The last quarter of the D&S year is always a busy time as we settle after the holiday season and focus on planning for the year ahead. Traditionally the key event is the Group Annual Conference when all senior managers gather to review the past year and formulate the coming one’s priorities. This year the theme is ‘Managing the Future’ reflecting both the opportunities, notably through AI and the digital space, and the various challenges the Group faces and there was wide debate about 2027's priorities, which then guide the departmental planning process. Keynote speaker was new Director Richard Njoroge who gave a most informative perspective on the challenges all businesses face, particularly the ever complicating compliance environment and the changing regional and geopolitical climate.

A longstanding tradition of the Conference is the Annual Awards presented to various Business Units and managers and particularly I would mention Managers of the Year Anthony Wangondu the International Business Director and Benard Karimi, the Group Internal Audit manager. Both have made notable contributions over many years, Anthony being one of our longest serving employees with 34 years’ service. Subsidiary of the Year was D&S Uganda under MD Patrick Mufwoya, who after some flat years is now a star performer. All awards were thoroughly deserved and I'm very grateful to these recipients as well as the many other Award winners for their valued contributions.

All organizations are evolving entities with the inevitability of constant change and a change I must mention is the pending retirement of longstanding Technical Director Philip Holi after a total of over 20 years’ service. He has made an exemplary contribution to the Group leading it to a new level of engineering competence that has been exemplified by the new Tatu Engineering Centre, a unique Kenyan facility. We are all very sorry to see him leave and wish him every future success. His departure will lead to some restructuring and I am pleased to announce that David Bolo will assume the Technical Director role, Margaret Kuchio will be promoted to Commercial Director, Henry Davis will assume the role of executive management of the Engineering Center and Michael Kanyugi is appointed Group CFO. All are familiar faces with long and distinguished D&S careers and I have every confidence that this new arrangement will contribute to continued success for the D&S Group.