Joan Njoroge (Managing Director, Engen Mauritius): Spreading charisma beyond stereotypes

Meeting the leading lady of Engen Mauritius is an uplifting experience. Getting to know more about her makes one start wondering why this pool of talent and dedication chooses to stay low-key about her accomplishments.

She has been named Most Influential Wo-man in the Chemical, Pharmaceutical & Petrochemicals sector at the CEO Global sponsored Most Influential Women in Business & Government and Titans of Africa Awards, Leader of the Year at the 2013 Engen International Business Awards and also received the Outstanding Women Leadership Award at the African Leadership Awards in 2014 and 2015… Joan Njoroge, the Managing Director of Engen Mauritius, is a leading example of breaking away from stereotypes and the glass ceiling phenomenon when it comes to women in the oil and gas sector.

Born and brought up in Kenya, Joan Njoroge first opted for a Bachelor in Education at tertiary level, not because she wanted to be a teacher but rather because she had not been selected for her first choice: Law. Indeed, at that time, Joan Njoroge was harbouring ambitions to become a lawyer, and was rather devastated when she got Education instead, she states with a laugh. “My parents would not accept that I didn’t want to go to university to study Education, since only the brightest students got in at that time”, she adds. And so, after a four-year degree in this field with specialisation in French and History, Joan Njoroge took up teaching for three years; an experience she really enjoyed.

Thirsting for more out of life, Joan Njoroge then decided to pursue a Master of Business Administration at the University of Leicester in the United Kingdom. “The rest is history,” she says, since she was picked up by Engen at a recruitment fair in London even before she had the chance to complete her studies. The firm was then on the lookout for students to fill in various posts in Africa.

Once back in Kenya, Joan Njoroge started within Engen as a trainee Network Manager for one year before moving to the International Business Division as Regional Business Coordinator for the Southern African region and then for the East African region. “Somewhere in between I was fortunate enough to go to Botswana for seven months where I did a stint as Network Manager, which gave me the opportunity to put into practice what I learnt during my first year as a trainee,” she recalls.

This position enabled her to get to know the various African markets well and in 2007 she was given her big break: General Manager of Engen in Burundi, a post she occupied for four years before landing in Mauritius in 2011.

Working in Burundi, Joan Njoroge describes, was both challenging and exciting. It was a country that was not very stable politically at that point in time, with authorities that were not always cooperative and an unstable petrol price structure. Burundi being landlocked, it could take weeks before product could reach the country from the ports in Tanzania. In the meanwhile, international oil prices had usually already changed, which gave birth to quite some tricky situations at times. “That was like baptism by fire! I almost ended up in jail once when we had product purchased at $ 147 a barrel while the government changed the price to $ 40 a barrel to reflect the international trends. I always tell my bosses bringing me to Mauritius is my reward for surviving four years in Burundi since things are structured and fairly easier here,” she admits with a giggle.

It is often said that adversity builds character and this applies well to Joan Njoroge. The adventurous nature of the oil industry, the jumpy influence of the forex rates coupled with the team spirit at Engen are the main elements that make her love her job, she voices out. It is such an exciting industry, adds Joan Njoroge, since there is the need to always come up with new strategies to innovate, do things differently and think on your toes. “I like the risk factor”, and chuckling, “I am an optimistic realist!”

If Burundi has been the most defying trial of her career, the most rewarding moment, Joan Njoroge points out, was being named Leader of the Year at the 2013 Engen International Business Awards. She takes pride in the fact that it was a gender neutral award, valuing more so in this way that one of the rare women in this sector is giving tough competition to the men. “It validates the fact that I am where I am currently because I belong here and not only for gender balance,” she affirms.

This lady does not let her accomplishments get in the way of her inclusive style of leadership. Joan Njoroge is a firm believer that a leader should lead from behind the scene and tries to include her team in the majority of decisions taken as far as possible.

When she is not in life’s fast lane while on the job, Joan Njoroge describes herself as a very relaxed person who devotes all her free time to her six-year-old son; her priority is for him to be happy. She also loves to cook, which means that she is often the host of gatherings for her friends. “I make a mean curry, yes I dare say that in Mauritius,” states Joan Njoroge, pealing with laughter. She indeed holds Mauritian culture close to her heart, being an avid fan of sega music. Her favourite tune out of them all? “Mo capitaine…,” she croons momentarily. Her love for sega music has in fact made her the designated supplier of this musical genre among her friends whenever there is a gathering. “Another reason I love Mauritius so much is that it is surrounded by sea and I love swimming,” she adds.

Questioned on finding the right work-life balance while being a woman at the top, Joan Njoroge simply replies that if you value family, you will make time for it. Her personal motto also keeps her grounded, even though it changes with time. Right now, it would be the words pronounced by the Pope during his recent visit to Kenya: “To whom much is given, much will be required”. “This reminds me of how fortunate I am and that I must give back to society,” she says. We can only wish her all the best for ahead!