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Entrepreneurs’ Organization Welcomes Jamie Pujara as its First Global Board Chair from the African Continent

Kenyan Business Owner Ascends from Global Board Director to Board Chair, Leading Network of 19,000+ Entrepreneurs Worldwide

1 July 2024 (Alexandria, Virginia, USA/Nairobi, Kenya): The Entrepreneurs’ Organization (EO), a leading organization for entrepreneurs and business founders worldwide, is proud to announce the elevation of Jamie Pujara as its new Global Board Chair for the coming year. Pujara, a nine-year-member of EO Kenya, will serve 19,000+ members from 86 countries across six continents in their shared journeys of connection, learning and growth as peers and business leaders.

Pujara is the 19th Global Chair in the non-profit organization’s nearly 37-year history, and its first from the African continent. He was elected by his peers among EO’s Global Board of Directors last July and has served as the organization’s Chair-Elect since that time alongside outgoing Global Chair, Lynn Anstett (EO Cincinnati).

Pujara said, “I am humbled and honored by this opportunity to continue giving back to EO and my fellow members as Global Chair. As I step into this role, I want to say thank you to the current and outgoing board directors who came before me, while acknowledging the important foundational work they each contributed to move EO toward a clear strategic direction for the future.”

An entrepreneur and family business owner, Pujara joined EO’s Global Board as a director in July 2022 after seven years’ active participation as a member, local chapter officer, and regional leader. He served EO locally as a past chapter president for EO Kenya in 2017-2018, before becoming regional chair for EO’s chapters in the Middle East, Pakistan, and Africa (MEPA). During his tenure, Pujara focused especially on helping smaller EO chapters increase their membership to achieve more operational sustainability, particularly during the turmoil of the Coronavirus pandemic when so many smaller business owners were challenged. He also implemented a regional leadership academy in Kenya to help develop members’ personal development and confidence as leaders. Pujara remains an optimistic voice for the importance of entrepreneurship across the continent today.

“When I joined EO nine years ago with the hopes of improving my business acumen, I never could have predicted the journey that membership would offer me,” said Pujara during the organization’s Global Leadership Conference in April. “I have grown so much through EO’s learning and travel opportunities and made lasting friendships all over the world. And while I certainly became a better businessman, membership has also made me a better father, husband, leader, and member of my community.”

Born and raised in Nairobi, Kenya to a family of Indian and Chinese descent, Pujara has experience in an array of business sectors, including running his family’s landmark restaurant, Tin Tin, the oldest of its kind Chinese food establishment in Nairobi and a host to dignitaries and Heads of State. Pujara also made his mark in Kenya’s real estate sector, founding BuyRentKenya.com in 2012 and growing it into the country’s number-one property portal before selling the business in 2017. For his success, Pujara was spotlighted in Business Africa Daily’s Top 40 under 40 list of businessmen in 2015 and named twice to Forbes’ list of “30 Most Promising Entrepreneurs in Africa” (2016, 2017). In 2021, he broke ground on his first residential construction project, a 65-unit apartment building catering to Nairobi’s growing middle class.

EO’s outgoing Global Chair Lynn Anstett said, “Jamie has been an incredible collaborator and trusted advisor this past year and it has been my privilege to lead and learn alongside him and our global board. I have no doubt that his unique cultural perspectives, his love for EO, and his continued thirst for learning will position Jamie to lead our organization with the skills, trust and respect our members value most.”

EO’s 19,000+ members belong to the global network through one or more of its 221 chapters worldwide. To join, entrepreneurs must own businesses with at least US$1 million in annual revenue or have significant investment in larger companies. Pujara will collaborate alongside EO’s international team of member leaders and professional staff to build upon its newly framed strategic direction for 2030, while driving value for entrepreneurs and visibility for EO’s brand as the premier organization for business owners to access peer support, learning and leadership development. 

EO’s Chief Executive Dave Parker said, “Jamie is a dynamic servant leader with a talent for bringing diverse people together. I look forward to partnering with him and our full global board to extend the gifts of EO into exciting new markets where entrepreneurs are shaping the future. Together, we will continue creating connection, community, and learning opportunities that help our members thrive in their businesses and beyond.”

Pujara and his wife Clara, a professional with the U.N. High Commissioner for Refugees, have two young sons and split their time between Geneva and Nairobi.

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About EO: The Entrepreneurs’ Organization (EO) is the world’s largest membership network exclusively by entrepreneurs, for entrepreneurs everywhere. Since 1987, EO has been supporting the world’s leading builders of business to realize more of their potential by fostering connections, applying leadership skills, and creating belonging across industries and borders. More than 19,000 entrepreneurs in 80+ countries make up EO’s network of leaders, who enjoy local and global membership experiences that go beyond the business to support the whole entrepreneur. For more information or to get involved, please visit www.eonetwork.org.