Larry Madowo is a Kenyan journalist and an international correspondent for CNN based in Nairobi.
Born in 1987, he joined CNN from the BBC, where he most recently served as the network’s North America Correspondent in Washington, D.C. In that role, he covered major U.S. news stories including the Covid-19 outbreak, the 2020 presidential election, and the protests following the death of George Floyd and the trial of Derek Chauvin. He also was a fill-in anchor for the network’s flagship BBC World News America show that airs globally and on PBS stations across the United States.
Madowo previously served as the BBC Africa Business Editor, where he oversaw the launch of six syndicated shows in three languages and managed more than two dozen business journalists based in London and four African countries.
Before joining the BBC he worked for NTV Kenya and CNBC Africa, where he anchored the business channel’s daily market shows Open Exchange, Power Lunch , and Closing Bell in Johannesburg.
Apart from his extensive reporting in Africa and North America, Larry has also filed stories from all over the world including China, France, Brazil, Vietnam, Italy, the United Arab Emirates, Germany, and India.
Named a Young Global Leader of the World Economic Forum in 2020, Madowo started his broadcasting career at Kenya Television Network at the age of 20.
Madowo has a bachelor’s degree in Communication from Daystar University in Kenya as well as a master’s in Business and Economics Journalism from Columbia University in New York, where he was a Knight-Bagehot Fellow. He speaks Swahili and Luo and is also conversational in French.
Exuberant in activism has spoken out about racism while writing about his experience as a black man in the United States.
Madowo became a vocal defender of press freedom in Africa after a run-in with the Kenyan government in 2018 forced him to seek shelter in a safe house. Alongside two other colleagues, they regained their freedom after a court granted them anticipatory bail. He has said that many other African journalists face greater dangers from their government, including threats to their lives.
The 34-year-old journalist also dubs as a regular moderator and speaker at media, technology, and business conferences around the world. He was named on the 2021 100 Most Influential Young Africans by Avance media.
