Uganda

As the 2026 CFO Awards cycle gets underway, the judges tasked with evaluating East Africa's finest finance leaders reveal what they believe will define the next generation of outstanding CFOs. WPP Scangroup COO Miriam Kaggwa, Fintech Forensics founder Shereena Wilson, RSM Tanzania founding partner Lina Ratansi, and Africa Centre for Applied Digital Health co-founder Fiona Nuwamanya share their thoughts.

Sonia walked into finance from procurement, took a pay cut to get into development finance and spearheaded a $42 million grant for young women in Uganda's coffee sector. She reveals what the work has cost her and what it has given back.

The four-hour event was packed with conversations on inspirational financial leadership, with executives going the extra mile to reveal their career-defining moments and the lessons they learnt from them.

For Uganda Breweries' senior finance team, corporate membership opens the door to year-round engagement with East Africa's most influential community of financial leaders.

When asked to share her journey into the C-suite, Aminah Galenda’s response is modest. “I might have one or two things to say.” But as the head of finance at Tropical Bank begins to share her journey, the irony is clear. Her “one or two things” are a masterclass in resilience.

Tracing his passion for commercial discipline back to his parents' business, BAT Uganda head of finance Andrew Muhangi has built a career spanning audit and corporate finance.

Fiona Nuwamanya, co-founder of Africa Centre for Applied Digital Health, brings a uniquely entrepreneurial perspective to the 2026 CFO Awards panel, shaped by her time founding and scaling a healthcare startup.

WPP Scangroup COO Miriam Kaggwa, who comes on board as a CFO Awards judge, warns that technical expertise is merely the baseline for modern finance professionals. She explains why the next generation of successful CFOs must evolve into multi-disciplinary leaders who can confidently translate complex numbers into a compelling commercial narrative

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.

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.

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.

With East Africa's creative economy suffering from fragmented intellectual property systems, finance leaders often face suppressed valuations and high risk premiums. Here is how the proposed regional EAC Creative Bill aims to standardise cross-border licensing and unlock measurable revenue streams for patient capital.

She learned her most prized skills beside her father during school holidays long before she knew she was being taught anything at all.

Finance leaders are watching closely as technological disruption and other changes redefine how organisations operate across the region. Weetabix East Africa CFO Dr Sebastian Nthama, Tropical Bank CFO Aminah Galenda and PharmAccess director of finance Charles Gachuhi reveal the shifts they believe will shape the future of business in East Africa.

She will take on the role in addition to her current position as CFO, effective March 1, 2026.

Following MTN Uganda's landmark secondary market listing in 2024, Andrew Bugembe took home multiple awards at the 2025 CFO Awards for East Africa.

Andrew assumes the role following the departure of Stephen Chikovore, who will step down from his role on 31 January.

Throughout the year, CFO East Africa provided a platform for conversations that went beyond the balance sheet. CFOs grappled with questions about their evolving role and how to lead in an era of constant disruption.

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.

2025 marked a milestone year for CFO East Africa as the community brought finance leaders across the region together for a series of events that redefined what it means to lead in uncertain times. It was a year of many firsts, with the inaugural CFO Awards, the launch of the Rwanda Chapter and the first virtual summit all underscoring the platform's growing impact.