Kenyan Eddy Njoroge Takes over as President of International Organization for Standardization

Kenyan Eddy Njoroge has formally taken over as the President of International Organization for Standardization (ISO).

Njoroge took over the top position from John Walker of Canada and becomes the first African to ascend to the summit of the global agency in more than 70 years.

Walker handed over the baton to Njoroge at an inauguration ceremony held at Cape Town International Conference Centre, South Africa.

“I am fully prepared and up to the task ahead of championing the use and benefits of standards in our everyday lives,” said Njoroge.

Njoroge said he will focus on redressing trade imbalance, using standards to power industrial growth, and enhancing participation of the developing countries in formulating standards among others.

“ISO Standards by themselves represent global unanimity, and by using them, technical barriers to trade are reduced, production costs are lowered, opportunities for economies of scale is achieved, and local companies access markets globally, thereby reinvigorating trade while ensuring inclusive growth,” he said.

Njoroge, a former Managing Director of Kenya Electricity Generating Company (KenGen) was elected to the position during a summit in Geneva, Switzerland in September 2018.

66-year-old Njoroge, a trained chemist-cum-businessman, boasts vast experience ranging from energy, telecommunications, nature conservation, financial markets, banking, and finance.

ISO was established in 1947 to promote worldwide proprietary, industrial and commercial standards. It operates in 162 countries.