Joshua Rajulla - BURN Manufacturing as Global Commercial Lead

Raised in a family of four boys, Joshua grew up loving sports and drama. He performed poetry in competitions and later played cricket at university level. Cricket is what unexpectedly opened the door to his first corporate opportunity, through a graduate training program sponsored by his club's partners. Sports taught him discipline, teamwork, and strategic thinking, all traits he now applies in his leadership role.

His career has been shaped by a passion for people, growth, and protecting the environment. After spending years working with clean energy companies, he describes joining BURN as a turning point: “It’s where the opportunities finally matched my ambitions.”

Joshua began at BURN in January 2023 as a Territory Sales Manager for the wood stoves project. He was responsible for just two counties, each with populations ranging from 800,000 to nearly two million people. Even at this early stage, he proved himself as a committed leader who understood not only the targets, but the communities behind them. By the beginning of 2024, everything changed.

Joshua transitioned from wood to charcoal and electric cookstoves, a shift that introduced new responsibilities, new KPIs, and new expectations around product quality and project integrity. He was now managing five counties across Eastern Kenya, learning to work with diverse cultures and personalities. “Every county is different,” he says. “You learn to adapt, lead calmly, and show people you are there to support them.”

Later that same year, his responsibilities expanded further. He took on Eastern and Northeastern Kenya, eventually managing nine counties, and his team grew to nearly four times its original size. The work demanded planning, patience, and a deeper understanding of what drives people in different regions.

Then came one of the biggest moments. When the Kenya Sales Manager left temporarily to set up operations in Malawi, Joshua was appointed Acting BTC Channel Manager for Kenya. Overnight, he found himself leading a national team of Territory Sales Managers, each overseeing counties with unique needs.

During this time, a new opportunity opened: Global Commercial Lead. Joshua applied quietly, confidently, and eventually he earned the role. In 2025, he began leading and supporting commercial teams across multiple African countries, traveling to Tanzania, the DRC, and other markets to understand different operating environments and to mentor teams on the ground.

“It’s been a roller coaster with happy endings,” he reflects. “In a growing company, there are high moments and tough moments. But the tough moments are where you really learn.”

His growth hasn’t only been professional. Joshua speaks openly about the personal transformation he has experienced, becoming more financially stable, investing in assets, and gaining confidence in his ability to lead diverse, cross-country teams. He says that seeing constant job openings at BURN before he joined gave him hope. “I knew a company that is always expanding is a place where people grow.”

Today, he is living that reality.

Joshua’s story is an example of what hope looks like when talent meets opportunity. From managing two counties to influencing operations across continents, he has become a powerful example of growth: professional, personal, and purposeful.

Joshua is not just a leader. He is a reminder that when someone is given room to learn, stretch, and dream, transformation follows.