After Office Hours with Ali Oumarou

Juggling between industries can be an uphill task for many people.

But to Ali Oumarou, a retired professional football player was able to work in between his banking profession and running his hospitality business. He has set up one of East Africa’s leading fine dining Afro-fusion restaurant and lounge in Kenya.

Ali Oumarou, who hails from Niger, a French Speaking country in West Africa, also chose to set-up his first restaurant in Kenya. Why was Kenya a preferred market for him? What are some of the challenges that he has faced setting-up his business in Kenya as a foreigner? How easy or difficult is it doing business in the East African Market as opposed to the West African Market? And how is he able to juggle between his banking job and still stay relevant in the hospitality industry?

Other Businesses

Apart from Kiza Lounge, Ali Oumarou is also the Chairman and MD.  at Linkers International Limited. An Out Sourcing and Supplement of Hospitality Supplies and products in Africa.  Linkers Limited also runs Mobile Apps development business arm, where Ali is a member of the RnD team and manages the overall company.

Prior to starting Linkers International Limited, Ali was the Deputy General Manager of Villas Rosas Company (Riyadh Saudi Arabia), where he was tasked with managing more than 1850 Luxury Villas owned by Sheiq Abdullah Al Blehed Group (AB Group).

During the AOH session, Ali walked us through his entrepreneurial journey in hospitality. He also gave us insights on how he did it, the fails, the missed steps and lessons learnt.

We regularly host thought-provoking and inspiring talks, skill-focused seminars and unique networking evenings designed to provide opportunities for professional development and creative growth. Get to know what events we having in the space here!