Denis Maina Gathanju

Freelance Journalist & Copy Editor

Education

The London School of Journalism, London, England

Post-Graduate Diploma in Journalism

Diploma with a distinction in Sub-Editing & Design

Njiiri School, Maragwa, Kenya

High School Diploma

St. David's Primary School, Thika, Kenya

Primary School Certificate

Objective

• To be the best journalist through dedication to my craft founded on discipline, a passion to offer the best editorial services possible and, above all, respect for the people I meet and work with.

Recognition

• Nominated to the Diageo Africa Business Reporting Awards 2010 in four categories that include:

• • Best Tourism Feature for the feature titled Kenya: Spa Country published in the Chicago-based SkinInc Magazine
  • Best Infrastructure Feature for the feature titled Nairobi rethinks its Planning Strategy published by the America Planning Association Magazine
  • Best Infrastructure Feature for the feature titled; Nairobi: Africa’s Premier Aviation Hub? Published in the January/February 2010 issue of the UK-based Airports International
  • Best Agri-Business Feature – In this category, the feature published by South Africa-based IPS Africa that documents the hard times that Tanzanian farmers are facing thanks to the changing climate.

• A 2010 nominee to the CNN African Journalist of the year awards in two categories: environmental and online journalism.

Miscellaneous

• Fluent in English & Swahili
• Basic language skills in German and Czech languages

• Passionate about documentary films production and 3D animation in Africa

• Loves traveling and taking photographs
• Loves cooking
• Likes to unwind while listening to Old School music  with a cup of coffee or tea in hand (Music Therapy)
• Great angler, currently holds the record of hooking a 180lb stripped marlin on a 50lb tackle

• A die-hard Manchester United fan

Experience

The journey of a thousand miles begins with one step. I have found the journey in journalism as successful and deeply satisfying as it is laden with numerous challenges.

Writing

Freelance Feature and Business Writer

January 2010 to Present

• Contributing feature writer for a number of US-based Consumer and Trade Magazines

June 2009 - December 2009

• Contributing editor for Ziara Magazine.
• Helped transform the magazine from a print publication into a digital magazine, making it the first digital magazine in Kenya.
• More than tripled the magazine's audience two months after launching the digital version.

January 2009 - June 2009

• Continued to freelance for Trade and Consumer publications in North America.

June 2008 - December 2008

• Consulting editor at Ziara Magazine.
• Assigned to create an editorial policy and repackage the magazine into a controlled circulation magazine for the local travel and hospitality industry.

March 2008 - May 2008

• Contributing writer for the American Composites Manufacturing Association (ACMA) magazine.
• Researched and wrote in-depth features that highlighted the composites manufacturing trends and technologies in emerging economies such as Kenya, Nigeria, South Africa and India.

January 2008 - June 2008

• Contributing writer and editor for the Chicago, IL-based Stylus Communications.
• Worked with Ed Finegold, President at Stylus Communications in researching, editing and writing features and white papers that focused on the global telecommunications industry.

October 2007-January 2008

• Contributing editor of Ziara Magazine, a publication of the Kenya Association of Hotel Keepers and Caterers (KAHC) that promotes tourism in Kenya while highlighting industry trends and profiling the movers and shakers of the Kenyan tourism and hospitality industry.
• Helped develop the content in conjunction with the KAHC CEO Mike Macharia and Land & Marine Editor-in-Chief Gary Gimson.

September 2007 to December 2007

• Content provider for the US-based B/OSS World Magazine and website www.billingworld.com.
• Involved in generating weekly web exclusives that highlighted the trends and the latest developments in the telecommunications industry in various markets that included Eastern Europe, The Middle East and Africa (EMEA) region as well as the Asia Pacific (APAC) region.
• Provided in-depth analysis of the industry in these markets by studying market reports and research papers as well as conducting online and telephone interviews with telecommunications experts in the US, London, Singapore, Hong Kong and Beijing.
• Occasionally assigned to edit technical articles and features written by telecommunications experts and analysts.

March 2007 to May 2007

• Provided content for the UK-based Business-to-Business (B2B) publisher Pira International.
• Researched and reported extensively on the flexibles packaging industries in Kenya, Nigeria, South Africa, Egypt, Turkey and the Middle East for their packing publication Flexibles.
• Regular contributor to a number of ezines and citizen journalism websites

Editing

• Involved in extensive editorial work that includes editing articles and features written by experts and freelance journalists.

Web Design

• A Freelance webmaster for a number of local websites that include the Kenya Association of Hotelkeepers and Caterers (KAHC) website and the Function Masters website.
• Involved in the development, design and maintenance of these websites amongst others.