Kenya Bankers Association has launched the search for its next chief executive on the retirement of Habil Olaka who was at the helm for 14 years. He left on March 31.
Beginning April, Raimond Molenje, the lobby’s director of legal, HR and policy advocacy was appointed as the acting CEO.
In a vacancy notice by Deloitte on behalf of the lobby representing 46 financial institutions, the KBA is keen on hiring “a strong, dynamic and visionary leader to drive change, innovation, and transformation of the Association.”
The KBA is recruiting the new captain at a time it has just re-appointed the lobby’s chairman John Gachora—the NCBA chief executive—for another term. The lobby seeks to hire a CEO who will build strong relationships through advocacy with the banking business community “and institutionalise a sustainability plan within the Association,” the notice says.
It seeks at least a Bachelor’s degree for the role, knowledge in banking and possession of “a strong track record of leading, managing and motivating staff towards high productivity”.
Interested candidates have up to July 5 to apply for the position that is expected to attract a lot of interest and competition, especially going by the strong industry performance in the past few years.
The new CEO will be taking over at a time a number of Kenyan banks are eyeing a presence in the recently expanded East African Community (EAC), steps that are presenting a new challenge for senior banking managers.
According to industry report for 2023, more than 10 lenders, including Equity, KCB, NCBA, and Stanbic Bank have units in the region covering Kenya, Uganda, Tanzania, Rwanda, Burundi, South Sudan and the DRC.
For the year ended September 2023, the industry reported a reduced profit before tax of Sh177 billion from Sh187 billion a year earlier while the total industry assets rose to Sh7.4 trillion from Sh6.4 trillion.
editor@aplain.co.ke
