Strategy

As the chief finance officer (CFO) of CIB Kenya since January 2021, Hesham Abdelhay has transformed the bank’s financial landscape. With a robust background in finance and strategic planning, Hesham’s journey from Cairo to Nairobi is marked by significant achievements and a relentless pursuit of excellence.

Losing her mother at the start of her career was one of the lowest moments for Catherine Ogol, CFO of Rea Vipingo Plantations, the largest sisal producer in Africa.

Veronica Magongo, head of finance at I&M Bank Tanzania, has experienced different organisational cultures during her rich career. She believes in aligning personal values with the culture of the organisation.

Orge Godana, the group CFO at Java House Africa, is greatly inspired by Indra Nooyi. She considers Indra’s book My Life in Full: Work, Family and Our Future, a must-read for every professional, women in particular.

Prior to joining Inyange Industries, FD Paul Tuyizere audited a number of manufacturing companies, which gave him insight into the sector and taught him how to handle high pressure situations.

In 2022, Rayson Foya and his colleagues took up the challenge to conquer Mount Kilimanjaro. During the process, it evoked memories of his time growing up in the area and how he worked as a porter for tourists who would pay him $40 to carry their luggage up the mountain.

Over the last 14 years in Rwanda, Wafula David Wanjala, CFO for the African operations of ContourGlobal, has been a witness to the country's remarkable evolution in the accounting landscape.

Joseph Nzou Ndisya, who has worked for PwC Kenya for his entire 22-year career, believes it is important to never lose the personal touch with employees no matter how many there are. As part of this approach, he has instituted a Next-Gen council, so younger professionals have a forum to suggest ideas and drive transformation.

Azam Media CFO Juma Kalutu took on his first leadership role at the age of 29. CFO East Africa recently caught up with the finance executive to find out more about his career journey and future plans.

As head of finance at then KenolKobil (now Rubis Energy Kenya), John Githiomi participated in investor roadshows in different parts of the world between 2017 and 2018. It was through these engagements that the French energy conglomerate, Rubis, became interested in acquiring KenolKobil and, as John was the custodian of financial information, he found himself at the centre of the acquisition.

Ash Makau, regional CFO for Africa and Europe at Volcafe, has furthered his expertise with certificates in Sustainability for Finance and Digital Innovation for Finance, showcasing a commitment to staying at the forefront of industry trends.

Chemutai Murgor is the CFO of Standard Chartered Bank: East Africa Cluster and the finance director of Standard Chartered Bank: Kenya. She speaks to CFO East Africa about her leadership journey, her work priorities and strategy insights from holding these positions for close to 17 years.

At 30 years old, Pathcare Kenya CFO Stephen Kimani is one of the youngest people in the organisation. He has been able to command the respect of his colleagues by ensuring that he demonstrates expert knowledge.

As CFO of the African Institute for Mathematical Sciences (AIMS) Global Network, Rana Auditto oversees five African countries and offices in Canada, the UK, and Germany - all from Rwanda.

Growing up in Voi Town, Kenya, Adili Group CEO Shital Shah had a bit of an unconventional upbringing: the Tsavo National Park was her weekend visit and the family had a baby elephant for a pet!

Taking inspiration from family members in finance, Ezekiel Lovililo, the CFO of Nicol Tanzania, has rapidly risen through the ranks, deepening his knowledge in both the private and public sectors.

Early in her career, one pivotal moment shaped Theresa Salvatori's perspective on leadership: A performance review, initially perceived as a sting, turned out to be a profound lesson for the former CFO of Kone East Africa.

"CFOs thrive when they are placed in a flat rather than a purely hierarchical structure." This is according to Africa Legal Network (ALN) CFO Timothy Thaiting’a.

At MTN, CFO Andrew Bugembe has been through the trenches across the African continent, the least of his challenges being culture shock.

KCB Group finance director Lawrence Kimathi celebrated the growth in the bank’s balance sheet after the company reached historic milestones in total assets and net loans advanced.