If he had his way, Antony Mutisya, the executive director of Laser Property Services, would have become a deejay. Such was his love for music, particularly reggae music, that even now, underneath the current of his words, you can hear the silent undertones of that what-if? Yet he hedged his bets and threw his lot behind Land Economics.
Mutisya doesn’t romanticise his life. He makes his decisions, then his decisions make him.
“I show myself love by making the right decisions,” he says. To him, the price of sacrifice is much more affordable than the bill of regret. Choices are all you have, and they follow you around, less out of curiosity than out of habit, surprisingly hard to shake off, and you have little recourse but to submit to them. A shadow, you might say—an echo.
On the 9th floor of Nairobi's Pension Towers, the whole sky is rushing through his wall-to-wall glass into his office, providing a salient background to his life’s axiom: ‘Nihil praeter optimum.’ Nothing but the best.
What makes Antony, Antony?
I am passionate about the things I do. I got this attribute from Lenana School, our motto was “Nothing But the Best.” That was inculcated in us from then on. Over time, I have come to realise I also demand the same from others.
I derive a lot of inspiration from the Bible. I once read a book called "Jesus CEO" by Laurie Beth Jones. It talks about how Jesus was a good CEO, his self-mastery, and self-awareness. I have spent time trying to understand myself and my personality. I have a personal relationship with God, who is my compass.
What did you hope to become when you left Lenana School?
I wanted to become a doctor, but my scores in Biology didn’t match up. But I also wanted to become a DJ because we had really good entertainment sessions in school, with a big screen. Along the way, I changed to become an economist, and I ended up studying Land Economics, and voilà, here we are.
You don’t look like a DJ…
I have not tried it, but I am considering it. Maybe I will join a DJ academy. I love music.
Did you grow up in a musical home?
Actually, my love for music is attributed to matatus. I grew up in Eastlands, which had the best matatus in terms of music then. When I was on campus, I had some roommates who were passionate about reggae. Every evening, we’d listen to Joseph Hill aka Culture, on our Ampex subwoofer.
Have you made your home musical?
I have, but now I conflict with my wife because our tastes are divergent [chuckles].
How do you show yourself love?
I reward myself. I am deliberate in that because it is easy to get sucked up by work, and by giving to others and forgetting yourself.
I reward myself with small things, be it a caramel cake or a drive to Limuru, just to unplug and do the things that bring me joy. Taking drives and listening to music are things that I enjoy. When I hit 40, I want to get myself a Mercedes-Benz G-Wagon.
I also show myself love by upholding my values. I have friends who have gone through divorce, and that could be attributed to say, to cheating, which affected their relationship. I show myself love by making the right decisions, I don’t find myself in scenarios where I regret having made a particular decision.
What’s an absurd thing you’ve bought?
Haha! There are some expensive artefacts I bought in Egypt, only to get home and realise they were idols in ancient Egypt. I had to dispose of them [chuckles].
Plus, there is a suit I bought, and when my wife saw it, she said I should never buy suits without her [chuckles]. I agree. Every time I want to wear it, I remember her words…
What was wrong with the suit?
I don’t know, but I liked it. She said the suit was meant for tall people. This is a recent occurrence, by the way.
What’s one thing you wish people understood about you more?
I am a choleric. But I am very empathetic. Some things move me that people may not think do. I could tell you to do something, and it comes from a place of love, but you would look at it differently.
You grew up like that? Or did you pick it up later in life?
It’s a natural thing. Someone recently told me that all these personalities, from a Biblical perspective, have their advantages and disadvantages, and God can help you work on those weaknesses.
Choleric individuals are known to be aggressive, pushy, and harsh, and that’s where self-awareness comes in, and how to manage it. I also had a boss with a strong personality, and that could have blown it up a bit.
What’s the most relaxing part of your day?
Evenings. When I get off work, I head to the gym, freshen up, and spend time with my wife. The gym really helps in stress management, and then the shower and having a good time with your wife, that is the most relaxing period for me.
Do you do this every day?
