Mount Kenya University Founder, Prof. Simon Gicharu is an educationalist and founder of Mount Kenya University, which is East and Central Africa’s largest private university. He was born in 1964 in Gathiruini village, in Kiambu County, Kenya.
He is the first in a family of seven. Prof. Gicharu is also the Chairman of the Rural Electrification and Renewable Energy Corporation, and National Private Universities Owners Association of Kenya. He is the founder of Equip Africa Institute and patron of the Graduate Enterprise Academy. He is also a board member at Thika Water and Sewerage Company, and the patron of Inter Universities Rover Moot under the Kenya Scouts Association.
In 2015, Prof. Gicharu was named the Eastern African Ernst and Young Entrepreneur of the Year, and represented the region in the global awards in Monaco. He was inducted into the 205 World Entrepreneurs of the Year Hall of Fame. He is married with three children.