Driven by curiosity and a desire to understand how science, creativity, and culture come together to produce something as timeless as beer, Mercy Chiambi is now on the path to become a Master Brewer, a title only a few women hold globally.

“Becoming a Master Brewer is considered the highest achievement in the brewing world. It requires years of studying, practical experience at a commercial brewery, and the ability to lead a team,” Mercy begins.

The Consistency of Brewing

Mercy’s journey began with a foundation in Food Science at the University of Nairobi, where she developed a strong grasp of fermentation, microbiology, and process control. She then joined the business as a young brewer eager to understand how raw materials move through the brewhouse and eventually become the beers consumers recognise on shelves and at the bar.

Her development has been deliberate. She has rotated through brewhouse operations, quality management, packaging, and supply planning. The intention is to understand the full operational chain and build capability that will allow her to lead with both technical depth and commercial awareness.

“I learned very quickly that brewing is not just about making beer. It is about consistency. It is about managing inputs, efficiency, losses, and yield. You must know where every litre comes from and where it goes,” she adds.

Over the years she has earned her place as one of the country’s most respected female brewer, leading the team responsible of ensuring the beer brewed at the Kenya Breweries Limited plant meets the quality benchmark consumers expect.

“My day starts with reviewing performance from the previous shift. I want to see our brewhouse efficiencies, how fermentation behaved, the quality markers and if anything needs early intervention,” she says. “Consumers do not see the hours we spend analysing, testing and refining. They only see the final product, and it is my job to ensure that it is excellent in every single way.”

Once the brew has fully matured, it is ready to be packed into bottles and steel barrels formats that the consumer finds in bars and outlets. But like many brewers, she has a personal favourite.

“I always reach for draught,” she says with a hearty laugh. “Draught is the closest connection between what I create in the brewery and what the consumer experiences in their glass.”

Mercy explains in detail that draught represents the intersection of science, technique, and a pure consumer experience. The perfect pour, the creamy head, the fresh flavour, are all because of decisions made on the onset of the brewing process from when the raw materials are chosen.

Inspiring the Next Generation

As one of the few women in brewing, Mercy’s message to young people and especially women is clear. “Don’t be afraid to step into spaces where you’re underrepresented. Brewing is about passion, curiosity, and creativity. If you love science and creating something that brings people joy, this is the space for you. Be bold and keep going.” she concludes.

ALSO READ: Devki Group Narendra Raval’s rise from Temple assistant to Africa’s top richest

National carrier Kenya Airways (KQ) has issued a profit warning for its full year earnings. The airline has blamed the anticipated dip in earnings on low passenger numbers following the grounding of two of its Boeing wide body planes.

“The [Kenya Airways Board of Directors] brings to the attention of the public that the earnings for the current financial year 2025 are expected to be lower by at least 25 percent than the earnings reported for the same period in full year 2024,” Kenya Airways said in a statement.

The profit warning follows a half year loss that the carrier posted for the period ended June 30, 2025. In that period, Kenya Airways made a net loss of Sh12.15 billion.

The national carrier’s loss in the six months was a sharp about turn from the record profit of Sh5.4 billion that the national carrier posted in the full year 2024, and the net profit of Sh513 million in the first six months of 2024.

In the first half of this year, the total income for the national carrier dropped by 18.6 percent to Sh74.5 billion. Operating loss came in at Sh6.2 billion from the Sh1.3 billion that was reported in the first half of 2024.

At the same time, cash and equivalents went red by 10.8 percent to Sh4.2 billion while net cash from operations were red by 2.6 percent to Sh7.7 billion. Assets increased 0.7 percent to Sh180.4 billion.

Kenya Airways blamed the loss on its grounded aircraft. According to Kenya Airways chief executive officer Allan Kilavuka, 33 percent of the carrier’s wide-body aircraft was grounded for the first six months of this year. The grounding of the aircraft resulted in a 14 percent drop in passenger numbers and a 19 percent drop in Revenue Passenger Kilometres (RPKs).

“The board and management remain committed to recovery efforts, including returning grounded aircraft to service, cost reduction and executing partnerships and capital raising initiatives aimed at stabilizing operations and improving the company’s financial performance,” the statement by the national carrier further added.

READ MORE: Grounded Boeing Dreamliners stall KQ’s plan for Nairobi-Beijing direct flights

Businessman and former President Uhuru Kenyatta’s brother Muhoho Kenyatta has been named as the new non-executive director at the board of the NCBA Group. Mr. Kenyatta will assume his new position starting from December 1, 2025.

“The Board of Directors of NCBA Group PLC is pleased to announce the appointment of Mr. Muhoho Kenyatta as a Non-Executive Director, effective 1st December, 2025,” a statement by NCBA Group Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer John Gachora said.

Mr. Gachora described Mr. Kenyatta as an accomplished business executive with over 35 years of experience in leading and developing businesses across East Africa, spanning diverse sectors including manufacturing, healthcare, insurance, and banking.

“Mr Kenyatta has previously served as Deputy Chairman of one of the predecessor institutions of NCBA between 2000 and 2019, and as a director of NCBA Bank Uganda. He continues to support the Group’s growth in its digital strategy as a member of the Board of LOOP DFS Limited, a wholly owned subsidiary of NCBA Group PLC,” said Mr. Gachora.