Every day I have dinner with my wife, and I go to the gym at least four times a week. We also have breakfast every day with my wife.
You decided this from the start of your marriage?
Yes, because breakfast is the only period we get quality time. You are fresh, and she is fresh, and you can thus have meaningful conversations over breakfast. We agreed before we got married to be deliberate in how we do life. Oh, and we go to bed at the same time.
What’s your favourite aspect of being married?
I got lucky that I married my friend, and so we share much. I have integrated my work and personal life—I get to have conversations with my wife about work, and she contributes towards it.
She is passionate about real estate and projects, ESG [Environmental, Social, and Governance], and financial management, the things I am passionate about. That may not have been the case if I had not married my friend, or someone who cannot relate to the things I do.
What did your marriage not solve that you thought it would?
[long pause]. Wow. That’s an interesting question. We get married with high expectations and conceptualise so many things in what we expect from the other party.
When I look at it, there are things in my conception that just seem like I was building castles in the air. This is my seventh year of marriage.
Laser Property Services Executive Director Antony Mutisya during an interview at his Nairobi office on May 9, 2025.
Photo credit: Bonface Bogita | Nation Media Group
I used to think that when you combine incomes, you can do so much more than when you are alone, but marriage is a balancing act—sometimes you have more money, sometimes your partner has more. Ditto emotionally and spiritually.
What is one thing you think most people have that they do not appreciate enough?
Good health. Until you get sick, that’s when you realise you have been taking it for granted. There is a point you get, and there is no reversal button.
When you think of the weekend, what comes to mind?
Rest. Our work here is quite fast-paced. The weekend is an opportunity to rest, particularly on Saturdays. Sundays are for refreshing spiritually, by going to church or mentally by reading a book.
Which book have you read that has challenged the way you think?
“Atomic Habits” by James Clear and the “7 Habits of Highly Effective People” [by Stephen R. Covey], which I read about 10 years ago, and from that point, I saw a total change in terms of how I view life and go about things.
What’s your weekend guilty pleasure?
There is a nyama choma joint at Kamakis. My wife is also guilty of indulgence here [chuckles].
What’s your insecurity now as a man?
I have about 68 employees here, and all of them depend on this company. With changes in the real estate profession, my insecurity is holding this company afloat.
It keeps me up at night when I see the numbers are not aligned with our target. But I also have a good team, which has managed to build the company in a sustainable way, where we have diversified into different fields and markets.
What’s something you long believed to be true but with time you realised is not?
The aspect that leadership is something one is born with. I learned this from my previous boss at Bamburi Cement. She was a very good leader, but when she first joined, people felt she might not have what it takes to drive the company, but she went above and beyond expectations.
People just need a chance. Leadership is not about the ability to speak; there is also the soft power of leadership, which could be more effective.
What would you like to be on your tombstone?
Nihil praeter optimum. That means, ‘Nothing but the best.’
What’s something you wish you were better at?
I wish I could sing. I love Culture, and if I could sing, I’d sell my music [chuckles].
What are you thanking yourself for?
Delayed gratification. Whether it is in school, where I could have chosen fun over academics, or in finances, where I could have gone for luxury items but chose investments instead, or whether it is in my relationships, where I could have chosen to be lustful. I thank myself for taking the time to make the right decisions in life.
And what are you apologising to yourself for?
Haha! You are just getting deeper? [chuckles]. I did not have a very good relationship with my father, and he passed on. I never got to connect with him and have that father-son relationship.
What was your last conversation?
He was sick and in bed for almost three months. He suffered a serious stroke, and he could not speak for those three months. The image I have of him is on that hospital bed.
What’s a mistake people often make about you?
When you speak to me on the phone and learn my title, but then you get to meet me, and you are like, “It’s you?” haha!
Who do you know that I should know?
The former chairman of Jubilee Holdings, Nizar Juma. He was chairman of 80 companies within the Aga Khan group. He has a wealth of experience in terms of corporate governance and management.
Why him?
I don’t think there is any other corporate leader who has the kind of experience he has had over his career in terms of leadership. He would be a good person to sit and learn from.
