ERASTUS J.O MWENCHA, EGH

NON-EXECUTIVE CHAIRMAN

Erastus holds an MA in Economics from the University of York and a B.A. (Hons) in Economics from the University of Nairobi. He was decorated by the President of the Republic of Kenya with the highest State commendation, “Elder of the Order of the Golden Heart” (EGH), in recognition of his contribution to national and regional development. He is a recipient of several awards. He is the Chairperson of the Africa Capacity Building Foundation (ACBF) and TradeMark East Africa.

In January 2008, he was elected as Deputy Chairperson of the African Union Commission by the Heads of State and Governments of the 55 Member States of the African Union and was re-elected in July 2012. Previously, he served for 10 years as Secretary General for the 21 Member States of the Common Market for Eastern and Southern Africa (COMESA), the first Regional Economic Community to establish a Free Trade Area. Prior to his regional and continental assignments, Erastus served in the Government of Kenya in various senior positions. He is also a member of several Boards including the Brenthurst Foundation, Trade Policy and Capacity Training Centre (TRAPCA) and Coalition for Dialogue on Africa (CoDA).

Jane Ngige

NON-EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR

Jane holds a Food and Agriculture Biotechnology Master’s Degree: University of Reading - UK; a post-graduate certificate in International Food Laws: University of Michigan State-USA; Higher Diploma in Food Science and Technology; Kenya Polytechnic and Postgraduate Diploma: Food Processing, Quality Assurance & Marketing from the University of Wageningen. Jane’s professional experience spans across the civil service, private sector, NGO’s as well as development agencies. She is the former Chief Executive of the Kenya Flower Council and the Kenya Horticulture Council over a period of 15 years in total. Prior to venturing into horticulture, Jane worked with the hospitality, food processing and manufacturing industries in several countries.

Prof. Shem Migot-Adholla

Non-Executive Director

Shem holds a PhD in Sociology of Development and a Master of Arts in Sociology from University of California. He is a Special Graduate Student in Agricultural Economics from Michigan State University and holds a Bachelor of Arts degree from University of East Africa. He is a private consultant on agriculture and rural development, land policy reform and environmental issues based in Nairobi, Kenya. Previously he was the Lead Specialist on Land Policy and Administration in the World Bank.

He also served in the Government of Kenya (on secondment from the World Bank) as Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development. He served as an Associate Research Professor at the Institute for Development Studies (IDS), University of Nairobi and has numerous publications to his name focusing on land issues, pastoralism, farmers’ institutions and rural development. He has working experience in many African countries as well as Haiti, Kyrgyz Republic and several Asian countries.

He is currently the Chairman of the Council of Kenyatta University and has also served as Chairman of Kibabii University, Chairman of Board of the Centre for Corporate Governance and was a Director of Housing Finance Company of Kenya Ltd and Vice-Chairman Board of Directors, Kenya Wildlife Service.

DR. JAMES MWANGI

GROUP MANAGING DIRECTOR AND CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER

James holds five honorary doctorate degrees in recognition of his positive impact to the Kenyan society. He holds a Bachelor of Commerce degree and is a Certified Public Accountant. He has been honoured thrice with National Presidential Awards: The First Class Chief of the Order of the Burning Spear (CBS), the Moran of the Burning Spear (MBS) and Head of State Commendation (HSC).

On the global front, he has won several awards including the G8 Global Vision Award, 2007. He was named among the Top 50 Emerging Market Business Leaders and the 20 most influential people in Africa in 2011; the World Entrepreneur of the Year by Ernst & Young in 2012; the Forbes Africa Person of the Year in 2012 and was recently named in the Bloomberg 50 list of people who defined 2019 globally. He is an honoree of the 2020 Oslo Business for Peace Award, also described as the ‘Nobel Prize for Business’.