Mr. Kenyatta’s new role is anchored by the Kenyatta family’s significant shareholding in the NCBA Group. The Kenyatta family currently has a shareholding stake of 13.2 percent in NCBA through the family’s investment vehicle which is known as Enke Investments.

The former first family is, however, ranked second after the Ndegwa family. The Ndegwas have a 14.94 percent shareholding stake in the banking group through the family’s investment vehicle which is known as First Chartered Securities.

Mr. Kenyatta’s appointment has as the NCBA Group dominates business news following an interest from South Africa’s Standard Bank.

According to a report that was published by Bloomberg, the South African lender has instructed its Kenyan subsidiary Stanbic Bank to open talks that could lead to the acquisition of the NCBA Group.

The acquisition, if successful, could create the third largest bank in Kenya after KCB Group and Equity Group. The Standard Bank Group is currently the largest bank in Africa by assets and holds a 75 percent stake in Kenya’s Stanbic Holdings PLC.

NCBA Group and Stanbic Holdings have however not openly speak on the reported pitch, which Bloomberg attributed to internal sources with knowledge on the matter.

The acquisition pitch by Standard Bank Group, if it has indeed been made, comes six years after NIC Bank and CBA Bank merged to form NCBA Group.

READ MORE: Ndegwa and Kenyatta families earn Sh12.4 billion in five days

Money may be the same in value, but how it is handled differs greatly depending on one’s environment, access to opportunities, and exposure. This is more so for city women and rural women. The way a woman living in the city manages her finances is shaped by very different realities compared to a woman in a rural setup; from what she earns to what she knows, and even how society expects her to behave with money.

1). Access to Information

The Modern Woman: City women live in an age of digital access. They can easily learn about budgeting apps, investment options, and financial products through social media, podcasts, or online courses. With mobile banking, SACCOs, and fintech platforms, money is often managed digitally sometimes with automatic savings and goal trackers.

The Rural Woman: Information flow is slower in the village. Most rural women rely on word of mouth, group meetings, or radio programs for financial information. Mobile money (like M-Pesa) has opened a huge door yes, but beyond basic transactions, knowledge about investments, insurance, or business financing is still limited or dependent on NGOs, church groups, or cooperative movements.

2). Upbringing and Cultural Influence

The Modern Woman: Many urban women grow up in families where education and exposure play a big role. They are taught to dream big, pursue careers, and often manage their own income. Money conversations in urban households are more individualistic focusing on career growth, side hustles, and lifestyle choices.

The Rural Woman: In rural setups, the upbringing is more communal. Women often grow up seeing their mothers manage small amounts for food, farming, and household needs, not necessarily for long-term wealth creation. Cultural norms may dictate that men handle “big money” decisions such as buying land, livestock, or building projects, while women manage daily expenses. This has limited the rural woman to even believe she can handle big money by herself.

3). Environment and Economic Opportunities

The Modern Woman: She is surrounded by opportunities like formal employment, side hustles, digital entrepreneurship, and investment options. Her environment encourages ambition but also comes with pressure such as rent, bills, image, and social comparisons. The financial tools available are wide, but so are temptations to overspend or live beyond one’s means.

The Rural Woman: Her financial environment revolves around agriculture, small trading, and community-based systems like merry-go-rounds (chamas). Her income may be seasonal and unpredictable, depending on harvests or market prices. However, she often displays strong discipline and resilience through saving little by little and relying heavily on collective savings and support systems.

4). Knowledge and Financial Skills

The Modern Woman: She is more exposed to structured financial education through formal schooling, workplace training, or online content. Skills like budgeting, investing, and credit management are familiar concepts, though not always practiced consistently. She often knows what to do but struggles with consistency due to lifestyle pressures.

The Rural Woman: Her skills are more practical than theoretical. She may not use spreadsheets, but she can stretch Kes 500 to feed a family for a week. Her understanding of credit is often limited to SACCO loans or table-banking systems. Formal financial planning may be missing, but informal financial discipline is strong and community-based.

Challenges Faced

The Modern Woman:

• Pressure to maintain a lifestyle image or social status.
• Debt from digital lending apps, credit cards, or impulse online spending.
• Balancing financial independence with family or partner expectations.

The Rural Woman:

• Limited access to financial products or formal banking.
• Dependence on unpredictable income sources like farming.
• Cultural restrictions that limit ownership or decision-making over assets.

The Role of Men in Both Setups

In Urban Settings: Men and women often share financial responsibilities more equally. However, this can lead to tension especially when women earn more or desire autonomy in financial decisions. Some urban men support their partners’ financial independence, while others feel challenged by it.

In Rural Settings: Men are still widely seen as the primary providers and decision-makers. Women’s financial power is often indirect, they influence household spending but rarely control major assets. However, with the rise of women’s groups and mobile money, this is gradually changing as rural women begin to build their own economic voice.

Summary Insight

In essence, the modern woman is financially empowered but often pressured, while the rural woman is financially limited but often disciplined and grounded. Both have strengths the other can learn from:

• The modern woman’s exposure can uplift rural women through mentorship and shared knowledge.
• The rural woman’s discipline and community-based savings culture can remind the modern woman of the power of patience and accountability.

Rhina Namsia is the founder and chief executive officer of The Acemt Consulting, a training and consultation company that provides financial planning and investment advisory. 

READ MORE: Rhina Namsia on why Money Market Fund can disappoint you if used for investing