Davis & Shirtliff Executive Chairman Alec Davis has been honored for steering water supply revolution and building a transformative business in Africa. He was named, among other leaders, in this year’s 2020 Business Worldwide CEO Awards.
The 2020 Business Worldwide CEO Awards recognized Davis for his outstanding, purpose-driven leadership that has seen the family-owned company revolutionize water supply in Kenya and other nations in Africa over the last seven decades.
“The company’s Executive Chairman Alec Davis, has been named in the 2020 Business Worldwide CEO Awards for his exceptional leadership and vision,” said the Business Worlwide Magazine on its website.
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It added, “It’s easy to assume that large corporations that have gained reputations as leaders in their field are in danger of becoming money-making machines. But family company Davis & Shirtliff still holds true to the values it was built on more than 70 years ago, and is still going from strength to strength.”
The awards seek to identify and honor the most respected C-level executives across the globe from a variety of different sectors.
The awards themselves do not focus on a company’s success, as many do, but the spotlight is on the success of individuals who make the corporations tick– namely senior executives such as CEOs, Managing Directors, Directors and senior-level management.
“There is no question that Davis & Shirtliff today is a successful organization in spite of operating in what generally are considered to be competitive product segments and is overwhelmingly the leader in many of its markets. The driving philosophy has been teamwork, and the group has a strong culture of commitment that has been fostered through a management style of consensus, fairness and delegation,” said Davis.
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Davis succeeded his father, Eddie Davis in 1990 and embarked on an aggressive expansion strategy focused on the distribution business. Under his tenure, the company partnered with a number of high-profile agencies including Italy’s Pedrollo Pumps and established subsidiaries in Uganda, Tanzania, Zambia and Rwanda.
“Being a closed family business is a great advantage, as growth and not distribution is the priority, and our driving philosophy is ‘Purpose Before Profit’. The key, of course, is having the right people in terms of intellectual capacity, skillsets and commitment and this has been the area where the management philosophy has been particularly successful through a combination of careful recruitment, culture, remuneration, training and openness,” said Davis.
