{{Use dmy dates|date=January 2021}} {{short description|Ugandan businessman}} {{Infobox person | name = Kin Kariisa | image = | alt = | caption = | birth_date = {{birth date and age|df =y|1976|08|24}} | birth_name = | birth_place = Rwengoma-Ruhaama, Ntungamo | death_date = | death_place = | occupation = Businessman | years_active = 2000–present | organization = Next Media Services | website = {{website|http://kinkariisa.com/}} }}
'''Kin Kariisa''' (born 24 August 1976) is a Ugandan media proprietor and philanthropist. He is the CEO of Next Media a home of 22 brands, a multimedia company in Uganda mostly known for its flagship television network NBS TV.<ref name=":0">{{cite news |last1= Agness E |first1= Nantaba |title=Kin Kariisa on enjoying the journey of making money |url=https://www.independent.co.ug/kin-kariisa-enjoying-journey-making-money/ | accessdate =15 November 2019 |agency=The Independent}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |last1=Trevor |first1= Taremwa |title=Interview: NBS CEO Kin Kariisa narrates station's ascent to the top | url=https://matookerepublic.com/2017/04/27/interview-nbs-ceo-kin-kariisa-narrates-stations-ascent-to-the-top/ | accessdate =15 November 2019 |agency= Matooke Republic}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |title=One May think UBC is China TV – Kin Kariisa |url=https://theinsider.ug/index.php/2018/07/04/one-may-think-ubc-is-china-tv-kin-karisa/ | accessdate =15 November 2019 |agency=Insider}}</ref>
==Career== Kariisa started out as a barber in Mbarara Town before joining Makerere University, where he would later start developing web applications for a Danish company, Metrocomia Uganda Ltd. in 2000. He later quit Metrocomia to start his own company, Kin Systems, one of Uganda's first ICT companies. Courtesy of his success with Kin Systems, Kariisa was contacted by President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni to build a campaign system that would automatically send messages to mobile phones.
Kin would go on to be appointed Assistant Presidential Advisor on Information Communications and Technology (ICT).<ref>{{cite news |last1= Edris |first1= Kiggundu |title= NBS TV's Kin Kariisa : How 'cool' barber became a media baron |url= https://observer.ug/lifestyle/39398-nbs-tv-s-kin-kariisa-how-cool-barber-became-a-media-baron |accessdate= 15 November 2019 |agency= The Observer |archive-date= 19 June 2018 |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20180619213550/http://observer.ug/lifestyle/39398-nbs-tv-s-kin-kariisa-how-cool-barber-became-a-media-baron |url-status= dead }}</ref>
Kariisa took over NBS TV in 2008 as CEO and grew it into Next Media, a multimedia company that runs eight television stations (NBS TV, Sanyuka TV, Salam TV, NBS Sport, NBS Sport 2, NBS Plus, NBS Music, NBS Music), 2 radio stations (Pulse Radio and Next Radio<ref>{{cite news |last1= Javira |first1= Sebwami |title=Next Media Services to launch Nxt radio station today |url=https://www.pmldaily.com/features/celebrity/2018/10/next-media-services-to-launch-nxt-radio-station-today.html | accessdate =15 November 2019 |agency=PML Daily}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |last1=William Taddewo |first1= Ssenyonyi |title= Nxt Radio Rated Uganda's Fastest Growing English Station-Kin Kariisa |url=https://businessfocus.co.ug/nxt-radio-rated-ugandas-fastest-growing-english-station-kin-kariisa/ | accessdate =15 November 2019 |agency=Business Focus}}</ref> – formerly Jazz FM) in 2018,<ref>{{cite news |last1=Mike |first1= Ssegawa |title=NBS's Kin Kariisa goes into radio, buys Jazz FM |url=https://www.watchdoguganda.com/news/20180903/46243/nbss-kin-kaliisa-goes-into-radio-buys-jazz-fm.html | accessdate =15 November 2019 |agency=The Watchdog News}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |title=NBS TV Boss Kin Kariisa Buys Off Isaiah Katumwa's Struggling Jazz FM, Swears To Give Bloody Nose To Competitors |url=http://www.spyuganda.com/nbs-tv-boss-kin-kariisa-buys-off-isaiah-katumwas-struggling-jazz-fm-swears-to-give-bloody-nose-to-competitors/ | accessdate =15 November 2019 |agency=The Spy Uganda}}</ref> online news portal (Nile Post), digital communications agency and productions houses (Next Communications & Next Production). His radio station, Next Radio, is Uganda's pioneer audiovisual radio station.