Shepherd Mafundikwa

Shepherd "Shep" Mafundikwa embodies the qualities of a prolific businessman, serial entrepreneur, and devoted family man. As the founder and Chief Executive Officer of Mosi Oa Tunya Cigars, the first cigar hand-rolling company in Zimbabwe and the third in that industry in Africa, Shep took the phrase "leap of faith" a notch higher, especially considering that he had never touched let alone smoked a cigar in his life. Such is his determination and confidence in his abilities when he sets his mind to it.

Born into a humble family in Harare, Zimbabwe, Shepherd's journey to his current position is a testament to his triumph over adversity and his ability to look for comparative advantages in every situation. Growing up in the remote Gokwe district, he received a basic education from his school headmaster father and a very enterprising mother who was not formally employed.

He transformed this foundation into a springboard for success, first as a sales representative for an engineering company in Harare where in a very short period he stood out and got more responsibilities as a regional sales representative, entering middle management and later becoming a general manager. As the engineering company was diversifying in response to the economic challenges, Shep was moved to run the company’s office automation and home leisure equipment business. Later he was offered that business in a management buy-out, formally launching his journey as an entrepreneur.

Shepherd owned and managed the Panasonic franchise in Zimbabwe, specializing in office automation, entertainment, and after-sales technical support. Although marketing and sales are considered his strong suits, Shep's experience extends far beyond these areas. His vast expertise includes new business startup, customer experience management, workflow design and evaluation, supply chain management, departmental interface management, and general operations management.

In 2005, together with his young family, they relocated to the US. He joined Delta Airlines, the second-largest airline in the world. Over the course of 10 years, he excelled in project management in airline customer service and customer experience, solidifying his expertise in this field.

Moved by the desire to return home and help develop his native country, Shep returned to Zimbabwe in 2019 to start up a new adventure rolling cigars. It was a classic case of thinking outside the box and picking on a business that had not been explored and with no indigenous template to use. After all, Zimbabwe’s tobacco is world-renowned for its high quality, and it followed cigars from that tobacco would meet international standards.

Shep set off on a journey to the Caribbean and went to Cuba and the Dominican Republic to scout for experts to train local women in the art of rolling world-class cigars. His business was intentionally structured as a women's empowerment outfit. He recruited women, some who had never worked a day in their lives, from a suburb near Graniteside industrial area in Harare where the cigar factory is located.

Now that the factory is up and running, Shep is mostly seized with introducing the Mosi Oa Tunya brand of cigars to the world. He has made substantial inroads in Southern Africa and Europe.

Shep holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Project Management from Columbia Southern University in Florida, USA. Additionally, he possesses a Diploma in Executive Development Program from Wits Business School in South Africa and a Diploma in Marketing and Sales Management from the Institute of Marketing Management, South Africa. It is worth noting that all his educational achievements were self-funded, as he juggled full-time employment while starting and raising a young family.

Shep is married to Eunice, and they have two sons. He is an avid soccer fan and closely follows the English Premier League. He is a die-hard Liverpool supporter who truly believes that “You Will Never Walk Alone”. Since launching his business, he is slowly turning into a cigar aficionado. Shep, who has been to every continent, loves to travel.