Gaperi the entrepreneur

Recently, Henry Gaperi was named to this year’s class of the prestigious Africa Leadership Initiative - East Africa Foundation. This initiative is part of the Aspen Global Leadership Network which includes more than 700 fellows from 36 countries according to the Kenyan based Nation media. Gaperi will join other representatives from Tanzania, Uganda and Kenya who will use their “entrepreneurial talents” to address the major challenges facing their organisations, communities and the countries they live in. Gaperi in being named to this class joins a group of business and professional executives under the age of 55 who have already achieved remarkable success in their Chosen fields. The initiative is a collaborative project of seven partner organizations in Africa and the United States. They include the US-based Aspen Institute and TechnoServe, CETA Construction Services (Mozambique), Databank Foundation (Ghana), Infotech Investment Group Limited (Tanzania), LEAP Africa (Nigeria) and Letsema Foundation (South Africa). The story of Henry Kanyesime Gaperi is without doubt one of success derived from hard work. In his comfortable office at the SSFR head offices, he comes across as a soft spoken executive. But beneath this modest appearance is a man of giant achievements. Since June 2006 he has steered Rwanda’s Social Security Fund. Before joining SSFR Gaperi, was the commissioner general of the Rwanda Revenue Authority, a position he assumed in June 2005. Prior to becoming the tax body’s Commissioner General, He held various positions in the national tax body. He was Principal Internal Auditor for about 2 years and later Commissioner for the Value Added Tax (VAT) before it was broken down into large and small taxpayers where after he became the Commissioner for the large Taxpayers in RRA. He was then appointed as the Chairperson for RRA’s Modernization and computerization Committee before becoming the body’s Commissioner General. He has a wealth of national and international experience in government development, management, Finance, Taxation, community service, research, accounting operations, human resource development, as well as Academia and consultancy. Born on Dec 7, 1962, Gaperi has in the past held several other senior supervisory positions in government and private institutions. He was Secretary General for the Ministry of Commerce, Industry Investment promotion, Tourism and Cooperatives (MINICOM) from June 2004 to June 2005. Gaperi holds an MBA, majoring in Accounting and Finance and, a Bachelor of Commerce in accounting and information systems. At the time of his appointment as the Director General of the SSFR; Mr. GAPERI was the Commissioner General of the Rwanda Revenue Authority, a position he assumed in June 2005. Gaperi has done financial Management consulting, with extensive knowledge of financial analysis and projects management. He has written and consulted extensively on issues pertaining to taxation, development policy analysis and financial management. The soft spoken Finance and Tax planning guru, was also a member of the Tax reform policy committee and also in 2004 - 2005, served as a focal point in the Integrated Framework aimed at mainstreaming trade in Rwanda. He has been a founding member of VAT administrators’ forum in Africa, and was also its chairperson 2003/4. His vast experience in teaching, research, financial management, taxation, accounting and human resource development led him to be the first Coordinator of the famous Management and evening courses at the Kigali Institute of Science and Technology (KIST); he has over 18 years hands on experience in Computer Lab Assistance and was Tutor in computer hardware and software among others. With over 8 years in taxation and financial management consultancy and 10 years in designing accounting systems, projects and programs, Gaperi has attended various courses including corporate Governance, project management and leadership both in Africa and beyond. He also chairs and represents several interests on a number of Boards of Directors in Financial institutions and Private investment companies in the Republic of Rwanda. Currently in his leadership at SSFR, Gsperi has proposed and spearheaded major reforms in the areas of legal and pension systems of Rwanda. He has successfully embarked on restructuring the fund since 2006. He wants to be remembered for leading SSFR from where he found it to the best Social Security Service provider in the region. On the international scene, he was chair of programs and services committee of Burnaby Multicultural Society, Coordinator and Research Director with Africa Canada Development Services (ACDISA), as well as Counsellor and Coordinator of Employment programs with Immigrants Services Society of B.C in 1993. Mr. Henry Gaperi is married with children. Ends