Job Title: managing director
Company: Old Mutual Life Assurance Kenya
Martin Karenju is the managing director of Old Mutual Life Kenya. He assumed the role in July 2025 after serving as GM of finance and strategy, chief operations officer, and group head of strategy.
Martin began his career as an actuarial assistant at Old Mutual Kenya in December 2007. He was promoted to senior actuarial assistant in November 2008 and later to actuarial supervisor in July 2010. In July 2012, he joined Old Mutual South Africa as a senior actuarial specialist. He remained in that role until February 2014, when he was appointed as actuarial expert within the same organisation.
He returned to Old Mutual Kenya in July 2014 as strategy executive for East Africa, a position he held the position for over four years before being promoted to group head of strategy for East Africa in December 2018. He later became chief operations officer for the life business in December 2023 and was appointed GM finance and strategy in July 2024. He served in the role for a year before taking up his current position.
Martin holds a BSc in actuarial science from the University of Nairobi and an MBA from Heriot-Watt University. He is also a fellow of the Institute and Faculty of Actuaries.
Work
2025 – present: managing director – Life, Old Mutual Kenya
2024 – 2025: GM finance and strategy – Life, Old Mutual Kenya
2023 – 2024: chief operations officer – Life, Old Mutual Kenya
2018 – 2023: group head of strategy – East Africa, Old Mutual Kenya
2014 – 2018: strategy executive – East Africa, Old Mutual Kenya
2014 – 2014: actuarial expert, Old Mutual South Africa
2012 – 2014: senior actuarial specialist, Old Mutual South Africa
2010 – 2012: actuarial supervisor, Old Mutual Kenya
2008 – 2010: senior actuarial assistant, Old Mutual Kenya
2007 – 2008: actuarial assistant, Old Mutual Kenya
Education
2018 – 2019: MBA, Heriot-Watt University
2006 – 2013: actuarial science, Institute and Faculty of Actuaries
2003 – 2007: BSc, actuarial science University of Nairobi
Old Mutual Kenya
Old Mutual Kenya is a diversified financial services provider offering life insurance, asset management, retirement benefits, and investment solutions. It is part of Old Mutual Limited, a pan-African group headquartered in South Africa.
