NAIROBI, Kenya, May 8 – Gateway Real Estate Africa, the development subsidiary of London-listed Grit Real Estate Income Group, has developed a new Business Process Outsourcing facility dubbed Eneo at Tatu City special economic zone.
The BPO facility comprises two towers with a combined gross lettable area of approximately 26,000 square metres, interconnected by a retail offering anchored by a grocer, restaurants, pharmacy and other convenience retail shops.
“From a developer’s perspective, Eneo at Tatu City symbolises our commitment to setting global benchmarks in African real estate, further expanding on our capability of delivering specialised developments such as healthcare, data centres, consular housing, and BPO facilities,” said Greg Pearson, CEO and co-founder of GREA.
The management of the Eneo building will be done through Grit Real Estate Services. More than 1,300 employment opportunities were created during the construction phase alone, through GREA’s contractors, Ark Construction and Stonehenge Limited.
“Eneo at Tatu Central represents the pinnacle of BPO facilities, combining state-of-the-art amenities with green design principles and community involvement, to create a sustainable, dynamic, and thriving community hub,” said Bronwyn Knight, CEO and founding member of Grit.
The BPO facility has been custom-designed for CCI Global, Africa’s largest international contact centre specialising in Business Process Outsourcing.
“Our decision to expand across Kenya reflects our profound confidence in the country’s thriving BPO industry and its capacity for sustained growth,” said Martin Roe, Group CEO of CCI Global.
The facility incorporates high-speed lifts for rapid shift changes and a training centre, offering a new way of work in a stress-free environment, away from traffic, noise, and pollution.
“The commissioning of this building represents a significant step in our mission to provide top-tier BPO services while contributing to the growth of Kenya and Africa. We believe in the potential of this region and are excited to set the gold standard for BPO operations in the area,” said Rishi Jatania, CEO of CCI Kenya
GREA is a leader in gender diversity, with its entire Development Management team comprising females. Shevira Bissessor, Chief Operating Officer at GREA and Head of ESG at Grit said that community involvement in partnership with CCI Global and BuildHer was paramount.
“Eneo at Tatu Central set a benchmark for women in the built environment with a cohort of 34 females working on-site during construction and fit-out,” she added.
Meanwhile, Head of Development and Construction at GREA Pumi Lukhele, said that the construction industry is one of the industries that is creating the highest number of jobs currently, therefore, women should not be excluded from participating in this sector.
“It is an unfamiliar environment for many women, but just being able to see other women participate in this field, with their male counterparts encouraging them to sharpen their skills, is very rewarding for the women,” posed Pumi.
Craig Glutz, GREA’s Head of Developments and Operations thanked the SEZ Authority, the Kenya Revenue Authority, the State Department of Lands and Physical Planning as well as Rendeavour, owner of Tatu City, for making the development of Eneo at Tatu Central a success.
Other key role players in the development include Standard Bank as financier, Elphick Proome, the architect, Sutherland who was the Civil and Structural Engineers, and MaceYMR, the Quantity Surveyors and MAAS as Sustainability consultants.
Infraplus was the MEFP Consultant on the development and Hodari Africa was responsible for project management and construction project management. From an interior design perspective, Hoven Design and Novospace helped to create a unique ambiance that maximises the natural elements of Eneo at Tatu Central. TripleTech acted as ICT consultant, ensuring the backbone of CCI’s operations are functioning optimally.
“The Eneo building has a powerful message for international investors. Its message is that Kenya is punching above its weight in terms of world-class infrastructure and global-scale business services,” said Stephen Jennings, Founder and CEO of Rendeavour.
Publication: www.capitalfm.co.ke