Gina Din

Gina Din-Kariuki (born Gina Din,[1] on October 23, 1961) is an award winning East African business woman specializing in strategic communication and public relations in Kenya.[2][3] She is best known as the Founder & Executive Chair of Gina Din Corporate Communications (GDCC), which she started after leaving her job as a Communications Manager at Barclays Bank of Kenya in 1997.[1]

Gina Din-Kariuki
Born
Gina Din

October 23, 1961
Nanyuki
NationalityKenyan
Alma materLondon School of Journalism
OccupationFounder, Gina Din Corporate Communications (1997-Present); Chairperson, Gina Din Foundation
Spouse(s)Chris Kariuki
ChildrenNatalya Din-Kariuki, Naythan Din-Kariuki
Websiteginadin.com

Early Life & Education

Born Gina Din on October 23, 1961 in Nanyuki, Kenya, she is the third daughter to hoteliers Shamsu and Malek Din.[1] Gina Din credits learning the importance of relationships at a tender age to her parents, who owned Sportsman Arms Hotel in Nanyuki. "My parents taught me that clients, no matter who, all want to feel valued. I try to do that at Gina Din Corporate Communications."[4]

Her first job was when she was 15 years old, managing a disco night at the hotel twice a week in which she'd charge an entrance fee. She'd use this as her pocket money.[5]

Her father died when she was 18.[4]

In 1985, Gina Din graduated with a degree in Journalism from London School of Journalism.[1] This was followed by a job as communications manager at Barclays Bank Kenya in the same year, where she worked for 14 years.[6]

Gina Din Corporate Communications

On October 1, 1997, after leaving her job at Barclays Bank of Kenya, She founded Gina Din Corporate Communications, with Barclays Bank as her first client.[1] "I started my business with a lot of faith and prayer. It has been like a natural progression for me. Barclays Bank was my first account and I thank God because they helped me pay my initial bills." remarks Gina Din.[6]

Other corporate clients included Old Mutual, Association of Kenyan Insurers, CIC Insurance, Kenya Commercial Bank, Safaricom, Kenya Red Cross & Kenya Airways.[7][8]

In 2007, GDCC handled the PR crisis work on the 2007 Kenya Airways plane crash in Duala, Cameroon. "We handled the 2007 Kenya Airways plane crash in Duala, Cameroon and it’s probability the best work we’ve done in terms of handling crises,” says Gina Din.[9]

In May 2009, in recognition of helping Korean electronics giant LG achieve its 2008 marketing targets and brand building campaign in the East African region. Gina Din Corporate Communications beat 14 other contestants to win the Marketing and Public Relations (MPR) gold award at an event held in Amman, Jordan.[10]

On March 16, 2012, Telecommunications firm Safaricom ended its 13-year relationship with Gina Din Corporate Communications. The contract officially ended on April 30, 2012.[11]

On December 7, 2012, Gina Din Corporate Communications win the PR Event of the Year award during the Public Relation Society of Kenya (PRSK) awards ceremony held at Safari Park Hotel, in Nairobi, Kenya.[12]

On August 6, 2013, it was announced that her firm had partnered with Weber Shandwick, one of the world’s leading global public relations firms, in a deal that would see both the agencies grow their footprints in Africa.[8][13][14]

On November 23, 2013, Gina Din Group was feted as the best PR firm in the country during the 2013 Public Relation Society of Kenya (PRSK) annual awards held in Nairobi.[15]

Charitable Works

On August 18, 2008, Gina Din-Kariuki was named the Goodwill Ambassador to the Kenya Red Cross.[16][17][18]

In 2011, as part of the Red Cross, launched the ‘Kenyans for Kenya’ (K4K) initiative to combat the worst drought affecting Kenya in 60 years.[19][20]

On March 22, 2016, the United Nations Population Fund, designated Gina Din-Kariuki as Honorary Ambassador, supporting the Fund’s efforts to empower women and adolescent girls, with a focus on advancing their health and rights.[21]

Personal life

Gina Din-Kariuki is married to Chris Kariuki with whom she has two children: A daughter Natalya and son Naythan.[4] Her daughter, Dr Natalya Din-Kariuki is an assistant professor in the Department of English and Comparative Literary Studies at the University of Warwick focusing on Early Modern Literature.[22][23][24]

