AccessKenya Group

AccessKenya Group is a Kenyan company specializing on internet service provision, with headquarters at Purshottam Place in the Westlands suburb of Nairobi.

Access Kenya Group
TypePrivate Subsidiary
IndustryInternet
Founded1995
FounderJonathan Somen
David Somen
HeadquartersNairobi, Kenya
Key people
Richard Hechle
Group CEO
ProductsInternet services, Converged Communications and IT Services
Revenue KES: 1.9 Billion (2012)
KES: 151.4 Million (2012)
Total assets KES: 2.27 Billion (2012)
Total equity KES: 1.25 Billion (2012)
Number of employees
400+
ParentDimension Data Holdings
WebsiteHome Page

It is a wholly owned subsidiary of Dimension Data Holdings.

The company's services are classified under the 5C strategy focus of Internet Solutions i.e. Cloud, Communication, Connectivity, Carrier and Customer focus.

Overview

Access Kenya Group comprises Communications Solutions, Broadband Access (Blue), and Openview Business Systems. The Group has 6,000+ corporate leased lines across Kenya and employs over 400 people mainly stationed in Nairobi, Mombasa, Kisumu, Nakuru and Eldoret.

AccessKenya has numerous partnerships including Cisco (Premier Partner), Motorola, Oracle, Net App Gold Partner and IBM (Premier Business Partner).

In 2008, Openview Business Systems, AccessKenya was voted the Best ISP in Kenya while Openview was awarded the 1st runner up Solutions Provider of the Year by Computer Society of Kenya (CSK). Other awards include three awards at the COYA awards including Runner Up Company of the Year SME Sector, and two further COYA awards in 2007. Openview is ISO certified and has won the CSK IT solution provider of the year in 2005, 2006 and 2007.

History

Access Kenya Group was founded in 1995 by brothers David and Jonathan Somen to provide information and communications technology for corporate clients within Kenya, under the name Communications Solutions Limited. The company changed its name in 2000 to AccessKenya.

In April 2007, AccessKenya performed an initial public offering (IPO) of stock on the Nairobi Securities Exchange (NSE), becoming Kenya's first publicly listed ICT company.

In 2007, AccessKenya Group acquired OpenView Business Systems. In February 2009, AccessKenya acquired Satori Solutions, a mid-sized virtual ISP to help promote the sale of the group's new SoHo service which is focused on the small and home office market. As at February 2008, AccessKenya had a corporate client base of 3000; a residential base of 1500, and small/medium enterprises base of 125.

In June 2013, the AccessKenya Group received a take over bid from Dimension Data Holdings[1] for 100% of the stock that would lead to the delisting of the stock from the Nairobi Securities Exchange. The offer received irrevocable undertaking from the three founders representing 30.28% of the voting rights.[2] The offer was accepted by the shareholders at an extraordinary meeting and the company exited the securities exchange in November of the same year.[3]

Following the buyout, AccessKenya merged with Internet Solutions Kenya Limited, a Dimension Data Group subsidiary.

Companies within the AccessKenya Group hold four licenses from Communications Authority of Kenya (CA) including DCNO, ISP, PDNO, and Local Loop Operator licenses.

In February 2018, AccessKenya officially re-branded to Internet Solutions Kenya.[4]

Subsidiaries and Investments

The companies that comprise the AccessKenya Group include, but are not limited, to the following:[5]

  • Communication Solutions Limited - 100% Shareholding
  • Broadband Access Limited - 100% Shareholding
  • Access IT Limited (formally Openview Business Systems) - 100% Shareholding
  • TEAMS Kenya Limited - 1.8% Shareholding

Governance

AccessKenya Group is governed by a seven-person Board of Directors with Daniel Ndonye serving as the Chairman of the group and Richard Hechle as the Group CEO.[6]

References
  1. "Dimension Data offer to Access Kenya Group Shareholders" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on 2014-01-27. Retrieved 2013-12-17.
  2. "Access Kenya Public Announcement" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on 2014-01-28. Retrieved 2013-12-17.
  3. "AccessKenya exit leaves NSE shy of Sh2 trillion mark". Business Daily. Retrieved 2017-08-17.
  4. Jefwa, Baraka (2018-02-02). "Access Kenya re-brands to Internet Solutions". CIO East Africa. Retrieved 2020-02-04.
  5. "AccessKenya Group 2012 Annual Report" (PDF). AccessKenya Group. December 31, 2014. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2015-02-18. Retrieved December 29, 2014.
  6. "AccessKenya Group - Directors". accesskenya.com. AccessKenya Group. Retrieved 2014-12-28.
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