The long-serving CFO, who has steered the bank through two CEO transitions, has now been confirmed in the top role with immediate effect.
Yusuf Omari has been appointed managing director and CEO of Absa Bank Kenya with immediate effect, ending his tenure as interim MD.
The appointment draws a close to a process that began when Abdi Mohamed resigned in June 2026 and cements Yusuf's position at the helm of one of Kenya's largest lenders.
He first served as interim MD following Jeremy Awori's departure in late 2022, before returning to the CFO role when Abdi Mohamed received CBK approval in May 2023.
Yusuf has spent more than two decades at the bank, having joined as CFO in February 2004 when it still operated under the Barclays banner. Over that period he oversaw the financial engine of the business through a rebrand and multiple leadership transitions.
Before joining the bank, he spent five and a half years at KPMG Kenya, joining as a senior auditor in September 1998 and also serving as head of compliance. He is a director and member of ICPAK and a member of the Institute of Internal Auditors Kenya. He holds an MBA in strategy from Strathmore Business School and a degree from the University of Nairobi.
