Easy Coach founder and managing director, Azym Dossa, has retired from active management, ending a 20-year run at the helm of the bus company.
Dossa cited health challenges and age as the reasons behind his exit from the corner office at the company’s main offices located at Railways go-down, along Haile Selassie Avenue, Nairobi.
“This has not been an easy decision. However, given my recent health challenges associated with advanced age, I am of the opinion that this is the right time for me to step down. The directors and shareholders of the company have kindly acceded to my request,” Dossa says in a memo to staff, seen by the Star.
“While I am stepping down from the executive, I will remain closely connected to East Coach and will continue to offer my guidance and support to the company,” he adds.
Dossa said the Easy Coach journey has been one of immense pride and fulfillment noting that it has been a privilege to work alongside the staff to build the company to a solid and respected brand.
Technical director Zulfiqar Adatia has been appointed managing director to ensure continuity, even as the company embarks on a search for what Dossa has described as a “ young and dynamic CEO”, expected to take the bus company to new heights.
“I ask that you extend the same trust, commitment and support you have so generously given me over the years,” Dossa urged the staff.
Dossa’s history in the country’s bus transport industry dates back to the days of the collapsed Akamba Bus where he once served as the company’s Chief Financial Officer.
“My tenure as the CFO of one of Kenya’s most successful transport companies (Akamba) gave me not only invaluable experience, but also a unique perspective on the industry. Inspired by a combination of what I saw could be improved and an intrinsic drive to craft an even better enterprise, I decided to establish Easy Coach,” Dossa told the Star during an ealier interview.
He started the company with an initial fleet of seven buses operating a single route between Nairobi and Kisumu, both day and night services, with a standby bus to ensure a seamless rotation for regular maintenance and potential rescues when needed.
“Not long after our debut, the town of Kakamega expressed interest in our services. To meet this demand, we expanded our fleet by adding four more buses. As word about our brand spread, so did the requests from other towns and regions. It’s astonishing to reflect that in just three short years, we grew to operate a fleet of 40 buses serving 15 different destinations,” he recalled during the interview.
Today, the company’s fleet has more than doubled from that number, with Easy Coach currently considered one of the biggest bus companies in Kenya with over 35 destinations.
One of Dossa’s challenging period was during the Covid-19 pandemic, which took a toll on the company’s operations and the entire transport industry at large.
“Our profits diminished drastically, and our reserves were significantly depleted during this challenging period. However, it was important for us to make strategic decisions that ensured our business’s survival while also taking care of our employees,” he noted during the interview.
During the time, the company sent scale down operations but never fired its staff. Instead, it sent the employees home with advance payments and enabled the encashment of their annual leave.
For Dossa, strategic planning,
good management and hiring
practices, ethics and integrity and
embracing the ever-evolving
technology remain key in driving a
successful business.