CEO Today Africa Awards

CEO TODAY AFRICA AWARDS 2020 40 Kenya James Mwangi Group Managing Director and CEO of Equity Bank Firm Profile On 31st December, 2014, Equity Building Society, as it had previously been known as, became Equity Group Holdings Limited, a non-operating holding company, after undergoing a process of restructuring, so as to further meet its objectives. In 1984, Equity Building Society - now the bank arm of the group - was founded, and has recorded various key milestones through the years. In 2004, it converted into a fully-fledged commercial bank, Equity Bank Limited (EBL). The Group has over time established itself as a Social and Economic brand, scaling on both fronts, owing to its unique approach. The Group has impacted the lives of people in communities, at grassroots level by operating using existing infrastructure, strategic partnerships and a strong brand. Its strategic initiatives and innovations are geared towards improvement of access, convenience and affordability of financial services to people. This has seen the group grow into a regional diversified services firm, while maintaining an impressive growth momentum and upward trajectory. About James Mwangi James holds five honorary doctorate degrees in recognition of his positive impact to the Kenyan society. He holds a Bachelor of Commerce degree and is a Certified Public Accountant. He has been honoured thrice with National Presidential Awards: The First Class Chief of the Order of the Burning Spear (CBS), the Moran of the Burning Spear (MBS) and Head of State Commendation (HSC). On the global front, Dr. Mwangi won the G8 Global Vision Award, 2007. He was named among the Top 50 Emerging Market Business Leaders and the 20 most influential people in Africa in 2011; the World Entrepreneur of the Year by Ernst & Young in 2012; the Forbes Africa Person of the Year in 2012 and was recently named in the Bloomberg 50 list of people who defined 2019 globally. On the regional front, he was also recognized as the Africa Investor Awards, CEO of the Year in 2009 and 2015; Innovation Leader of the Year in 2012; African Business Leader of the year in 2013 and African Banker of the Year on 2010, 2011 and 2017 at the African Banker Awards. Dr. Mwangi was also named the Banker of the Year during the Banker Africa (East Africa) Awards in 2017 & 2018. Locally, he has received the Think Business CEO of the Year award for the last 3 years. James has served on board and advisory roles at the Global Advisory Council for VISA Inc., The Clinton Global Initiative for Global Development, the G20 Advisory Board of Agriculture and Initiative for Global Development, and The Global Agenda Council on New Economic Thinking of the World Economic Forum from 2003-2007. He served as the Founding Chair of Kenya’s Vision 2030 from inception 2007 to 2019. He currently serves on several international bodies as an advisor and was recently appointed to the Nairobi Advisory Board of Columbia Global Centres. He is a Board member of the Economic Advisory Board of the International Finance Corporation (IFC), The Mastercard MEA Advisory Board, the Africa Leadership Academy in South Africa, the Global Alliance for Food Security and Nutrition and is the Chancellor of Meru University College of Science and Technology. www.equitygroupholdings.com