On the regional front, James was also recognized as the Africa Investor Awards, CEO of the Year in 2009 and 2015; Innovation Leader of the Year in 2012; African Business Leader of the Year in 2013 and African Banker of the Year in 2010, 2011 and 2017 at the African Banker Awards. He was also named the Banker of the Year during the Banker Africa (East Africa) Awards in 2017 and 2018, and named African CEO of the year by the African Business Leadership 2020 Awards. Locally, he has received the Think Business CEO of the Year award for the last 4 years.

James has served on board and advisory roles at the Global Advisory Council for VISA Inc., the Clinton Global Initiative, The G8 New Alliance For Food Security And Nutrition, US President Barack Obama’s Initiative for Global Development, the G20 Advisory Board of Agriculture and Initiative for Global Development and The Global Agenda Council on New Economic Thinking of the World Economic Forum from 2003-2007. He also served as the Founding Chair of Kenya’s Vision 2030 from inception in 2007 to 2019.

He currently serves on several international bodies as an advisor and was appointed to the Nairobi Advisory Board of Columbia Global Centres. He is a member of the continent-wide PACT initiative, a Board member of the Economic Advisory Board of the International Finance Corporation (IFC), The Mastercard MEA Advisory Board, the Africa Leadership Academy in South Africa, the Global Alliance for Food Security and Nutrition. He is also a guest lecturer at Stanford, Columbia, MIT, Harvard, IESE and Lagos Business School where Equity Bank Business Model is a case study. Locally, he is the Chancellor of Meru University College of Science and Technology and the Chairman of the Health Committee of Kenya COVID-19 Fund Board.

Adema Sangale

Non-Executive Director

Adema graduated top of her class at USIU and went on to receive post-graduate degrees from some of the world’s top universities. As a Chevening Scholar, she obtained a Master of Business Administration from Oxford University, UK, and thereafter, a Master’s in Public Administration & Public Policy from Harvard Kennedy School of Government, US, as an Edward S. Mason Fellow.

She has worked mainly in the private sector for the past 23 years, starting out at Procter & Gamble East Africa where, at 27, she was the youngest regional CEO of a blue chip. She subsequently rose to senior leadership positions across Africa, Europe & North America. She has worked at UNEP as Chief of Brand and as a Senior Vice President Africa for a social impact organization. Most recently she worked in New York as a consultant with UN Women.

She is currently the Managing Partner at C.Suite Africa, a management consultancy. Adema has received several nominations and recognitions. In 2012, she was recognized as a New Generation Leader by the African Leadership Network and has been honored three times as “Top 40 Under 40” by Business Daily. In 2016, she was invited to the Paris-based Institut Choiseul’s as one of Africa’s top 100 emerging leaders. In 2018 she received the Distinguished Women’s Leadership award and has recently been featured in The Journeys of Women Trailblazers in Kenya, a publication of the Kenya Government. She is passionate about Africa and sits on the Boards of several private and public sector organizations on the continent across various sectors.

Fredrick Muchoki, Ogw

Non-Executive Director

Fredrick is a businessman with vast commercial experience. He is the Managing Director of Continental Business Systems, Presta and Office Equipment Limited, Mugumo Coffee Ltd, Online Mobile Com. Ltd and Summerdale Inn Ltd.

MARY WAMAE

EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR

Mary holds a Master’s degree in Leading Innovation and Change from York St. John University, UK, a Bachelor of Laws degree from the University of Nairobi and a Diploma in Law from the Kenya School of Law. She is a graduate of Advanced Management Programme (Strathmore - IESE Business School, Barcelona Spain) and Advanced Management Programme at Harvard Business School.

She is a Certified Public Secretary (Kenya) and member of The Institute of Certified Public Secretaries of Kenya (ICPSK), Law Society of Kenya, Women Corporate Directors and the Kenya Section of International Commission of Jurists. She is a graduate of Advanced Management Programme (Strathmore - IESE Business School, Barcelona Spain) and Advanced Management Programme at Harvard Business School. She is an Advocate of the High Court of Kenya and holds a Post Graduate Diploma in Gender and Development and has over 15 years’ experience in private legal practice.

