Across many organisations, the chief financial officer is still viewed through a narrow lens. Jubilee Insurance Tanzania CFO Nickson Motta and Tres Rwanda CFO Gordon Mugabi dispel common misconceptions about the role and explore how it has changed.

Paul Mungai’s career has taken him across borders and through crises. The Jubilee Insurance group head of finance reflects on the early losses that shaped his sense of responsibility and the decisions that continue to define his leadership.

Kenya’s Affordable Housing Programme introduced a reduced corporate tax rate of 15 percent for real estate developers who complete and hand over at least 100 residential units annually. While this incentive aims to boost investor returns and scale up housing supply, Mi Vida Homes CFO Solomon Nzomo argues that policy unpredictability and bureaucratic hurdles have limited its effectiveness.

EABL has announced a Ksh12.2 billion full-year profit after tax, marking a 12 percent increase from the previous year. Group CFO Risper Genga Ohaga speaks to CFO East Africa about the strategies at play.

At least once in a lifetime, leaders encounter lessons that shift how they lead. PostBank Uganda CFO Peter Ssenyange, Vodacom Tanzania FD Hilda Bujiku, and Silverback Tea CFO Rahul Bedi reflect on the moments that forced them to rethink what it means to be a leader.

Stephen has over 20 years of experience in financial management, regulatory reporting, and strategic leadership across banking and professional services across more than 10 African countries.

Relief Mtenga believes empathy is a necessity for every good leader. At Deloitte Consulting Tanzania, she leads her team with an intuitive understanding of what responsible finance truly means.

He boasts over 26 years of teaching experience and more than 17 years in administrative roles at the management level.

Beiersdorf finance director Funlola Pearce draws on a foundation in electrical engineering. She shares some insights on how non-linear careers can be a powerful force for innovation in finance.

Hilda has over a decade of experience in leading finance functions and seeing teams through strategic and operational decision-making at market giants in Lesotho and Tanzania.

At NSSF Uganda, CFO Stevens Mwanje has recast the role of finance and helped steer investments towards small businesses. In his view, the work is about building systems that shift how money works in people’s lives.

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.