CFOs are moving beyond compliance and reporting to shape business decisions and long-term growth. Jubilee Insurance group head of finance Paul Mungai and Umoja Coin CFO Bornmathew Nuru share how they are placing finance at the centre of strategy.

Titus has served as the CFO of Ecobank Rwanda since April 2011.

After beginning his career in India, Dharmendra Agrawal now leads finance for Hyatt Hotels across East Africa. He shares how he has steered the business through headwinds and tailwinds by staying close to operations and building capable teams.

At the 2025 CFO East Africa ESG Summit held on 10 July, the theme of financing cut across all discussions. While ESG frameworks continue to evolve, the actual flow of capital tells a more complicated story where large firms edge ahead and smaller players risk being left behind.

When the pace of work accelerates and decisions carry weight, staying calm is a strategic advantage. For Helium One CFO Chris Eyre, AGL Tanzania FD Sekou Kaba, and WiA CFO Maneno Daudi, composure under pressure is a skill honed over time.

Newly-appointed Old Mutual Life CFO John Omondi brings over 14 years of experience in the industry, including more than a decade in senior finance roles.

Until May 2025, Toussaint served as the chief finance and administration officer at Rwanda’s National Cyber Security Authority.

PSI Uganda’s head of finance and support services Christine Nakayenga began her tenure by taking on a task most finance leaders would outsource. That same initiative now defines her approach to leadership at the non-profit, which she is steering toward long-term sustainability.

The second annual CFO ESG Summit saw finance leaders from across East Africa come together at the Emara Ole Sereni in Nairobi to explore the CFO’s role in ESG. Against the backdrop of a changing finance function, they discussed the sustainability imperative, sharing common points of concern.

Martin has more than 17 years of experience across different markets in Africa including Kenya and South Africa.

Akash Ladha, CFO of BAG Innovation and founder of ALSM Consulting Group, is reshaping his approach to leadership by prioritising clarity over chaos. He considers mindfulness the only way to lead with purpose in a world that rarely slows down.

John Githiomi, group CFO of Rubis Energy Kenya, also serves as a board director.

Africa Healthcare Network CFO Michael Kariuki is a master of turning strategy into a compelling financial narrative. He shares how his clarity and conviction have helped him guide startups through periods of transformation.

Kioo financial controller Dipen Patel has been nominated for the 2025 CFO Awards

As the demands of the finance function shift, leaders must stay up to date with the growing need for strategic insight. Heritage Insurance CFO Japhet Valerian, Deloitte Tanzania finance director Relief Mtenga, and Tanzania Mortgage Refinance Company CFO Joseph Mrawa reveal how they stay relevant as technology and data reshape the role of finance leaders.

Stanbic Bank Kenya CFVO Dennis Musau has joined the list of finance leaders who will be competing in the 2025 “Oscars of Finance”.

PowerUp head of finance and operations Eva Zalwango brings systems thinking to every challenge. But behind the discipline is a deeper drive to leave people better than she found them.

The AzamPesa CFO also serves on the fintech’s board regulatory compliance committee.

Dharmendra Agrawal, area director of finance at Hyatt Hotel Corporation, Gillian Lyimo, director of finance at Action for Democratic Governance, and Manish Ranjan, head of finance at ALAF Tanzania share the early career advice that continues to guide how they think and lead.

Ratnakar has also served in senior IT roles, leading major ERP implementations and establishing IT as a profit centre.