Kenyans continue to make remarkable strides on the global stage, proving that talent, hard work, and determination can open doors to incredible opportunities.
From sports to business, academia to technology, Kenyans are excelling in various fields, lifting the nation’s flag high. One such individual is Naythan Din-Kariuki, whose achievements have placed him at the heart of one of England’s top football clubs, Aston Villa where he serves as a lead data scout.
Here’s Naythan’s journey and how he is flying the Kenyan flag high
Education and Early Life
Little is publicly known about the early life of Naythan Din-Kariuki. However, he hails from a prestigious Kenyan family. His mother, Gina Din, is a well-known businesswoman and public relations specialist, while his father, Retired Captain Chris Kariuki, was in the Kenya Air Force.
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For education, Naythan studied football and sports analytics in the United Kingdom (UK). He holds a Master of Science in Leadership and Sports Business from Loughborough University (2019-2020) and a Master of Science in Sports Performance and Analysis from Middlesex University (2020-2021). Besides, he holds a degree in Football Studies and Business at Solent University (2014-2018).
Career and Joining Aston Villa
Naythan’s career has been a remarkable journey, starting in Kenya and advancing to his current prestigious role at Aston Villa. His early professional experience began in 2016 when he served as a goalkeeper coach at Kariobangi Sharks, where he gained foundational coaching skills.
He then made the transition to a more analytical role at Eden Sports Group in London, where he played detailed player analysis and played a key role in player transfer negotiations, such as the loan transfer of Emile Smith Rowe from Arsenal to RB Leipzig.
Building on that experience, Naythan co-founded EA Eye in 2021, managing an international network of scouts and producing scouting reports and templates. The role allowed him to impact recruitment strategies at clubs worldwide.
He further enhanced his skill set at Oxford United as a Performance and Recruitment Analyst and then as a Lead Recruitment Analyst, where he produced over 500 player reports and had a central part in the club's recruitment processes.
In 2023, Naythan was appointed AC Horsens Head of Technical Scouting, where he was charged with leading a team and developing Artificial Intelligence (AI) tools to improve the scouting process.
He progressed to his current role in 2025 at Aston Villa as the Lead Data Scout, where he leads the development of data scouting tools and conducts live and video scouting to support player recruitment and market analysis.
"Having been at Aston Villa Football Club for just under a year as a First Team Recruitment Analyst, I am really proud and honored to say that I’ve been promoted to Lead Data Scout. I am a big believer in the power of data to support, challenge, or expand on what our eyes tell us, and I am very grateful that the club has placed its trust in me to step into a role that allows me to knit together these two perspectives," he said while announcing the promotion.
As he continues to shape the future of football recruitment, Naythan's story inspires many young and ambitious individuals who wish to achieve greatness in international sports.
