Our Leadership

Dr. Kinyua is the immediate former Head of Public Service. He has had an illustrious career spanning over 44 years in public service and has a wealth of experience in public administration. He is credited with the effectively holding a pivotal role in implementing key government initiatives and reforms including the liberalization of the banking sector, the foreign exchange market and the trade and capital accounts of the balance of payments among other initiatives.

Prior to his appointment as the Head of Public Services in 2013, he had served in various senior positions in the government, including as Permanent Secretary to the National Treasury.

The Government of Kenya has maintained varied levels of ownership in the company since acquisition in 1970. This has been managed through the Office of the Cabinet Secretary Treasury (formerly, Permanent Secretary Treasury). Below is a chronology of the evolution in the ownership:

1. The Government of Kenya acquired 100% shareholding in National and Grindlays Bank in 1970 and re-named it Kenya Commercial Bank (now KCB Group Plc)

2. In 1998, the Government sold 20% of its shares at the NSE through an IPO that saw 120,000 new shareholders acquire the company

3. The Government sold 10%, 10% and 25% in 1990,1996 and 1998 respectively, reducing its shareholding to 35%

4. A series of rights issues in 2004, 2008 and 2010 were conducted by the company, with proceeds channeled towards growing the business and financing regional expansion. The Government opted not to take up its rights effectively diluting its ownership to 26.2%, 23.6% and 17.3% respectively

5. The Board in 2016 introduced a scrip dividend where shareholders received dividends partly in cash and partly as additional shares. The Government took up this offer, marginally increasing its shareholding to the current level of 17.5%.

6. In 2019, KCB Group Plc concluded the acquisition of National Bank of Kenya via swap shares. From the transaction, the C.S. National Treasury, being a shareholder of National Bank, received additional KCB Group Plc shares increasing the total shareholding from 17.5% to 19.76%.

Lawrence holds a Bachelor of Commerce (Accounting) degree from Kenyatta University and is a member of the Institute of Certified Public Accountants of Kenya (CPA-K). He has over 20 year’s senior management experience in business strategy, finance, commercial, audit and accounting. He worked at Standard Media Group Kenya Limited as Assistant Group Commercial Director and also served as Group Financial Controller in the same Group. Prior to this, he worked as a senior auditor at KPMG East Africa.

OTHER DIRECTORSHIPS: Lawrence is a non-executive director of Kenya Seed Company Limited where he chairs the Audit committee. He also serves as the Chairman of Simlaw Seeds Company Limited.

Ahmed Mohamud Mohamed is an advocate of the High Court of Kenya and an experienced commercial lawyer specializing in financing agreements and Islamic finance, corporate law, and transactions agreements. He holds a Masters Degree in Law (LLM) and Bachelors of Law Degree (LLB) from the University of Liverpool in the United Kingdom and a Post Graduate Diploma in Law from the College of Law, London, England.

Alice Kirenge holds a BCom. in Management and MBA in Strategic Marketing. She is a Fellow of the Life Management Institute (FLMI) USA, a qualified Underwriter, and an Associate in Customer Service. In addition, she has qualifications in Project Management, Enterprise Development and is an Alumnus of Strathmore Business School and the Babson Business School – Boston, Mass USA.

She has several years’ experience in senior management roles in the Corporate World with close to 30 years in the Insurance/Financial services sector. Her experience in the insurance industry includes serving as the General Manager at Monarch Insurance Company, the Director of Operations at CFC Life Insurance Company. She has also had a stint in banking with the CFC Bank Group and also served as General Manager in Health Care and Property Development sectors.

She is a Founder member of the Starehe Girls Centre and has served on the Women’s Enterprises International Board. She currently sits on the Board of Sokoni Women’s Development Initiative and Lamu Port South Sudan Ethiopia Transport (LAPSSET) Corridor Board where she serves as the Chair of the Finance and Administration Committee. She is a member of the Institute of Directors (IoD).

Ms. Anuja Pandit holds a Masters in Strategic Management from the United States International University (USIU), Nairobi; a Bachelor of Science, in Accounting and Finance, United States International University (USIU), Nairobi; and an ACI Dealing Certificate from the ACI Financial Markets Association.

A senior banker of almost two decades, Anuja has several years of experience leading diverse teams in Sub-Sahara Africa, having worked with Citibank as Vice President in their Fixed Income, Currencies & Commodities (FICC) Sales, and most recently as their Regional Director, driving their digital Strategy in automated trading systems for their Institutional and Corporate Client Base. She has had further experience in leading teams in Africa, that developed and executed strategic business initiatives that delivered revenue and market growth in Sub-Sahara Africa, encompassing foreign exchange products and investment portfolios for their regional, multi-national and local clientele. Anuja currently runs her own consultancy helping property management companies streamline operations and compliance.

Paul Russo, EBS, is the Chief Executive Officer of KCB Group PLC, appointed in May 2022. He is a member of the Boards of KCB Group PLC, KCB Bank Kenya, National Bank of Kenya (NBK), KCB Investment Bank, KCB Foundation, BPR Bank Rwanda Plc and Trust Merchant Bank (TMB). He is also a member of the Kenya Bankers Association Governing Council, the banking industry lobby.

Paul also sits in the Boards of the National Investment Council, Presidential Taskforce on the establishment of a National Lottery and the National Steering Committee on Drought Response, appointed by Kenya’s President William Ruto. He is also a member of Steering Committee for the World Rally Championship (WRC) Safari Rally Project.

He was feted with a state commendation- Elder of the Order of the Burning Spear (EBS) by the President for his immense contribution in Kenya’s financial services sector. He also serves in the United Nations Environment Programme Finance (UNEP-FI) Leadership Council, joining other global leaders in mainstreaming and deepening sustainability integration across the financial industry.

He is responsible for overseeing the transformation of KCB Group into the undisputed leader in the financial services sector and a customer-focused financial powerhouse. He has extensive experience in banking, strategy, operational and people management. Paul is passionate about transforming the lives of communities, entrenching sustainable business practices and empowering people. “We must drive and deliver meaningful change and contribution in the society. At the end of the day, to claim success, we must challenge the status quo, take deliberate steps that may be outside our comfort zone to create a lasting and sustainable impact to the lives of the communities which we serve.”

Previously, Paul served as the Regional Business Director, KCB Group Plc, and the MD NBK. A HR practioner, he has close to 25 years of work experience spanning executive and key roles including Group HR Director, KCB. He has served in other big corporates such as Barclays, PwC, K-Rep Bank, EABL, and Unga Holdings. He holds an MBA from Strathmore University Business School and a Bachelor of Business Management from Moi University. He also has a senior executive program for Africa Certificate from Harvard Business School.

Lawrence joined KCB Group in May 2015 as the Chief Finance Officer. He has over 20 years senior leadership experience having worked in a number of multinational organization which include BAT, AIG and East Africa Breweries both in Kenya and UK.

Lawrence Kimathi holds a Masters in Business Administration (MBA) with a merit from Warwick Business School UK, a Bachelor of Science degree majoring in accounting from United States International University – Africa (USIU) and is a Certified Public Accountant of Kenya, CPA (K). He is a member of the Institute of Certified Public Accountants of Kenya and Institute of Directors. His senior leadership experience spans over 25 years having worked as Finance Director/CFO in a number of multinational organizations which include Cadbury East and Central Africa, AIG, East Africa Breweries Limited, BAT Sub Sahara Africa and BAT PLC in London.

OTHER DIRECTORSHIPS: Lawrence serves in the KCB Uganda board and is a trustee of the KCB Staff Pension Fund defined benefit scheme.