Executive Profile: Rakesh Rao, Group CEO of Leading Paint Company Crown Paints Kenya PLC
Rakesh Rao is an award-winning business executive credited with delivering high-impact leadership and next-level business performance. Over the last 15 years, he has matured Crown Paints PLC into an NSE-listed and industry-leading brand operating across four countries in East Africa.

EXECUTIVE PROFILE
Rakesh Rao is an award-winning business executive credited with delivering high-impact leadership and next-level business performance. Over the last 15 years, he has matured Crown Paints PLC into an NSE-listed and industry-leading brand operating across four countries in East Africa.
The solid evolution of Crown Paints Group under his leadership as the Group CEO, a position he has held since 2005, demonstrates his keen visionary focus, strategic leadership and cutting-edge business innovations.
Some of his most notable contributions include: bolstering profitability from $0.3M to $6M average, year on year since 2005; augmenting market capitalization to $3.5B; raising market share from 48% to 65% in Kenya for premium segment; and expanding opportunities in the East African market for brand growth through steering market entry of Crown Paints in Uganda under the name Regal Paints, and as Crown Paints in Tanzania and Rwanda. He also steered the launch of the first ever digital platforms for home d茅cor in East Africa, including Painters鈥� loyalty program, and mobile applications such as the Crown Colour App.
This track-record of outstanding performance has earned him local and international recognitions, and awards. He was shortlisted among the top businessmen of the year between 2011 and 2016, during which Crown Paints PLC was named 鈥楥ompany of the Year鈥�.
In other engagements, Rakesh Rao is a philanthropist and has keen interest on social impact, and developing the community. To this end, he has championed key corporate social responsibility initiatives touching the lives of the people in Kenya鈥檚 rural and urban regions. A notable contribution is the 鈥楾eam Kubwa Initiative鈥� that continues to boost the education levels of painters in Kenya, uplifting many from poverty.
His high-impact tenure at the Group can be summarized as an evolutionary journey proving that consistency and innovation are critical contributors to a company鈥檚 market success.
Before joining Crown Paints PLC, Rakesh worked with multinational companies like General Electric, Tata Group, and Mitsubishi, in various management capacities.
EXPERIENCE
Rakesh Rao has been Group CEO of Crown Paints Kenya PLC for more than 17 years. Some of his notable core executive value-creating initiatives as Head of the Group include:
1. People Leadership 鈥� Team Building, Empowerment and Delegation
2. Financial Performance and P&L Ownership
3. Strategic Board Liaison
4. Strategic Direction and Operations Management
5. Social Impact and Corporate Social Responsibility
EDUCATION
Rakesh Rao holds a Master of Business Administration, a Diploma in Costing and Management Accounting and a Bachelor of Commerce from Devi Ahilya Vishwavidyalaya. Recently, he earned his PhD in Global Leadership and Management from the European International University (Paris).
AWARDS AND ACHIEVEMENTS
鈥� 1994: Crown Paints PLC was the first paint company to be listed in Nairobi Stock Exchange.
鈥� 2008: Crown Paints PLC acquired a Superbrands status.
鈥� 2010: Crown Paints PLC awarded first position in the 3rd Kisumu Homes Export Aga Khan Hall Kisumu.
鈥� 2011: Crown Paints PLC awarded 鈥楬ome Design Interiors Winner鈥� at the 5th Mombasa Homes Expo.
鈥� 2012: Crown Paints PLC named winner of the 2012 COYA 鈥楩inancial Management Award鈥�.
鈥� 2014: Crown Paints PLC won 4 COYA Awards in the 鈥楲eadership and Management鈥�, 鈥楶roductivity and Quality鈥�, 鈥楥EO of the Year鈥�, and 鈥極verall Company of the Year鈥� categories.
鈥� 2016: Crown Paints PLC won COYA/SMOYA Awards for 鈥楲eadership and Management鈥�, 鈥楥ustomer Orientation and Marketing Innovation鈥�, and 鈥業CT and Knowledge Management鈥�.
鈥� 2018: Crown Paints PLC celebrated 60 years of success in Kenya.
鈥� 2019: Crown Paints PLC named winner in the 鈥業nnovation and Productivity鈥� category at the Employer of the Year Awards (EYA) by the Federation of Kenya Employers (FKE).
CONTACT DETAILS
- WEBSITE:
- ADDRESS: P.O. BOX 78848 鈥� 00507, Likoni Road, Industrial Area, Nairobi, Kenya
- PHONE: (+254) 0202 165 703/5/6, 0203 2751
- CALL CENTER: 0709 887 000
- EMAILS: [email protected] / [email protected] / [email protected]
EXECUTIVE PROFILE
INTERVIEWS
- Crown Paints Kenya PLC: The Undisputed Paint Market Leader in Kenya
- Top Player in Kenya鈥檚 Paint Market Introduces New Products and Increases Capacity
- Group CEO Rakesh Rao Discusses Crown Paints Kenya PLC鈥� Latest Initiatives
VIDEOS
- Assessment of the Paint Sector in East Africa by Rakesh Rao of Crown Paints
- Crown Paints: 60 Years of Experience Leading the Paint Sector in Kenya
- Discover Crown Colour App by Crown Paints Kenya: An Overview by Rakesh Rao
- Incentives for Painters in Kenya: Team Kubwa Loyalty and Training Programs
- Construction Sector in Kenya: Current and Future Projects of Crown Paints Kenya
- Permacote Ultraguard Silicone Paint and Dr Fixit by Crown Paints
- Crown Paints: Floor, Coating and Paint Solutions for the Industrial Sector in Kenya
- Crown Paints: Setting High International Standards to Serve Customers Better
- Crown Paints Kenya PLC Sponsors the Chairmans Prize Golf Tournament
- Quality and Sustainability: The Pillars of Crown Paints鈥� Long-Term Strategy
LATEST NEWS
- Paint Manufacturer Crown Paints Kenya Invests Ksh 10m in Mombasa Showrooms
- Leading Paint Manufacturer Unveils Granite Finish Paint for Multiple Surfaces
- Crown Paints PLC: Moyo Primary School in Kajiado County Crowned with a Facelift
- Misufini Primary School Emerges Top of this Year鈥檚 Crown Your Art Competition
- Crown Paints Partners with I&M to Provide Stock Financing for Dealers and Customers
- Crown Paints Signs Partnership with Jambojet to Boost Education in Kenya
- Crown Paints: The Fastest-Growing Brand According to Brand Finance Kenya 25
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