Business Desk 
Prior to founding SQM, Mr. Niepold was a Portfolio Manager and Partner at Emerging Markets Management (EMM) where he launched and managed the first fund dedicated to investing in Africa’s frontier stock markets.
The Nairobi Securities Exchange (NSE) Board has appointed Mr. John Niepold and Ms Carole Kariuki as Independent Non-Executive Directors with effect from 3rd June 2022 and 9th June 2022, respectively.
Mr. John Niepold has over 25 years of experience in frontier investing in Africa and the Middle East. In 2010, he founded SQM Frontier Management LLP and served as the Managing Partner and Portfolio Manager for the firm’s Frontier Africa Fund.
Prior to founding SQM, Mr. Niepold was a Portfolio Manager and Partner at Emerging Markets Management (EMM) where he launched and managed the first fund dedicated to investing in Africa’s frontier stock markets.
Mr. Niepold also served as an equity analyst in Southeast Asia for Crosby Securities and as an independent consultant covering frontier markets
throughout the world.
Mr. Niepold has a Bachelor of Arts degree in Economics from Davidson College and a Master of Business Administration degree from the Kenan-Flagler Business School at the University of North Carolina/Chapel Hill.
At KEPSA, she has spearheaded public private dialogue platforms with all levels of government to move the World Bank Doing Business Index for Kenya from a high of 136 in 2014, to 56 in 2020, among other achievements.
She has previously held roles at Sagamore Policy and Research Institute, Indianapolis and Barclays Bank of Kenya Limited.
Ms. Kariuki sits on various Boards and has received a number of awards and recognitions, including Presidential awards for National Development Contribution to the Country.
She holds a Bachelor of Arts Degree in Economics and Sociology from the University of Nairobi
and a Master’s Degree in Public Administration from Bowling Green State University, Ohio, USA.
