Interviews

Fourteen years into a career in impact finance, Charles Gachuhi is still keen on building systems that hold.

Stanbic Bank Uganda CFO Ronald Makata argues that while technology continues to transform finance, an organisation’s true competitive advantage lies in how leaders develop and empower their people.

Tom Macharia believes the best lessons come from pain you choose to learn from. The head of finance at Amadeus East Africa is now building a life away from the place he called home for 26 years.

Chris Eyre believes the best CFOs join their teams on the ground to get their boots dirty. The Helium One CFO explains how he has turned his local expertise into a competitive advantage in Tanzania.

2025 Young CFO of the Year Bilaal Ramjaun was recognised for rrevamping AzamPay’s pricing strategy and restructuring its business model to deliver sustained financial performance. In this interview, he reflects on why leadership at his age has meant holding steady through resistance.

Seleman Issa looks back on his journey from a small Tanzanian town near Lake Victoria with quiet gratitude. His role as finance director at Frostan is the answer to a prayer he first said at the age of 14.

After more than two decades in tightly regulated environments, Clarisse Umutoni has learned that finance only matters if it delivers real outcomes.

The finance leader reflects on leading a painful retrenchment that saved a bank and encourages CFOs to challenge the business as much as they control it.

The CFO explains how he turned finance from gatekeeper to partner at Kisima Farms

Absa CFO Yusuf Omari graduated from the University of Nairobi on a Friday and began working the following Monday. Since then, his career has been a series of strategic masterstrokes that paint a picture of a leader adept at navigating the complexities of his role while driving growth.

PwC Kenya's performance and restructuring lead explains why early intervention matters more than most CFOs realise and how his practice is shifting from recovery to prevention.

Four years after joining Pearl Bank Uganda, CFO Peter Ssenyange leads one of the country’s most respected finance teams. Peter shares how empathy and a drastic shift in culture helped restore performance and pride in the institution.

Tanga Pharmaceuticals and Plastics (TPPL) CFO Surendra Tadikamalla is a firm believer in stepping out of one’s comfort zone and taking a risk. And this is partly how he creates trust in his team by supporting them through the discomfort of learning new things.

Dilip was recently named East Africa's CFO of the Year alongside two other major awards.

A single act of faith can change an entire career trajectory. When Caxton Makau was still finding his footing after high school, a finance manager in the insurance industry took him under his wing. Years later, as the finance chief at Geminia Life Insurance, Caxton continues to pay that generosity forward.

With a career built across Asia, the Middle East, and Africa, Madhvani Group CFO NVV Chalapathi Rao reflects on the decisions that shaped his career and the challenges that tested his leadership.

Doreen Mangesho once faced a financial crisis that changed everything about how she leads. Today, that lived experience defines her approach to managing turbulence.

Every step in Japhet Valerian’s career came from long nights of teaching himself what others already knew. His discipline became the engine of his rise, carrying him to the CFO seat long before most people get there.

I&M Bank Rwanda CFO Dederi Wimana changed her leadership by learning to listen first. She credits this lesson to raising five strong Gen Z children.

Maneno Mpagama works with a clear head, even when the pressure mounts. He has made a habit of calm thinking and knowing when to stand his ground.