About AVA
workforce

Young. Highly Skilled.
Driven by Performance.

Our Workforce is the key ingredient to our success

Our young and highly skilled employees bring a unique energy to both our organization and productivity. We nurture this fuel source through world-class training in the AVA Training Academy, a company-wide, vivid performance culture and both lateral and vertical career opportunities within the organization.

Our workforce also plays a vital role in key keeping our innovation processes fresh and relevant through our MAGIC ideation program.

Read more about our MAGIC program

training academy

Intense. Relevant.
Internationally Accredited.

The AVA Training Academy has become a regionally acclaimed engineering training institution and is now also open to the public.

The AVA Training Academy provides intensive, relevant, on-site training & coaching using skill matrices and competency assessment tools to establish training plans for identified skill gaps.

Our training and apprentice programs are developed in close partnership with the National Industrial Training Authority (NITA) and other local training institutes to ensure that they are based on the latest technologies & training techniques and are internationally recognized and accredited.

leadership & key staff

Leading with vision.

Our Leadership Teams understand what it takes to ensure positive growth while leading AVA into the future of mobility.

Each member of AVA’s management team brings exceptional experience in his or her field of expertise. Together they guide AVA towards the future of mobility while maintaining a strong culture of innovation and delivering growing value to both our clients and shareholders.

Executive Leadership

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Matt LLoyd
Managing Director
Matt has over 30-years experience in Operational Management, 20 of which have been within East Africa...
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Joy Wanyonyi
Business Development Lead
Joy is a multitalented and business savvy professional with demonstrated capacity to employ strategy...
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Angie Macharia
Head of HR
Angie is an accomplished HR professional with 10+ years of experience in the Manufacturing, Telecommunications, I.T and NGO sectors.
quality systems

The only IATF certified assembler in the region.

With over 40 different brands in our assembly line, each with its own quality system and requirements, AVA has acquired exceptional flexibility in working with and adapting new quality requirements.

Trusted by the motor vehicle industry for nearly two decades, the IATF 16949 certification provides a robust baseline of occupant protection through a series of performance tests designed to drive safety performance from initial design to final assembly. The certification demonstrates our commitment to

to adhering and producing safe products and following an effective system for addressing consumer safety issues. We are committed to continuously strengthening and improving our operations and systems based on the highest accepted standards and strive for continual improvement.

innovation & technology

Fostering Innovation from within.

AVA, through the MAGIC (Making A Good Idea Count) programme, fosters a culture encouraging idea generation from amidst our workforce

The program provides systematic idea management that helps encourage idea generation, moving quickly from conception to implementation.

Rather than a generic suggestion box, Idea Challenges are used to pose specific business challenges & opportunities. An idea challenge is basically just a way of focusing ideation to yield the most effective ideas and insights – Constantly setting new Idea Challenges is helping AVA to keep the program live and exciting.

A range of MAGIC forums have been created to harvest the great ideas that continue to come from our workforce – These are a combination of digital and physical gatherings; data collected is passed though our Idea Management process with winning ideas being quickly developed into implementation projects.

AVA journey

Leading the East African Market.
For 50 years.

AVA currently accounts for ~ 43% of all assembled vehicles in Kenya

With an annual capacity of 30,000 units, AVA produced 5,789 vehicles in 2024, representing 22% utilization yet commanding an impressive ~43% market share. As a contract assembler with one of the widest customer and model ranges globally, AVA builds 67 different models from 21 OEMs spanning 9 countries..

2025
2025

Dedicated EV Line

AVA introduces a dedicated EV assembly line to support the growth of locally assembled Electric Vehicles.

2023
2023

Launch of Simba Marine

AVA moves into the boatbuilding business and launches a fleet of fiberglass & aluminium boats for the Commercial & Leisure market.

2021
2021

AVA – Strategic Plan

AVA develops a 5-Year Strategic Plan to be ready for the adoption of the National Automotive Policy. An increase in local assembled volumes spurred by transition to CKD from CBUs.

2018
2018

IATF-16949 Accreditation

Achieved IATF16949 Certification, becoming the only vehicle assembler in the region with this Accreditation.

2017
2017

Simba Corp

Simba Corp becomes 100% owner of AVA

sustainability

Driving Sustainable Impact.

At AVA, sustainability is more than a responsibility, it’s a mindset woven into everything we do.

From resource-efficient technologies to inclusive partnerships and community empowerment, we believe true progress balances performance with purpose.

At AVA, sustainability is central to our vision for transforming mobility in East and Central Africa. As a signatory to the UN Global Compact, we support its Ten Principles on Human Rights, Labour, Environment and Anti-Corruption and are aligning our business with the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Our focus is on reducing carbon emissions, promoting clean energy, and embedding responsible practices across our

automotive, marine, and e-mobility operations. We aim to balance economic success with social and environmental impact; empowering people, driving innovation, and delivering long-term value to our communities and the planet. We are building a future-focused organization that is anchored in UN SDGs, committed to lasting value, and dedicated to creating a better future for our customers, communities and the planet.

View AVA Sustainability Report/ 2025
AVA clients

Great Network.

We have a strong portfolio of market leading clients

Having worked with many market-leading brands, we have unrivaled experience which has enabled us to learn and develop our processes for delivering exceptional results.