How it works

One route, four stages, eight gates.

Every engagement follows the same discipline. We agree the decisions you need to make, map every requirement in order, and run the work in parallel wherever the law allows.

Book a discovery call Plan your entry
Central Nairobi with the Kenyatta International Convention Centre
Kenyatta International Convention Centre, central Nairobi
An engagement, start to finish

Six steps from first call to handover.

The same six steps apply whether you take one gate or all eight.

  1. Discovery call

    A conversation with a partner about your plans, your timetable and what is already in motion.

  2. Scope and proposal

    A written scope with every step, its timeline and our fees, with government fees shown separately.

  3. Kick-off

    Document lists, responsibilities and a shared timeline, agreed in the first week.

  4. Delivery

    We run each gate, report progress weekly and raise decisions early.

  5. Handover

    A complete pack: certificates, registrations, logins, renewal dates and contacts.

  6. Ongoing compliance

    If you choose, we take over the compliance calendar and keep everything current.

The route

Four stages, drawn to scale.

A typical entrant with expatriate staff and one sector licence. Build your own timeline with the entry planner.

Weeks 1 to 6

Before entry

Market study, regulatory scan, entry mode and due diligence.

Closes whenThe board takes a go decision and chooses the entry vehicle.

Weeks 4 to 10

Set up

Company or branch registration, KRA registration, bank accounts, trademarks and data protection registration.

Closes whenThe certificate is issued, the company is live on KRA's systems and the bank account is open.

Weeks 8 to 20

Permits and people

Investment certificate, county and sector licences, work permits, payroll registration and premises.

Closes whenThe company is licensed to trade and its staff are on payroll.

From week 21

Operate

Market access, government relations and the compliance calendar take over.

Closes whenContinues for as long as you operate in Kenya.

Timelines are indicative and drawn to scale. Document legalisation abroad, regulator queues and bank onboarding set the real pace, and we plan each engagement around them from the first call.

Open the entry planner
Ways to engage

Four common shapes of engagement.

Choose a shape, or let us propose one after the discovery call.

For investors who know the market

Launch

A legal presence, the right certificates and the licences to trade, delivered fast.

Gates 02, 03, 04
Our most complete engagement

Land and Expand

The full first year: study, entity, incentives, licences, permits and people, with arrival services for your team.

Gates 01, 02, 03, 04, 05, 06
For employers testing the market

Hire Without an Entity

Kenyan employees on a compliant payroll, with permits for anyone you send in.

Gates 05, 06
For companies already here

Stay Compliant

We take over the compliance calendar, secretarial work and renewals.

Gate 08
What we need from you

The documents that start the clock.

Documents issued abroad usually need notarising and an apostille or consular legalisation. We tell you exactly which, for your country, in the first week.

  • Certified copy of the parent company's certificate of incorporation
  • Certified copy of the parent company's constitution or articles
  • Board resolution approving the Kenyan company or branch
  • Passports and contact details of directors and shareholders
  • Details of every beneficial owner
  • Three options for the company name
  • A business plan or description of activities
  • Evidence of investment funds, for the KenInvest certificate
  • CVs and certificates for staff who need work permits
  • A Kenyan address or lease, or use of our registered office
Questions

How we work, in practice.

If your question is not here, a partner will answer it on a discovery call.

Ask us directly
What happens on the discovery call?

A partner asks about your activity, your timetable, the people you plan to send or hire and anything already under way. You leave the call knowing the route, the main risks and what the proposal will cover.

Do you work with our existing lawyers and accountants?

Yes. Many clients keep their home-country advisers and their Kenyan accountant. We coordinate with them and take responsibility for the steps we own.

Who carries out regulated work?

Where the law reserves work for licensed professionals, such as advocates, auditors, patent agents or insurance brokers, licensed partner firms carry it out. Our proposal shows who does what.

Can we start with one gate?

Yes. Many clients start with a market study or a single registration and add gates as the plan firms up.

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