Dr. Robi Mbugua Njoroge - ED / CEO / (Secretary to the Board)

Dr. Robi is the Executive Director of ACA, the lead Kenyan government Agency mandated to combat counterfeiting and trade in counterfeit goods. The Authority is domiciled under State Department for Trade under the Ministry of Industrialization, Trade and Enterprise Development.

Dr. Njoroge has over 20 years’ experience gained in both public and private sectors. Previously, Dr. Njoroge served as the Chief Executive Officer of Kenya Association of Music Producers (KAMP). He also served as board member of the Media Council of Kenya (MCK), Tom Mboya University College, and Public Relations Society of Kenya (PRSK).

Dr. Njoroge holds Doctorate Degree in film studies from Kenyatta University; a master’s degree in Intellectual Property (MIP) from Africa University, Zimbabwe; a Bachelor of law (LLB) from Mount Kenya University and Bachelor of Education (Arts) from Egerton University.

Dr John Akoten

Director, Research, Planning and Public Awareness

Anti-Counterfeit Authority

Dr. John Akoten serves as the Director for Research, Planning and Public Awareness Directorate which includes three departments, namely Research and Policy, Education and Public Awareness, and Planning and Quality Assurance. Previously, he was the Deputy Director for Research, Awareness, and Quality Assurance, after serving as the Acting Executive Director of the Authority for close to 4 years. John is an accomplished policy and research analyst in industrial matters in both private and public sectors spanning over 25 years at the Kenya’s Ministry of Trade and Industry, Institute of Policy Analysis and Research and now at the Anti-Counterfeit Authority where he is involved in IP enforcement, research and IP bilateral negotiations (Kenya and US; Kenya and India). He was instrumental in the preparation of the Private Sector Development Strategy (PSDS) as well as the preparation of the Investment Climate Action Plan (ICAP) including the review of business licensing regime to make them business friendly. Dr. Akoten received his PhD and MSc in Development Economics from GRIPS, Japan and BSc in Horticulture from Jomo Kenyatta University of Science and Technology, Kenya.

Mr. Yussuf Osman Ahmed - Director Enforcement

The Director Enforcement of the Anti-Counterfeit Authority (ACA), the lead Kenya Government Authority mandated to Combat Counterfeiting, trade and other dealings in counterfeit goods. The Authority is under the Ministry of Investment, Trade, and Industry-state Department of industry. I am appointed to the Post on 2nd June, 2022.

I am experienced in enforcement of intellectual Property Rights and gained leadership having worked with the Anti-Counterfeit Authority for more than 12 years. My career is checkered in Consumer protection and intellectual Property Right Enforcement for over twenty-years (20Years). I started as an Investigating Officer and Prosecutor within the Department Weights and Measures under Ministry of Trade and Industry in the year 1995 as an in service trainee as standard officer and later became a weights and Measure officer upon graduation in 1999.

I worked with the Anti-Counterfeit Authority in various ranks. I started at entry level as Anti- Counterfeit Inspector II in 2010 and rose through the ranks to become Regional Manager Eldoret in 2016 and later the Regional Manager, Mombasa in 2018 in charge of the coast region including the Port of Mombasa and the Lunga Lunga Border.

I was responsible for regional supervision of staff and enforcement activities as well as stakeholder relationship working closely with other Law enforcement agencies (LEA) under the multi-agency framework against illicit trade in the region.

Regionally, I closely work with Pharma crime working group (Africa Regions) coordinated by US Embassy Abuja through US DOJ/OPDAT- ICHIP

I made significant contribution toward combating counterfeit as investigating officers by taking to court numerous cases and in one of my successful case is a motorcycle tube where the accused person was jailed for 3years in default fined Kenya Shillings eleven Million. Similarly, as a prosecutor, I prosecuted cases on Counterfeit matters and had successfully convicted four cases in different regions (Magistrate Courts). Among them is, an Egg Incubator Machine case, where the Accused was convicted and jailed for 2 years and in default fined one million Kenya Shillings.

I also investigated a case in which one of the Prominent Manufacturers in Kenya was counterfeiting a famous trademark, PUMA and it was later settled through Alternative dispute resolution with the permission of the Court (KENAFRIC CASE)

I hold a Bachelor of Education Science (Mathematics / Chemistry) from Kenya University and a Master's degree in Intellectual Property from Ankara University, Turkey. I have a Diploma in Intellectual Property from Mount Kenya University and holds advance certificate on Trademark, Industrial Design and Geographical indication, Copyright and related Rights from the World intellectual property Organization (WIPO). I had undertaken Strategic Leadership Development Program Training from Kenya School of Government, and other professional and management training certificates.

