A date with Africa’s youngest billionaire

Ashish Thakkar, founder of Mara Group.

Being dubbed Africa’s youngest billionaire while still in his 20s by Forbes, has not gone to Mr Ashish Thakkar’s head. He does not have that arrogant self-assurance many moguls relish projecting, nor does he have the inflated ego that so often stalks those at this level.

Instead, the 32-year-old projects modesty and warmth. Inspired by business tycoons such as Bill Gates and Warren Buffett, Ashish insists the billions of shillings he has amassed are a drop in the ocean. He says he knows where he stands in the entrepreneurial food chain — smack in the middle of the pecking order.