Gerald Warui

MANAGING DIRECTOR, EQUITY BANK KENYA

Gerald holds an Executive Masters of Business Administration degree from Jomo Kenyatta University of Agriculture and Technology (JKUAT). He is a Certified Public Accountant CPA(K) and a graduate of Advanced Management Program from Strathmore- IESE Business School, Barcelona Spain and a career banker. Gerald has vast experience in operations and customer service. Prior to his current position, he served as the Director Operations. Before that, he served as the Director Human Resource and Customer Experience. He joined Equity Bank in 1998.

PROF. ISAAC MACHARIA

NON-EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR

Isaac holds a Master of Medicine in Otorhinolaryngology, Bachelor of Medicine and Bachelor of Surgery from the University of Nairobi and is a Fellow of the College of Surgeons of East, Central and Southern Africa (COSECSA). He is a Professor of ENT, Head and Neck Surgery at the University of Nairobi. Isaac is the East African regional advisor for CBM in Ear and Hearing Care as well as being the Regional Secretary for Africa and the Middle East for the International Federation of Otorhinolaryngological Societies (IFOS). He is a past President of the Pan African Federation of Otorhinolaryngological Societies (PAFOS) and is a member of The Starkey Hearing Foundation Global Initiative Advisory Board. Prof Macharia was the founder Chairman of the Allergy Society of Kenya and the Cochlear Implant Group of Kenya (CIGOK). He is Chairman of Savannah Informatics, Jadala Investments and Co-founder as well as Chairman, Otolaryngology Associates and Nairobi ENT Clinic.

John Wamai

DIRECTOR, ICT - ENTERPRISE BUSINESS SYTEMS AND SERVICES

John holds a Master’s Degree in Business Administration (Management Information Systems) from Kenyatta University, a Bachelor’s degree in Economics and a Diploma in Computer Science. He also holds Prince II certification (Project Management). He has over 14 years of experience in Banking and Financial Services, Information systems development and implementation, ICT Projects Management and ICT Operations. He has previously served in Project management and as IT General Manager. He joined Equity Bank in 2004.

David Nyamu

DIRECTOR, MARKETING

David, holds a Bachelor of Education (Arts) Degree from Kenyatta University, Nairobi, Kenya. He holds an Advanced Diploma in Financial Sector Deepening (FSD) in addition to a Diploma in Business Management from the Kenya Institute of Management, Effective Director Master-Class from Strathmore Business School and is certified in Sales and Marketing through the SPIN Selling Skills Programme. He holds extensive experience in Banking and Finance spanning over 23 years. He joined Equity in 2008 and has held Senior Management positions at Equity Bank as a Business Growth and Development Manager, a Senior Relationship Manager in Corporate & SME Banking and as the General Manager- Public Sector. Prior to his engagement with Equity Bank, David worked with Cooperative Bank in Corporate Banking, Charter House Bank as a Credit Manager and ABC Bank as a Marketing Manager. In addition to this, he holds various board positions in Equity Insurance Agency and various educational institutions.

Allan Waititu

DIRECTOR, OPERATIONS

Allan holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Business Information Technology and is a graduate of Advanced Management Programme (Strathmore- IESE Business School, Barcelona Spain). He has a Master’s in Business Administration from Strathmore University Business School. He has over 30 years’ experience in Information Technology and banking having previously served as Equity Bank’s General Manager, Operations; Director, ICT and Innovations and Director, Special Projects. He is a member of the World Economic Forum (WEF) Global Future Council on the Future Humanitarian System 2019/2020. He is currently the Director, Operation, Equity Bank Kenya.

Elizabeth Gathai

DIRECTOR, CREDIT

Elizabeth holds a Master’s degree in Business Administration from the University of Nairobi, a Bachelor of Commerce degree in finance, and is a Certified Public Accountant CPA (K). She is a graduate of Advanced Management Programme (Strathmore- IESE Business School, Barcelona Spain) and Management Executive Programme (Maastricht School of Management (MSM) - Netherlands). She has 18 years of banking experience. Elizabeth joined Equity Bank in 2001.