Awards

In 2011, as part of the Gina Din group, she received accolades for championing the ‘Kenyans for Kenya’ campaign in response to the famine and deaths in Turkana. The campaign raised more than 700 million Kenya Shillings.[25]

in 2013, Gina Din-Kariuki was named New Africa Magazine's 100 most influential Africans.[3]

In 2015, Gina Din-Kariuki was named East Africa Business Woman of the Year for which she received the CNBC Africa All Africa Business Leaders Awards (AABLA).[26][27]

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References
  1. "As Gina Din's firm turns '16' she plans new feat". Capital Business. 2013-08-21. Retrieved 2019-09-25.
  2. , July 21, 2015, Media Max Network, One-on-one with one of Kenya’s top entrepreneurs, Gina Din-Kariuki, Retrieved July 30, 2015 , "......"
  3. "Gina Din- Kariuki named one of the 100 Most Influential Africans by New African Magazine". The Standard. Retrieved 2019-09-25.
  4. "Gina Din: I love my life!". The Standard. Retrieved 2019-09-25.
  5. "Meet the Boss: Gina Din-Kariuki, founder and chairwoman, GDCC". How We Made It In Africa. 2013-10-07. Retrieved 2019-09-25.
  6. "What Gina Din Next?". Forbes Africa. 2013-02-01. Retrieved 2019-09-25.
  7. MARCH 27, 2015, Daily Nation,, Why I think I’m a great mum and wife (and PR tycoon), Retrieved July 30, 2015 , "....Worked for Barclays Bank for 14 years ... numerous awards at public relations society galas... voted among 100 Most Influential Africans by New African Magazine in 2013. She has handled some big accounts like Safaricom, Kenya Airways, KCB and Kenya Red Cross, among others..."
  8. "Hard work put Gina Din on business pedestal". Nairobi News. Retrieved 2019-09-25.
  9. "Digital media opens new frontier for PR firm and its clients | Participate in Kenya". Retrieved 2019-09-25.
  10. "Gina Din bags gold". Capital Business. 2009-05-15. Retrieved 2019-09-25.
  11. "Safaricom parts ways with Gina Din". Capital Business. 2012-03-16. Retrieved 2019-09-25.
  12. Monday; December 10; 2012 18:38. "Best in PR fraternity honoured at gala night". Business Daily. Retrieved 2019-09-25.CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link)
  13. "Weber Shandwick Partners with Kenya's Gina Din Corporate Communications". Weber Shandwick. Retrieved 2019-09-25.
  14. Today, Business (2016-04-14). "Gina Din in New Partnership to Expand its Footprint". Business Today Kenya. Retrieved 2019-09-25.
  15. "Gina Din Group crowned 2013 Public Relations industry champions". The Standard. Retrieved 2019-09-25.
  16. "Gina Din Kariuki opens up on her struggles". Business Today Kenya. 2017-10-11. Retrieved 2019-09-25.
  17. "Gina Din dons a Red Cross". Capital News. 2008-09-11. Retrieved 2019-09-25.
  18. "Nairobi Red Cross makes PR consultant its envoy". Daily Nation. Retrieved 2019-09-25.
  19. "Kenyans for Kenya Initiative Launched - Kenya". ReliefWeb. Retrieved 2019-09-25.
  20. "Kenyans for Kenya (K4K) Initiative". Global Disaster Preparedness Center. 2014-12-02. Retrieved 2019-09-25.
  21. "Ms Gina Din appointed UNFPA Kenya National Honorary Ambassador". UNFPA Kenya. 2016-03-22. Retrieved 2019-09-25.
  22. "Dr Natalya Din-Kariuki". warwick.ac.uk. Retrieved 2019-09-25.
  23. "Natalya Din-Kariuki | University of Warwick - Academia.edu". warwick.academia.edu. Retrieved 2019-09-25.
  24. "NATALYA DIN-KARIUKI | TORCH | The Oxford Research Centre in the Humanities". www.torch.ox.ac.uk. Retrieved 2019-09-25.
  25. "'Kenyans for Kenya' initiative wins PR award". Daily Nation. Retrieved 2019-09-25.
  26. "Gina Din bags prestigious East Africa's Business award". Capital Business. 2015-09-20. Retrieved 2019-09-25.
  27. "Gina-Din wins most influential woman in business award". Business Today Kenya. 2016-04-14. Retrieved 2019-09-25.
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