Equity Group has tapped long serving Equity Bank Uganda Managing Director Samuel Kirubi as its Group Chief Operating Officer (COO).
Mr Kirubi joined Equity Bank in 2001 and previously served as Chief Operations Officer in Equity Bank South Sudan from 2009.
He was then promoted as the funding Managing Director of Equity Bank South Sudan before he was redeployed to Equity’s Uganda subsidiary in the same position in 2015.
He steered the subsidiary from loss making to the 5th most profitable bank in Uganda and the third most profitable subsidiary of Equity after Kenya and Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC).
Equity Bank Uganda has appointed Anthony Kituka, the current Executive Director, as the new Managing Director.
In a statement, the lender said Mr Kirubi will oversee the enhancement of the bank’s capacity to deliver on its strategy by aligning people, processes, systems, commercial business and business risk to customers’ aspirations.
It said the new GCOO will work with all the banking subsidiaries to “deliver globally benchmarked exceptional banking services and solutions and leverage on technology to drive efficiency and seamless customer experience characterized by ease and convenience of lifestyle”.
“The Board has expressed confidence in Mr Kirubi’s capability, experience and deep knowledge of the transition culture in taking up this responsibility at a critical time of the bank’s growth and expansion,” said Equity Group Chief Executive James Mwangi on the appointment.
Speaking on his appointment, Mr Kirubi said his vast experience within the Equity Group has adequately prepared him for his new role.
I am delighted and humbled at the opportunity afforded to me by the board to steer the Group’s operations across the Group. My tour of duty in South Sudan where I was in charge of Operations, then moved to Equity Bank Rwanda as the first Managing Director before being assigned to turn around Equity Bank Uganda has indeed prepared me for the role of Group Chief Operating Officer,” said Mr Kirubi.
“My commitment to the Board is that I will uphold their expectations and work with my colleagues in taking Equity to the next level as we focus our eyes to making Equity the home of 100 million customers.”
He holds a Master’s Degree in Business Administration from Moi University and a BA in Economics and Statistics from Egerton University.
He is also a graduate of Advanced Management Program (Strathmore IESE Business School, Barcelona Spain).