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Javira |title=Next media services launches first ever audio visual Radio in Uganda |url=https://journalism.mak.ac.ug/?q=news/191018/next-media-services-launches-first-ever-audio-visual-radio-uganda |accessdate=15 November 2019 |agency=Makerere Journalism |archive-date=12 July 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210712200035/https://journalism.mak.ac.ug/?q=news/191018/next-media-services-launches-first-ever-audio-visual-radio-uganda |url-status=dead }}</ref>
Currently, Kin serves as Chairman of the Board of Trustees of National Association of Broadcasters (NAB), an umbrella industry association for all Television, Radio and Online broadcasters in Uganda.<ref>{{cite news |last1= Najib |first1= Mulema |title=NBS Boss Kin Kariisa re-elected as National Association of Broadcasters Chairperson |url=https://www.watchdoguganda.com/news/20170824/25312/nbs-boss-kin-kariisa-re-elected-as-national-association-of-broadcasters-chairperson.html | accessdate =15 November 2019 |agency=The Watchdog}}</ref>
In 2012, he was appointed director of Ecobank Uganda Limited, one of the largest banks in Africa for 7 years, and appointed chairman board of directors in 2019 for the "Pan African Bank."<ref>{{cite news |last1=Al- Mahadi Adam |first1= Kungu |title=NBS' Kin Kariisa Appointed Board Chairman Eco Bank |url=https://www.softpower.ug/nbs-kin-kariisa-appointed-board-chairman-eco-bank/ | accessdate =15 November 2019 |agency=Soft Power News}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |last1=William Taddewo |first1= Senyonyi |title= Ecobank Appoints Kin Kariisa New Board Chairman |url=https://businessfocus.co.ug/ecobank-appoints-kin-kariisa-new-board-chairman/ | accessdate =15 November 2019 |agency=Business Focus}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |last1=Simon Peter |first1= Atwiine |title=Kin Kariisa, Mbire appointed to Eco bank board |url=https://eagle.co.ug/2019/03/22/kin-kariisa-mbire-appointed-to-eco-bank-board.html | accessdate =15 November 2019 |agency=Eagle Online}}</ref>
He is also the Chairman Board of Directors for Nile Hotel International Ltd., the Government enterprise that owns Kampala Serena Hotel.
Kin also serves as the Chairman Board of Directors for Soliton Telmec, the leading telecommunications technology company in East Africa, supporting both the basic and complex infrastructure required to enable electronic communications across the region, which include data centers, fiber optic lines and related routing and transmission equipment.
==Personal life== Kin got married in 2004 to Julie Kariisa (Juliet Janat Tumusiime) and together, the couple has three children. Jamila Kariisa, Kin Kariisa Jr. and Shaka Kariisa.<ref name=":0" /> He is a muslim.
==Recognition== He was named among the most influential Ugandans in 2019 in a survey conducted by Public Opinions International, a Pan African Organisation.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Amon |first1= Katungulu |title=Kin Kariisa, Sudhir, Muhoozi named among influential Ugandans |url=https://nilepost.co.ug/2019/08/05/kin-kariisa-sudhir-muhoozi-named-among-influential-ugandans/|accessdate=15 November 2019 |agency=Nile Post}}</ref>
==References== {{reflist}}
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{{DEFAULTSORT:Kariisa, Kin}} Category:Living people Category:1976 births Category:Ugandan chief executives Category:Makerere University alumni Category:People from Ntungamo District Category:21st-century Ugandan businesspeople