Interviews

The modern CFO is no longer the executive who simply checks the numbers and sends them up the chain. As acting group CFO of Old Mutual East Africa, Isaiah Gakonyo sits at the intersection of technology, data, customer behaviour, capital discipline and long-term value creation. His approach is shaped by a persistent appetite for learning and asking better questions.

CCPL head of finance Pius Ngira breaks the standard accountant mould, combining grit and curiosity to keep cash flowing smoothly. He believes modern finance leaders must step onto the factory floor and use smart tools to make faster, bolder business moves

Hillary Godson's career has been shaped by the simple principle of not focusing on what is missing and making the most of what is already available.

Robinah Siima has made her mark as Finca Uganda’s first female CFO. She leads by staying close to her people and paying attention to how financial decisions shape lives beyond the boardroom.

DP World head of finance Micah Nyariki sees finance as a platform for shaping strategy and enabling transformation. Throughout his journey, he has positioned finance at the centre of business decision-making, helping organisations navigate change. He has built his career around curiosity and the confidence to challenge what he sees.

Stephen has learnt to see the people and strategy behind every figure. He has come to see the role as one of understanding what the numbers mean and what they make possible.

Bobby Sumanth, group director of finance at Amsons, has spent 26 years building his career across East Africa, where his role has grown beyond finance to leadership. He believes the strongest finance leaders are those who prepare others to lead.

Mastercard Foundation finance director Winnie Waweru asks the same question in every room she enters: Where is the voice of the young people?

As head of finance and operations at both PHAT! Music & Entertainment and Yakwetu, James Mwenda believes that the modern CFO’s greatest asset is the quality to never stop learning and an ability to connect people through effective communication. 

Daisy Wanjie has spent her career at the intersection of finance and impact. She explains how the organisation she helps lead is closing one of the continent's most persistent financing gaps.

Fredrick Kahenya’s ability to enter organisations and build finance functions from the ground has helped transform several organisations into businesses prepared for sustained growth. The group CFO of Osprey Renewables sees leadership as an opportunity to shape strategy and develop people who will one day lead without him.

Nahashon Gathai, director of finance and strategy at AA Kenya, has built a career by stepping into uncertainty. For the finance executive, the future belongs to those willing to learn continuously and welcome innovation.

Naivas CFO Jonathan Ng'ang'a decided he wanted to be an accountant in the third grade. He shares the governance secrets behind the company's longevity in the supermarket sector and explains the value of trusting your team.

In nearly a decade at Heritage Insurance, Luke Magambo has overhauled its financial architecture and led the company through the IFRS 17 transition. He speaks about his people-first philosophy and why he maintains absolute zero tolerance for unethical behaviour.

For Timothy Musiime, the path to becoming CFO of one of Uganda's largest financial institutions was never straightforward. He thinks that is precisely the point.

Linda Mfuchi Were has spent her entire career at one company, but she has never stood still. As L'Oréal East Africa's first black woman CFO, she is handling the shift from controller to strategic leader one lesson at a time.

A gruelling marathon experience taught Madison Group CFO Dr Daniel Murage the critical importance of pacing. The civil engineer turned 'value architect' now applies these lessons in endurance to his financial leadership, drawing on his history of steering massive digital growth to drive progress one step at a time.

A formative conversation with his father set Jambojet cfo Ira Kaviti on a path that changed how he thinks about purpose and leadership. He now applies the lessons he learned about trust during a stint in Bermuda to his work at the airline, where he is focused on keeping costs tight and making clear, practical decisions.

Standard Chartered Bank Tanzania CFO George Binde explains why finance leaders must choose action over excessive planning to successfully navigate a changing landscape.

Vodacom Tanzania finance director Hilda Bujiku made history as the telco’s first native Tanzanian and woman to hold the position. But behind the public triumphs is a hard-won battle with self-doubt. With renewed confidence and a track record of transformation, she is ready for what comes next.