A Chicago-founded global management consulting firm that operates in more than 40 countries has been listed among companies facing removal from Kenya’s register of companies.
The Registrar of Companies has listed A.T Kearney (Kenya) Limited, the Kenyan subsidiary of global consulting firm Kearney, among entities proposed for striking off the register.
The company was registered in Kenya in 2016 under registration number PVT/2016/010520.
In a Gazette Notice on August 28, the Registrar said the names of the listed companies would be struck off the Register of Companies three months from the date of publication, unless sufficient cause is shown as to why they should remain registered.
“The Registrar of Companies gives notice that the names of the companies specified hereunder shall be struck off from the Register of Companies at the expiry of three (3) months from the date of publication of this Notice and invites any person to show cause why the companies should not be struck off from the Register of Companies,” the notice states.
The notice gives interested parties an opportunity to object to the proposed dissolution before the process is completed.
The move affects Kearney’s Kenyan subsidiary and does not mean the global consulting firm is shutting down.
Kearney Global Business
Kearney is a global management consulting firm with roots dating back to 1926, when James O. McKinsey founded a consulting firm in Chicago.
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Andrew Thomas Kearney later became a partner, and the Chicago-based firm that emerged from the split with McKinsey became known as A.T. Kearney and Company.
The company operated under the A.T. Kearney name for decades before officially shortening its name to Kearney in 2020.
Kearney describes itself as a partner-owned management consulting firm that works with corporations, governments and other organizations on major business and organizational challenges.
Its services span areas including strategy, operations and performance, procurement, analytics, digital transformation, leadership and organizational change, and transactions and transformations.
The firm says it has worked with three-quarters of the Fortune Global 500 and has a presence in more than 40 countries.
Kearney’s 2024 sustainability report reported a global workforce of more than 5,200 people and more than 60 offices in over 40 countries.
The firm’s roots remain closely tied to Chicago, where it has maintained a presence since 1926. Its Chicago office currently operates from West Monroe Street and has hundreds of consultants and management services employees.
Kearney says it has operated in more than 40 African countries since 1995, advising organizations across the continent on strategic and operational challenges.
The firm’s current Africa office is in Johannesburg, South Africa, operating through AT Kearney (Pty) Ltd.
Kearney’s Johannesburg office is part of Kearney’s African network, and the firm continues to provide consulting services to organizations across the continent.
How Company Dissolution Works in Kenya
The process of dissolving a company and removing it from Kenya’s Register of Companies begins with the publication of an official notice under the Companies Act.
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Dissolution is a legal process that removes a company from the register and formally ends its existence. Companies that no longer operate and have no outstanding obligations to creditors typically use it, while firms with unresolved debts may need to undergo insolvency proceedings instead.
For a company that intends to close voluntarily, its directors must first pass the required formal resolution before applying to the Companies Registry.
A company may be closed after it has stopped operating, achieved the objectives for which it was established, remained dormant for a prolonged period, or become too costly to maintain because of ongoing statutory compliance and filing requirements.
The process begins with the company reviewing its articles of association to determine whether shareholder approval or a specific type of resolution is required.
Once the necessary approvals have been obtained, the relevant documents, including the directors’ resolution and application for dissolution, are submitted through the eCitizen platform to the Companies Registry.
The Registrar then publishes a notice in the Kenya Gazette announcing the intended dissolution giving creditors, employees, and other interested parties an opportunity to raise objections or show cause why the company should not be removed from the register.
The Registrar may also engage the Kenya Revenue Authority (KRA) to determine whether the company has outstanding tax obligations.
Outstanding taxes, penalties and other liabilities can complicate or delay the dissolution process. A company may therefore need to settle its obligations before the Registrar can remove it from the register.
Companies that have stopped operating or are no longer commercially active may choose dissolution to avoid the costs and regulatory obligations of maintaining a registered company.
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