Shaffi Mithwani

In 1999, Shaffi bought a logistics firm (Super First Forwarders) which he currently co-owns with his father. In 2002 Shaffi decided to sell his advertising firm and focus on the logistics business which at that time was only serving clients for Air-shipments. His focus is to provide an all-in solution for the client thus his company’s tag line – ‘The Bigger Picture’. He believes in having a small number of regular clientele and fulfilling all their logistical needs. The development of various logistics arms is done in phases or according to him like any software, in versions. (Versions 1.1) As the sea-freight business was met with an overwhelming support from a myriad of clientele, in 2005, they ventured into trucking business. To date they manage a fleet of twenty-two semi-trailers which ferry goods around East Africa, (Version 1.2) Shaffi noticed that many SMEs were struggling to store their imported goods, as rent for storage in Nairobi kept escalating. In 2014, he invested in a 6,000 sq ft warehouse to assist his clients store their goods at pocket friendly prices. He bills them on Cubic Meter basis, that is, you pay for the quantity you store. This concept worked out to be a win-win scenario, which forced the business to lease a further 13,000 sq ft of space to meet the growing demand. (Version 1.3) In 2019, the company for their transparent way of doing business, was accorded the AEO status by Kenya Revenue Authority. This status grants Super First Forwarders a premium privilege, in that their shipments are fast tracked during clearance and across borders. Shaffi believes that in today’s business, to be in the forefront, one must evolve with technology. Without an IT manager or IT department, he has implemented systems across the business from accounting, operations, monitoring of shipments and live updating of cargo status. He believes the future of logistics to be controlled by IoT; thus, continues to invest his time in learning new offerings. Shaffi serves as a voluntary member and currently the Secretary General of a Muslim NGO (Maahad Daawah Organization). He gets fulfilment by engaging in various relief distribution exercises throughout the year. At Maahad, together with likeminded people like him, their focus is on deployment of projects that empower local communities in Tana River and North-eastern counties. Shaffi believes he has reached this far by grace of God, unwavering support from his family and not to forget the entire Super First Team.