Standard Group management has revealed circumstances leading to the recent exit of Editor in Chief, Mr Ochieng Rapuro. In a surprise move, Rapuro who had served for nearly six years, stepped down early January at a time when Standard Group is grappling with tough moments.
It has emerged, however, that while the move shocked the media industry, Rapuro had been plotting his exit for some time. In a memo released to staff last week, two weeks after he announced his exit, Standard Group CEO, Mrs Marion Gathoga-Mwangi, revealed that Rapuro had actually been serving notice having resigned in December 2024. A former Managing Editor of the Business Daily, Rapuro was hired by Standard Group in 2019 after exiting Nation Media Group to try turnaround its editorial fortunes.
“I write to inform you that our Editor-in-chief, Mr Ochieng Rapuro, tendered his resignation last December and will be leaving the Standard Group,” Ms Gathoga-Mwangi said in an internal circular last week, allaying speculation in some quarters that he had been forced out.
She said in the communication that Rapuro was an integral part of the organisation for the past six years during which he led the Standard newsroom through a challenging period marked by the ongoing digital disruption of media business. “His leadership was pivotal in steering SG through the complex digital transformation process, also known as newsroom convergence – an initiative that aimed to reposition the Standard Group as a digitally fronted media house and remains on course,” she added.
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Most recently, she said, Rapuro had provided steadfast leadership during the 18 months of business restructuring and turnaround. “His diligence has been instrumental in keeping our newsroom steady and focused during these transformative times,” she said.
Business Today understands that Rapuro resigned in December and was to service notice for six months. Midway, he reached a deal with management to leave earlier than expected. “Henceforth, he will serve the remainder of his notice period off-site as the search for his successor continues,” the CEO said in her memo.
Reached for comment, Rapuro confirmed he had resigned earlier to pursue “other things” but stayed on to serve the notice period stipulated in his contract. Sources say he could be headed for PhD studies.
Rapuro said he his exit has been long in coming. Initially, he had expressed interest to exit through the September 2023 voluntary early retirement option offered by the Standard Group to staff but the board declined his application – perhaps to give the company time to manage its C-suite transition. Then CEO Orlando Lyomu had just left the company in May and losing the editor in chief with an acting CEO helming the company would have been disastrous.
In September 2024, Standard Group appointed a substantive CEO, Marion Gathoga-Mwangi, setting the stage for Rapuro’s exit. Three months later, he resigned, but was held by the old policy in media of senior editors serving six months’ notice. But most media managers often end up releasing resigning senior editors way before the notice period lapses since the policy turns out to be counterproductive as it leaves key decision making to someone whose heart is no longer with the company.
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