Energy waste is the only line item on your P&L that you pay for every second, yet rarely audit with the same rigor as payroll or procurement. Amid the geopolitical firestorm in the Middle East, are investors being complacent or just savvy? Read on to learn about resilient, long-term investing. In this interview with CFO East Africa, Stanbic Bank Kenya head of sustainability Priscilla Were reflects on navigating the shift towards mandatory IFRS S1 and S2 adoption and steering the bank through the evolving green finance landscape. The renowned business leader has spent decades working across banking, government and corporate boards. He has observed how the role of finance leaders continues to evolve. Delivering the keynote address on humanising financial leadership at the CFO East Africa leadership summit at Villa Rosa Kempinski in Nairobi, he reflected on how the expectations placed on chief financial officers have changed. The CFO East Africa Leadership Summit held at Villa Rosa Kempinski in Nairobi on 13 March, brought together the region’s finance leaders for an evening of candid reflection and shared insights. What does it mean to lead with impact? For Deloitte Consulting Tanzania finance head Relief Mtenga, aBi Finance Uganda head of finance Sonia Adibaku, L’Oréal East Africa CFO Linda Mfuchi and Ishara Towers Rwanda CFO Lilian Budandi, the answer goes far beyond the balance sheet. Ahead of International Women’s Day, the four finance leaders from across the region reflect on what it truly means to make a difference. Due diligence in the creative sector can be notoriously difficult, but emerging market infrastructure is changing the financial math. Discover how accredited platforms and technical assistance programmes like Ignite Culture are actively converting creative ventures into finance-ready SMEs. A finance leader’s real test is what happens when they are not in the room. Aerolink Uganda head of finance Dorothy Kiprono, ICEA Lion Life Assurance Uganda CFO Philip Ahabwe, and PowerUp head of finance Eva Zalwango share how they think about building teams that can carry the torch. There comes a moment in every finance executive’s career when the numbers alone cannot reveal what to do. Mi Vida Homes CFO Solomon Nzomo, Pass Trust finance director Doreen Mangesho and fractional CFO Michael Kariuki talk about the decision that tested them most and what it taught them. As the non-profit sector prepares for the first global financial reporting standard designed specifically for NPOs, finance leaders face a fundamental shift in how they demonstrate impact and accountability. Following MTN Uganda's landmark secondary market listing in 2024, Andrew Bugembe took home multiple awards at the 2025 CFO Awards for East Africa. The programmer turned finance professional explains why learning to sell was harder than learning accounting and how intentionality helps CFOs avoid burning out their teams. Dunstan delivered the keynote address at the 5th Finance Professionals Kenya (FpKE) anniversary dinner in Nairobi, drawing from his journey of leadership across six African and two Asian countries. Miriam Kaggwa’s experience spans nearly the entire spectrum of C-suite leadership. Between July and October 2025, she served as interim CEO at advertising behemoth WPP Scangroup after nine months as COO and more than a decade in senior finance roles across different markets. Dilip was recently named East Africa's CFO of the Year alongside two other major awards. Five leading organisations have signed up for corporate memberships with CFO East Africa, deepening their engagement with regional finance leaders and unlocking premium career development opportunities for their senior finance teams. What began as casual weekend training sessions became a lifeline for boys in Nairobi’s Huruma estate seeking guidance and support. Jubilee Insurance CFO Eugine Mutekhele’s basketball project now provides pathways to education and work. Returning to her alma mater 27 years after graduating, EABL group CFO Risper Genga-Ohaga called on students to define success for themselves. In finance, courage often takes the form of refusing to take the easy route. DPF Uganda FD Dr Michael Lugemwa, HEVA Fund FD Dr Karimi Ngeera and Baylor Foundation Uganda FD Marie Nassiwa Martin speak to CFO East Africa about the decisions that tested their values. Behind every milestone in Philip ole Kamwaro’s career lies a quiet faith. The Kenya Medical Practitioners and Dentists Council (KMPDC) finance head says his deep personal conviction has carried him through milestones that once felt like detours.Driving energy efficiency and ROI
Investor complacency or simply looking through the noise?
Priscilla Were steers Stanbic Bank’s sustainability transition
The Leadership Group CEO Martin Oduor-Otieno humanises finance leadership
Finance leaders at CFO Leadership Summit look inward
Four women redefining what impact means in East African finance
How festivals and funds de-risk creative investments for CFOs
Building a team that works without you
Three CFOs reveal the hardest decision they ever made
Jacaranda Health CFO Risper Ouso urges non-profits to treat INPAS as behaviour change
MTN Uganda CFO Andrew Bugembe unpacks his big wins and future plans
SBSL founder Brian Nyongesa bridges finance and tech to transform the CFO's office
MTN Rwanda CFO Dunstan Ayodele Stober’s career is a study in resilience
WPP Scangroup CFO-turned-COO Miriam Kaggwa finds power in versatility
Safaricom group CFO Dilip Pal reflects on his triple win at the 2025 CFO Awards
Five top companies sign up as CFO East Africa corporate members
Jubilee Insurance CFO Eugine Mutekhele’s love for basketball is changing lives
EABL group CFO Risper Genga-Ohaga urges graduates to choose courage
Finance leaders share the courageous tough calls that shaped them
KMPDC finance head Philip Kamwaro draws on faith to overcome adversity
Leadership
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Contact
Contact: KC Rottok Chesaina
CFO East Africa community manager
kcrottok@cfo-ea.com




