Leadership

With a surname like Kerich, it surprises no one in his rural Bomet that Baraka is working for a hospital group today (kerich means medicine in the Kipsigis language). But the CFO of Gertrude’s Hospital Group did not see this coming.

Shereena Wilson is a Rwanda-based fractional CFO. She initiated her freelancing journey in 2020, and is part of a growing trend of professionals finding fulfilment in remote freelancing.

Very few people will serve as CFO of a major bank and CFO of a national airline before the age of thirty-five. It is indeed a rarity and Andrew Ssekamwa, CFO of Uganda Airlines, is definitely an achiever for having accomplished this feat.

During his childhood, Unga CFO James Nyutu spent most of his weekends and school holidays working in his mother's general store, and this sparked a keen interest in money matters that led him to develop a liking for mathematics.

Haytham Ammar was late last year appointed CFO of M-Pesa Africa. CFO East Africa recently caught up with him, to chat about his career and the reasons behind his move to the mobile money company.

Caroline Nderitu’s father wanted her to work with a gavel in hand – as a judge. But she had other ideas, which led her to becoming the finance director at Minet Kenya at the astonishingly young age of 35.

Reverien Mutangana, director of finance and administration at EPC Africa-CEC, believes that specialisation positions finance leaders as competent professionals in-country and also opens doors to international opportunities.

Having been fascinated by planes from a young age, ICEA LION Life Assurance CFO Kevin Nyakeri’s desire growing up was to be a pilot.

Flora Makule, the CFO of Reliance Insurance Tanzania has former first lady Anna Mkapa to thank for her accounting career.

Wangeci Kanjama, a long-term executive at Safaricom Group and M-Pesa Africa, is leaving the Vodacom telecommunications family to join Spiro as the Group CFO, effective November 2023.

Abraham Ongenge is excited by the professional and personal opportunity to redefine the banking experience in Kenya in his new role as head of Personal and Private banking (subject to regulatory approval).