THE NEW CEO OF TATO :TATO Picks a 34-year-old, Sirili Akko, As Its CEO to Spearhead Turnround

By ADAM IHUCHA -- Tanzania Association of Tour Operators (TATO) has unanimously appointed a 34-year-old, Sirili Akko, as its new chief executive officer. 

TATO is a leading lobby and advocacy agency for a multi-billion-dollar tourism industry in the natural-resource-rich country, Tanzania.

Mr. Akko, an accomplished business administrator with solid trainings in private sector growth, succeeds the long serving, Mustapha Akunaay, who steps down after 20 years at the helm of the association.

 TATO’s nomination of a young CEO came as a surprise move, signaling the association’s resolve to change its way of doing things in the face of myriad challenges facing the tourism industry.

 The CEO is a head of TATO secretariat, an executive arm of the association with 300 plus members, and is virtually responsible to, among other things, develop lobbying and advocacy strategies, spearhead negotiations with the government, local and international bodies.

 The incoming CEO takes office at a period that is perceived to be trying moments to the TATO, and his first assignment will be to ensure that the association successfully negotiates with the government to reduce nuisance taxes in order to stimulate tourism growth.

With tourism facing assaults on multiple fronts in the region, including the escalating elephants poaching crises, unpredictable tourism business environments, negative effects of travel advisories facing the northern neighbor of Kenya, a crucial gateway for nearly 40 percent of all tourists coming to Tanzania, Mr Akko has his work cut out.

 However, unlike Mr. Akunaay, a hardliner lawyer-cum-politician from Tanzania’s main opposition party Chadema, Mr. Akko is seen as a bright young professional with a calm personality and high level diplomacy-qualities TATO significantly needs now in order to raise its profile even higher.

 Known for his intransigent position on supporting wildlife conservation, the new CEO is also credited as a straightforward person, with high capacity of negotiations in almost all areas of life.

Tanzania Rift Valley Tours Ltd, Managing Director, Rashid Mtungi, one of key TATO members, says Mr Akko possesses amazing gift for mobilizing people into solving problem by insisting on focusing on interests, not positions.

“Based on the little time I knew him in his capacity as TATO’s executive officer, I can say Mr Akko is extremely gifted in inventing options for mutual gain, by pointing out interests-convergence.” Mr Mutungi explains, adding, “I don’t remember any failed dialogue under his watch”.

Background

Since he rarely shares his personal experience with the public, little is known about this young CEO.

Having worked hard on his way up, available records testify that Mr Akko wasn’t born in a silver plate, meaning he found nothing ready made. Instead, he had to work from the scratch, against all odds.

Born in 1980 and raised at Nangwa village in Hanang district, Manyara region in northern Tanzania, Mr Akko comes from a typically African humble family, and during his early years, he had to rear goats and cows, probably the most common practice for boys in rural setups.

He studied Ordinary level at a Catholic Junior Seminary and focused on science related subjects, with the intention of developing a carrier in medicine.

In line with his plans, Mr Akko was selected to join  high school to study Physics, Chemistry and Biology (PCB) combination.  While doing his advanced level studies, he found himself spending most of his holidays volunteering on microfinance programes for an NGO called the Multi Environmental Society (MESO) whose main focus was then on rural devepment.

It was during that time when he developed keen interest in rural development.

After completing high school, and having been influenced by rural development programmes during holidays, Mr. Akko joined Institute of Accountancy Arusha for undergraduate studies, where he studied accountancy.

Compelled by the spirit of rural developement he decided to work with a global faith-based-organisation, World Vision in the finance department as an accountant. After working for a few years with the World Vision, he later joined the Tanzania association of tour operators as executive officer.

His star started shining significantly after successfully coordinating a session in which the World Bank was worked with multiple stakeholders from the tourism industry to redraft the Tanzania’s tourism Policy in order to develop unexploited potentials in the tourism sector.

Sources say that he also has a strong tie with East African community (EAC) as well as European union (EU).