Meet Moraa, the solar girl

While experimenting on different roles and positions a person can play, Linet Moraa found herself in diverse fields, among them communications, events, law, engineering and the medical sector.

This was after graduating with a business administration degree from Kenyatta University in 2015.

One thing in her that stood out was her adaptability.  She found it very easy to fit into whatever life threw her way and her friends and acquaintances took note of that.

“A friend introduced me to a friend of theirs that had a solar product sales and system implementation company.  I started out as an executive assistant and front desk customer service attendant. My assistant skills were not very sharp and that didn’t go very well; but my customer service was termed as stellar,” she says. 

Moraa quickly learnt the products and the sales processes. This saw her win the salesperson of the year award in 2020, before graduating to sales coordinator and then distribution manager.

Then she left to join her current employer, Hexing Technology Company Ltd (Hexing Africa).

“As they say, the rest is history,” she adds. 

At Hexing, she is a sales manager in charge of channel business, which is distribution of solar products. 

 Her job revolves around client relationship management, which entails building and maintaining strong relationships with clients, including distributors, retailers, and end-users, to understand their needs and provide tailored solutions.

She also deals with strategy development. This is about developing and implementing strategic sales plans to achieve sales targets and maximise revenue in the distribution sector. It may involve analysing market trends, identifying new business opportunities, and refining sales techniques.

“I also do team leadership and management, where I lead a team of sales professionals, providing guidance, support and motivation to ensure they meet their targets and deliver exceptional customer service,” she adds.

Other roles include product knowledge and training, market research and analysis, order management and logistics, customer support and after-sales service, and performance tracking and reporting.

Moraa notes that her greatest turning point of her career came when she recognised the transformative potential of forging strategic partnerships within the solar energy ecosystem.

“Early in my career, I realised that to truly drive sales and expand market reach in the distribution sector, it was essential to establish collaborative relationships with key stakeholders, including my supervisors, distributors, retailers, service providers and end-users,” she notes.

This, she says, not only shaped her career trajectory but also reinforced her belief in the power of collaboration and strategic thinking to drive meaningful change in the solar industry.

 “It is a constant reminder of the importance of seizing opportunities, embracing challenges, and continuously striving for excellence in everything I do,” she says.

She has also bagged awards due to her goal-oriented policy.

“After joining Hexing, I was recognised company-wide as the Sales Star of 2023,” she says. 

“Solar Quarter Africa also recognised me as the distribution sector visionary, giving me the Grandmaster Award for 2024. My team won Sales Team of the Year 2024 and Company of the Year (Distribution),” she adds.

She says the feeling of making changes and seeing her new ideas adopted by her seniors – which leads to target achievements – is fulfilling.

The biggest challenge with her job in the solar industry is feeling like one is not evolving as fast as the industry is.

“Technologies keep improving. There is a lot of change every so often. So, keeping up is tasking at times. You also can never quite say that now I have mastered my art…every day is an opportunity to learn something else,” she adds.

She says her goal is to make a lasting difference in the transition towards a more sustainable and environmentally conscious future.

“Whether it’s through driving sales growth, advocating for renewable energy policies or nurturing the next generation of industry leaders, I’m committed to leveraging my skills and experience to create positive change and leave a meaningful legacy within the solar industry and beyond,” she concludes.

[email protected]