Kenya client case studies in 2024

• Indian consumer electronics firm sets up Kenyan sister company of UAE business

  Background

  Since 2003, Healy Consultants Group helps multi-national Clients register a Kenyan company. Within four weeks, the business entity will be incorporated, without shareholders’ and directors’ travel.

  Our Client is a consumer electronic trader, who wanted to set up a subsidiary of their UAE business in Kenya to gain a foothold for their business in Africa.

  Our Client’s consumer electronic trading business was to have three individual shareholders and directors. Additionally, our Client wanted to set up the consumer electronic trading business in a relatively safe and business-friendly African jurisdiction, with low market entry barriers and compliance requirements.
  Video of an engagement

  Engagement planning

  • Our CEO, Kunal Fabiani, had a face-to-face meeting with our Client at our Dubai Office to address their doubts and concerns about electronic trading businesses and discussed market entry requirements for several English speaking African countries. The Client finally settled on Kenya.
  • Following the meeting, Kunal prepared and emailed our Client an engagement advancement proposal and the formal invoice including a payment plan of three instalments, to be paid according to engagement deliverables supplied to our Client.
  • Our Client promptly provided the requisite due diligence documents and settled the first instalment of our professional fee. We then prepared a detailed Engagement Project Plan mapping out steps to engagement completion.

  Kenya company incorporation

  • Once our Client finalised the corporate structure of the Kenyan entity, Healy Consultants Group initiated the company set up. The first step was to draft and share company incorporation forms including i) memorandum for a company with share capital ii) notice of residential address of the company directors iii) statement of nominal capital and iv) register of beneficial owners with our Client for their electronic signature and email return. Our Client also signed the application for Kenya company incorporation to Kenyan Companies Registrar.
  • Within one week, Healy Consultants Group successfully secured the name approval for our Client’s Kenyan company from the Kenyan Companies Registrar.
  • Within one week, the legal entity was incorporated and Kunal shared the i) certificate of incorporation and ii) register of directors and shareholders with our Client.
  • Healy Consultants Group then requested our Client to settle the 2^nd instalment to advance the tax and VAT registration for Client.
  • We then appointed a Kenyan resident tax agent for the Client’s Kenyan entity and shared the Client’s foreign bank statement showing US$100,000 to Kenya Revenue Authority (KRA).
  • Immediately after that, we submitted a quality application for a company PIN (tax number) and VAT registration to the KRA, and successfully secured tax numbers for our Client’s business within two weeks.
  • Healy Consultants Group’s local Kenya team visited Nairobi City County offices, and prepared and submitted application forms for the Unified Business Permit.
  • Within one week, we received our Client’s Kenyan Unified Business Permit and supplied the same to our Client.
  • We then requested our Client to settle the 3^rd instalment to advance bank account opening.
  • Our Client confirmed they would not need not further assistance with bank account opening.

  Engagement completion

  • Following engagement completion, Healy Consultants Group handed the full company kit to our Client, including Kenyan corporate documents.
  • We also prepared a template sales invoice aligned to local Kenyan requirements showcasing the company registration and license numbers, and shared the same with the Client.
  • Aman introduced our Client to Healy Consultants Group’s Accounting and Tax Department who will assist our Client to timely, accurately and completely discharge his Kenyan business’ legal, accounting, audit and tax obligations.
  • Aman also sent a Client feedback survey to secure our Client comments on our services and support throughout the engagement.

• Multi-national 360 payments platform provider establishes foothold in Kenya

  Background

  Our Client is an advanced payment solutions provider creating seamless payment connections between their clients and their clients’ customers. Our client focuses on developing and emerging markets, especially in South America, Africa and Asia.

  Our Client engaged Healy Consultants Group to help establish their business in Kenya and South Africa as part of a multi-country expansion plan. Healy Consultants Group i) established a new Kenyan and South African company ii) provided a legal registered addresses in both countries iii) provided a nominee shareholder and director in each country and iv) opened 2 x corporate bank accounts for each entity.

  Engagement planning

  • Our Client emailed Healy Consultants Group to understand the extent to which we could assist them with their African business setups.
  • Our Client Engagements Manager Henry held multiple calls with the client, providing them with a wealth of information on a number of African jurisdictions into which they were looking to expand.
  • When the Client had settled on the initial two African countries, Henry prepared a multi-country proposal, including fees and timelines.
  • Once the Client confirmed their intention to proceed, Henry prepared an engagement advancement email, which included a tailored invoice and list of required due diligence in order to proceed.
  • Healy Consultants Group prepared a detailed engagement project plan mapping out a step-by-step plan to engagement completion for both Kenya and South Africa.

