzania is a state...
n industrialist and media tycoon, a Lutheran member, is the founder and Executive Chairman of IPP Group, one of East Africa's largest privately owned companies, based in Dar es Salaam
Dar es Salaam
Dar es Salaam , formerly Mzizima, is the largest city in Tanzania. It is also the country's richest city and a regionally important economic centre. Dar es Salaam is actually an administrative province within Tanzania, and consists of three local government areas or administrative districts: ...
, Tanzania.
Early life
A chartered accountant by training, Reginald Mengi created the IPP business conglomerate in the mid 1980s after serving as Chairman and Managing Partner of Coopers & Lybrand in Tanzania.when he was in secondary school early '60 on holidays he used to work at TPC Limited at a salary of less than tsh. 100 a monthIPP Group
The IPP Group, which started as a small scale hand operated ball point assembly plant in Dar es Salaam, has expanded and diversified to become one of the largest industrial groups in East AfricaEast Africa
East Africa or Eastern Africa is the easterly region of the African continent, variably defined by geography or geopolitics. In the UN scheme of geographic regions, 19 territories constitute Eastern Africa:...
. Among other activities, it encompasses a Financial Consulting firm (IPP Consulting), a soft drinks bottling company in joint venture with Coca-Cola (Coca-Cola Kwanza, Bonite Bottlers and Kilimanjaro Spring Water), Tanzania's leading manufacturer of soaps, detergents and toothpaste (IPP Bodycare Ltd), as well as a media unit which is made up of eleven newspapers, three radio stations and two television channels, one which operates in Tanzania
Tanzania
The United Republic of Tanzania is a country in East Africa bordered by Kenya and Uganda to the north, Rwanda, Burundi, and the Democratic Republic of the Congo to the west, and Zambia, Malawi, and Mozambique to the south. The country's eastern borders lie on the Indian Ocean.Tanzania is a state...
, Kenya
Kenya
Kenya , officially known as the Republic of Kenya, is a country in East Africa that lies on the equator, with the Indian Ocean to its south-east...
and Uganda
Uganda
Uganda , officially the Republic of Uganda, is a landlocked country in East Africa. Uganda is also known as the "Pearl of Africa". It is bordered on the east by Kenya, on the north by South Sudan, on the west by the Democratic Republic of the Congo, on the southwest by Rwanda, and on the south by...
(IPP Media
IPP Media
IPP Media is one of East Africa's largest Media conglomerates. Its chief executive officer is Reginald Mengi.IPP Media is a private company, held under IPP Group and based in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania. IPP Media comprises nine newspapers, which are published in both English and Swahili, two...
). These include The Guardian Ltd., which publishes some of Tanzania's leading weekly and Sunday newspapers: The Guardian, The Sunday Observer, The Daily Mail, and the Financial Times in English and Nipashe, Nipashe Jumapili, Alasiri, Kasheshe, and Taifa Letu in Swahili
Swahili language
Swahili or Kiswahili is a Bantu language spoken by various ethnic groups that inhabit several large stretches of the Mozambique Channel coastline from northern Kenya to northern Mozambique, including the Comoro Islands. It is also spoken by ethnic minority groups in Somalia...
, Independent Television Ltd. (ITV), East Africa Television (EATV, formerly Channel 5), Radio ONE, Sky-FM (in a joint venture with BBC) and East Africa Radio.
His long experience and success in doing business in Africa
Africa
Africa is the world's second largest and second most populous continent, after Asia. At about 30.2 million km² including adjacent islands, it covers 6% of the Earth's total surface area and 20.4% of the total land area...
has taken him to participate in a large number of national and international business as well as taking an active interest in private sector development. To this effect, he has been a long-time advocate of promoting good governance in Africa as well as enhancing technical and managerial skills in the private sector, as key mechanisms for improving the business environment and attracting foreign direct investment to the continent. However, as a leading media tycoon, he has also called on the African press not to follow the international media's inclination to portray only the negative aspects and constraints of doing business in Africa, since these only reinforce certain stereotypes, overshadow the business opportunities that exist in the continent and has a detrimental effect on potential foreign investors.
As a leading member of the business community Reginald Mengi has served as Chairman of Tanzania's National Board of Business Accountants and Auditors, of Tanzania's Chapter of the International Chamber of Commerce (ICC), and of the Tanzanian Chapter of the Commonwealth Press Union (PCU). He has also participated in several fora organised under the New Partnership for Africa's Development
New Partnership for Africa's Development
The New Partnership for Africa's Development is an economic development program of the African Union. NEPAD was adopted at the 37th session of the Assembly of Heads of State and Government in July 2001 in Lusaka, Zambia...
(NEPAD), met with various African and Latin American leaders and is a member of the Board of Management of the Commonwealth Business Council (CBC).