Mr. Johnson Adera - Director Legal Services and Corporate Secretary

Ms. Rephah Kitavi - Director Corporate Services

CPA Rephah Kitavi serves as a Director, Corporate Services at the Anti-Counterfeit Authority. She was previously the Deputy Director, Finance and Accounts in the same institution. During her over 15 years career, CPA Rephah has also served as Chief Internal Auditor at the Anti-Counterfeit Authority and as an Internal Auditor in the private sector.

CPA Rephah is a member of the Institute of Certified Public Accountants Kenya (ICPAK), Association of Women Accountants of Kenya (AWAK) and Institute of Internal Auditors.

She is pursuing a PhD in Strategic Management and holds a Master’s of Science in Finance and Investment. She holds a Bachelor of Arts (Honors). She is a Certified Information Systems Auditor (CISA), Certified Public Accountant (CPA-K) and a trained ISO 9001:2015 internal auditor.

Ag. Principal Internal Auditor - Esther Mayoka

Mrs. Agnes Karingu - Deputy Director Education and Public Awareness.

Ms. Karingu serves as the Deputy Director, Education and Public Awareness at the ACA. She was previously Manager and Assistant Director in the same docket between 2010 to date. She served in a special assignment as Coordinator Multi-Agency Anti-Illicit Trade Outreach, Program under the State Department for Trade through ACA. Agnes has there before served as Chief Livestock Officer and Lecturer under the Ministry of Livestock, and a graduate teacher under the Teachers Service Commission and in different capacities in the private sector. Agnes holds an Executive Masters in Business Administration and Bachelor’s Degree in Agriculture from Jomo Kenyatta University and University of Nairobi respectively. She is married and a mother of three.

Mary Mwakai Mwinga - Deputy Director Human Resource and Administration

Mr. Lindsay Kipkemoi - Deputy Director Enforcement

Lindsay is a holder of Master of Science degree in Governance, Peace and Security Management from Africa Nazarene University, Bachelor of Science from Moi University and Diploma in Forensic and Crime Scene Management from Directorate of Criminal Investigation, Nairobi. He is a member of Kenya Professional Society of Criminologists.

He has over 24 years’ experience in management of investigations, security, enforcement and compliance operations, fighting counterfeits and forensic investigations. He served for eleven years at the Directorate of Criminal Investigation as the Deputy in Charge, Forensic Investigation Department and seven years at Rural Electrification Authority as the Chief Security Officer.

He is a member of the Africa Regional Pharma Crime Working Group consisting of East Africa Countries (Kenya/Uganda/Tanzania/Rwanda), South African Countries (Zambia/Namibia/Botswana), and West Africa Countries (Nigeria/Ghana/Liberia). This is a dedicated working team geared towards fighting counterfeit medicines within Africa.

Currently, he is the Deputy Director - Enforcement at the Anti-Counterfeit Authority.

Mr. Naylor Mukofu - Deputy Director Legal Services

Mr. Mukofu serves as the Deputy Director - Legal Services in the Corporation Secretary and Legal Services Directorate. Previously, he was serving as a prosecution counsel with the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions. He is an advocate of the High Court of Kenya with 14 years post admission experience. He specializes in criminal prosecution. He holds a bachelor’s and master’s degree from the University of Nairobi.

Ms. Nelly Chepng'etich Deputy Director Planning and Quality Assurance

CPA Nelly serves as the Deputy Director- Planning and Quality Assurance at the Anti-Counterfeit Authority a post she has held for the last eight (8) months. In this role, she is responsible for coordinating corporate strategic planning, performance contracting and quality assurance (ISO 9001:2015) management at the Authority. CPA Nelly previously served as Head of Strategy and Planning at Commodities Fund prior to joining the Authority.

She has over fifteen (15) years of experience in the Public Sector where she has held several responsibilities in strategic planning, performance contracting, project management and quality assurance.

CPA Nelly holds a Masters of Business Administration degree from Kenyatta University, a Bachelor of Commerce (Accounting) degree from Kabarak University, and a member of the Institute of Certified Public Accountants Kenya (ICPAK).

Mr. Henry Maina - Deputy Director Research

Mr. Maina serves as the Deputy Director-Research & Policy at the Anti-Counterfeit Authority a post he has held for the last 9 months. He is in charge of research and policy development. Previously, he served as an adjunct lecturer for Media law at Aga Khan University Graduate School of Media Studies and at School of Journalism, University of Nairobi. He also served as the Regional Director, ARTICLE 19 Eastern Africa from 2009-2019 before which he was the Deputy Executive Director at Legal Resources Foundation from 2004-2009. He is a Chevening Scholar and a holder of a LLM Degree from University of Warwick, Post-graduate Diploma in Mass Communication from University of Nairobi and a Bachelor of Education (Arts) degree from Moi University.

Mr. Caspar Oluoch - Principal Inspector in Charge of Recordation