NSSF Uganda CFO Stevens Mwanje has been nominated for the inaugural CFO Awards for East Africa. He will be competing to take home one of the 10 awards up for grabs at the annual ceremony, including the illustrious ‘CFO of the Year’ award.

Josephine Mbabazi has been appointed as head of corporate services at Capital Markets Authority (CMA) Rwanda. Until March 2025, she had served as the director of finance at Real Contractors.

Kate Kabaingi Kiiza has been appointed as chief corporate and institutional banking officer at dfcu Bank. She also serves concurrently as the institution’s executive director, a role she has held since August 2023.

EABL Group CFO Risper Genga Ohaga has been nominated for the inaugural CFO Awards for East Africa.

Mollen Odhiambo-Koech has assumed the role of interim CFO at DHL Worldwide Express Kenya. Until her appointment, she had served as deputy CFO and business controller at DHL, having joined the multinational logistics company more than 15 years ago.

Dorothy ‘Dolly’ Sagwe, Oracle Africa’s finance director, has come to be known as the ‘start up finance manager’, helping three Fortune 500 companies establish a presence and operations in Kenya over the past 25 years. But her personal story reveals a search for meaning beyond the trappings of corporate life.

MAT Abacus Business School principal and country team leader Samuel Sejjaaka believes CFOs must create value for the business beyond the finance function. He dives into the transition from CFO to CEO and why finance executives should embrace the relentless pursuit of knowledge.

After four years of losses, Sanlam Kenya has finally turned the tide, reporting a historic Ksh 1 billion profit. Head of finance Fredrick Njoroge explains how the company overcame challenges to achieve sustained growth.

In December 1995, while most of the world revelled in the festive season, Ashif Kassam had his head buried in every piece of literature he could find about general insurance. The firm where he worked as an audit manager, Samvir & Co, had received an opportunity to audit an insurance company, the first one in their portfolio, and Ashif accepted the challenge to lead this engagement.

In the past, CFOs were seen as financial gatekeepers who managed an organisation’s costs and risks. Today, finance leaders are expected to drive strategy, innovation, and growth. American Tower Company CEO George Odenyo, MAT Abacus Business School principal Professor Samuel Sejjaaka, and Strathmore University senior lecturer Professor James McFie weigh in on how finance executives can drive value and shape the future of their companies.

Traditionally, CFOs have relied on historical data and forecasting methods in creating strategy. But as panelists at the CFO Kick-off summit noted, changes in consumer habits and the global economy have placed heavier demands on finance executives.

In Kenya's dynamic landscape of asset financing, Watu Credit has emerged as a key player. At the helm of its financial strategy is Steve Onyango, head of finance, whose leadership is helping drive the adoption of e-mobility in the region.

David Wafula will devote the next few months to strengthening corporate governance through his directorial roles at various companies in South Africa, Kenya and Rwanda and completing his studies in sustainable leadership.

Kenya’s e-mobility landscape is growing in leaps and bounds, but players in the industry are still facing challenges in scaling up adoption. Watu Credit head of finance Steve Onyango, who is also the treasurer of the Electric Mobility Association of Kenya (EMAK), reveals what it would take to de-risk financing and create a friendly policy environment for the adoption of electric vehicles (EVs).

Emma Kendi has been appointed as finance lead at Kenya Rhino Range Expansion. Until March 2024, she had served as financial controller at BigCold Kenya, providing leadership in the development of the continuous evaluation of short and long-term strategic financial objectives.

Emmanuel Kyarwenda will take on the role of finance and strategy director at Diageo subsidiary Serengeti Breweries effective 1 April. He transitions into the role after four years at Coca-Cola Kwanza, a subsidiary of Coca-Cola, where he previously served as financial controller before assuming the position of finance director.

Effective 1 April, David Muriithi will take on the role of financial controller at Diageo North America in Bangalore after three years as finance and strategy director at Serengeti Breweries, a Diageo subsidiary.

Access to Finance Rwanda (AFR) finance head Innocent Gatete’s career path is anything but conventional. Today, he is keen to channel his expertise towards changing lives and leaving a legacy of positive transformation.

The seasoned finance director will oversee the conglomerate’s corporate strategy, operations, and governance, leveraging more than two decades of experience across multiple industries to drive growth and stakeholder alignment.

Strategy took centre stage at the 2025 CFO East Africa Kick-off Summit, where leading finance executives traded insights on ways to embed agility into corporate planning and leverage their skills to shape the progress of the country.