  Company registration in Kenya

  • Upon settlement of Healy Consultants Group’s fees, Henry prepared the company incorporation documents and sent them to our Client to complete and sign.
  • Once our Client reverted with scans of the signed incorporation documents, Henry compiled and submitted the complete incorporation application to the Kenya Registrar of Companies.
  • Within 2 weeks Healy Consultants Group secured company numbers for our Client’s new Kenyan entity.

  Kenyan tax and business permit registrations

  • Healy Consultants Group secured a tax personal identifier number (PIN) for our Client’s foreign director.
  • Thereafter, Henry prepared and submitted a quality applications to i) the Kenyan Revenue Authority (KRA) to secure corporate tax PIN as well as ii) the Nairobi City Country (NCC) to obtain our Client’s unified Nairobi business permit.
  • Our Client’s Tax numbers as well as business permit were secured within a month of application submission.

  Corporate bank account opening in Kenya

  • Our Client confirmed two Kenyan banks they wanted corporate accounts with, and our team consequently made contact with the banks to secure interest in our Client’s business.
  • Healy Consultants Group received interest from both banks and secured bank account opening application forms from each.
  • Henry prefilled the application forms from each bank and prepared a signing guide before emailing the same to our Client and requesting them to complete and sign each application and email return scans of the actioned documents.
  • Upon reviewing the signed forms, Henry requested our Client to courier the originals to Kenya for submission to the bank.
  • The corporate bank account numbers were released by both banks within one week of receiving the original signed bank account opening application forms.

  Engagement completion

  • Our Client engaged Healy Consultants Group to annually renew their Kenyan and South African companies as well as provide ongoing in country support services such as nominee directors and shareholders. Additionally, our Client hired Healy Consultants Group for business setup services in four other countries.

• UAE company setup a subsidiary in Kenya

  Background

  • In early May 2020, a UAE incorporated data & analytics-led digital transformation and technology system Integrator company approached Healy Consultants Group to assist with establishing a Kenyan subsidiary.
  • Following an initial phone discussion, Healy Consultants Group emailed our Client a sales email outlining the cost of business setup in Kenya and projected timelines for the entire engagement.
  • Our Client requested to pay our fees by instalment and we agreed an instalment plan fitting our Client’s finance plans. The Client also consented for Healy Consultants Group to provide their proposed company with a tax agent.
  • Towards the end of May 2020, and after fee agreement, our Client completed and signed Healy Consultants Group’s engagement letter.

  Engagement planning

  • Our Client provided scan copies of due diligence documents as per our compliance requirements and settled the first Healy Consultants Group fee instalment and emailed us a bank transfer slip.
  • At the close of May 2020, Healy Consultants Group sent the first engagement update contacting the i) draft corporate structure document of the Kenyan subsidiary and ii) Nairobi virtual office agreement, and sent these for our Client’s review and approval.
  • Within one week, Healy Consultants Group also emailed our Client i) a draft detailed business plan for his review and input and ii) a detailed project plan outlining the step by step process of company setup and iii) company incorporation document for our Client’s signatures.

  Kenya company incorporation

  • In early June 2020, Healy Consultants Group successfully reserved the proposed company name with the Kenya Registrar of Companies.
  • Within one week, Healy Consultants Group obtained the Certificate of Incorporation of the Kenyan subsidiary and emailed the same to our Client.
  • Subsequently Healy Consultants Group’s team submitted an application for the corporate and the new director’s tax numbers from the Kenya Revenue Authority and obtained the same within one week.
  • By early July 2020, Healy Consultants Group provided our Client with i) a Nairobi unified business permit and ii) proforma invoice conforming to Kenyan tax laws.

  Kenya multicurrency corporate bank account

  • During company setup, Healy Consultants Group contacted multiple Kenyan banks, including our Client’s preferred Kenyan bank, to secure their interest to onboard our Client’s business.
  • In early July 2020, Healy Consultants Group emailed the completed bank forms from our Client’s preferred bank for their signature and courier back to Nairobi.
  • Due to COVID-19 and the inability to travel, Healy Consultants Group’s banking team negotiated with our Client’s bank and successfully waived the travel requirement. Our Client was thus obligated to sign the bank forms in front of a public notary.
  • Healy Consultants Group received the courier from our Client towards the end of July 2020 and proceeded to submit a quality corporate account application to our Client’s preferred bank branch.
  • By early August 2020, our Client’s preferred bank reverted requesting our Client to sign an additional FATCA form in order for the bank’s compliance department to complete their due diligence review.
  • Following receipt of the new FATCA form, and within one week, our Client’s preferred bank sent the new corporate bank account numbers and a welcoming email directly to our Client.

  Engagement completion

  • Healy Consultants Group advised our Client on accounting and tax requirements and VAT obligations for their new Kenyan subsidiary.
  • In accordance with Kenya Companies Act, Healy Consultants Group as our Client’s Kenya company secretary, collated and kept safe all corporate documents including certificate of incorporation, M&AA, tax certificates and business license of our Client’s Kenyan company.