Personal life
Mr Mengi is married to Mercy daughter of chief Abdiel Shangali a chief mwitori of Machame. and together they have three children, daughter Regina and son Abdiel and another son Mutie who is said to have died of heart complications. Currently Mr Mengi is estranged and lives separate from his wife. Some tabloids have reported that he married another wife, a young lawyer, Lilian Kimaro, although he is reported to have denied this. Although they said he was born from poor family but he grew up in a wealthy family of his elder brother Elitira Mengi who is already a rich by early 60.In addition to his interests in business and industry, Reginald Mengi has been involved in a number of charities and other social activities, especially in the areas of health, environmental management and poverty alleviation. He has been a leading advocate of involving the private sector in the prevention and treatment of HIV
HIV
Human immunodeficiency virus is a lentivirus that causes acquired immunodeficiency syndrome , a condition in humans in which progressive failure of the immune system allows life-threatening opportunistic infections and cancers to thrive...
/AIDS
AIDS
Acquired immune deficiency syndrome or acquired immunodeficiency syndrome is a disease of the human immune system caused by the human immunodeficiency virus...
, and was appointed member of Tanzania Commission for AIDS
Tanzania Commission for AIDS
The Tanzania Commission for AIDS is the Tanzanian government organization assigned with the task of coordinating Tanzania's response to the HIV/AIDS.TACAIDS was established on 1 December 2000 in an announcement by President Benjamin Mkapa....
(TACAIDS). During his term as a commissioner of TACAIDS, he sparked a nationwide debate over the use and distribution of condoms, giving him the nickname of "Mr. Condom" and putting him in confrontation with Christian leaders, after criticising them for their position against the use of condoms as a central instrument in the fight against the propagation of HIV/AIDS.
In relation to his interests in environmental issues, he is Chairman of the National Environment Management Council (NEMC), the Poverty Alleviation and Environmental Committee (PAEC), patron of the LEAD Global Environmental Network in Tanzania and treasurer of Leadership for Environment and Development (LEAD) international. This non-governmental, non-profit organisation established in 1991 by the Rockefeller Foundation
Rockefeller Foundation
The Rockefeller Foundation is a prominent philanthropic organization and private foundation based at 420 Fifth Avenue, New York City. The preeminent institution established by the six-generation Rockefeller family, it was founded by John D. Rockefeller , along with his son John D. Rockefeller, Jr...
, is committed to sustainable development and provides training for selected mid-career professionals from a variety of sectors in society. He has also been an important sponsor and benefactor of the Kilimanjaro Forestation Campaign and of several projects for youth employment and disabled people. Most recently, Reginald Mengi began building The Rodney Mutie Mengi Heart Institute in memory of his son who died on October 6, 2005 from heart complications. In the meantime he has begun sponsoring children in Tanzania with heart problems to travel abroad for treatment.
In recognition to his work, leadership and contributions in a wide range of business and social activities Reginald Mengi has been awarded the Order of the United Republic of Tanzania, the Order of the Arusha Declaration of the First Class for his exemplary contribution to Tanzania's Development, The East African Environment Leadership Award, and the Environmentalist of the Century Award 2000 in the Kilimanjaro region.
Mengi also holds the following positions:
- Chairman of the National Environment Management Council (NEMC) of TanzaniaTanzaniaThe United Republic of Tanzania is a country in East Africa bordered by Kenya and Uganda to the north, Rwanda, Burundi, and the Democratic Republic of the Congo to the west, and Zambia, Malawi, and Mozambique to the south. The country's eastern borders lie on the Indian Ocean.Tanzania is a state...
. - Commissioner of Tanzania Commission for AIDSTanzania Commission for AIDSThe Tanzania Commission for AIDS is the Tanzanian government organization assigned with the task of coordinating Tanzania's response to the HIV/AIDS.TACAIDS was established on 1 December 2000 in an announcement by President Benjamin Mkapa....
(TACAIDS). - Chairman of the Confederation of Tanzania Industries (CTICTICTI may stand for:*Corner Travel Index*DePaul University School of Computer Science, Telecommunications and Information Systems at DePaul University*CTI Consultants...
). - Investment Committee Chairman of the National Investments Company Limited (NICO).
.
Other facts
- Mengi was twice nominated the second most respected Chief Executive OfficerChief executive officerA chief executive officer , managing director , Executive Director for non-profit organizations, or chief executive is the highest-ranking corporate officer or administrator in charge of total management of an organization...
in East AfricaEast AfricaEast Africa or Eastern Africa is the easterly region of the African continent, variably defined by geography or geopolitics. In the UN scheme of geographic regions, 19 territories constitute Eastern Africa:...
by PricewaterhouseCoopersPricewaterhouseCoopersPricewaterhouseCoopers is a global professional services firm headquartered in London, United Kingdom. It is the world's largest professional services firm measured by revenues and one of the "Big Four" accountancy firms....
(in 2001 and 2002). - Mengi is originally from Machame, in the Kilimanjaro Region.
SKY FM is in a joint venture with the BBC