KCB Group Plc is one of Kenya’s largest banking groups, operating across several African markets, with a leadership structure that brings together a board of directors and a senior executive team responsible for the group’s day-to-day operations.
At the centre of the structure is Group Chief Executive Officer(CEO)Paul Russo, who works alongside the group’s executive management team and the board.
KCB’s official leadership page currently lists 13 members of its Group Executive Management, while its Group Board of Directors includes the chairperson, non-executive directors and senior executives.
Paul Russo — KCB Group CEO
Paul Russo, EBS, has served as KCB Group’s Chief Executive Officer since May 2022.
He is a member of the boards of KCB Group, KCB Bank Kenya, National Bank of Kenya, KCB Investment Bank, KCB Foundation, BPR Bank Rwanda and Trust Merchant Bank.
Russo also represents the banking industry through the Kenya Bankers Association Governing Council.
Beyond KCB, he has served on several public-sector and national committees, including the National Investment Council, the Presidential Taskforce on the establishment of a National Lottery and the National Steering Committee on Drought Response.
He was awarded the Elder of the Order of the Burning Spear (EBS) for his contribution to Kenya’s financial services sector.
Before becoming Group CEO, Russo served as Regional Business Director at KCB Group and Managing Director of National Bank of Kenya. His career in banking and human resources spans nearly 25 years and includes senior positions at Barclays, PwC, K-Rep Bank, East African Breweries and Unga Holdings.
He holds an MBA from Strathmore University Business School and a Bachelor of Business Management from Moi University. He also completed a senior executive programme for Africa at Harvard Business School.
Annastacia Kimtai — Managing Director, KCB Bank Kenya
Annastacia Kimtai is the Managing Director of KCB Bank Kenya, the group’s main banking subsidiary.
She has more than 25 years of banking experience, including more than a decade in senior management and strategic leadership positions.
Before becoming Managing Director, Kimtai served as Director of Retail Banking, where she oversaw more than 210 branches across Kenya.
She sits on the boards of KCB Bank Kenya and KCB Foundation. She serves on several KCB Bank Kenya board committees, including the Credit Committee, Strategy and Digital Committee, and Audit Committee. She is also a non-executive director of the Kenya Mortgage Refinance Company.
Lawrence Kimathi — Group Finance Director
Lawrence Kimathi is the Group Finance Director and one of the key executives responsible for the group’s financial management.
He has more than 25 years of senior leadership experience in finance.
Before joining KCB, Kimathi was Group Supply Chain Finance Director at East African Breweries Limited. He previously held senior positions at BAT, including Head of Finance for Eastern Europe, Middle East and Africa, based in London, and Finance Director for BAT Sub-Saharan Africa.
He sits on the board of the Central Depository and Settlement Corporation and is a member of the UN Global Compact CFO Coalition.
Kimathi holds an MBA from Warwick Business School in the United Kingdom, a Bachelor of Science in Accounting from USIU-Africa, and is a Certified Public Accountant of Kenya.
Cosmas Kimario — Regional Businesses Director
Cosmas Kimario is the Acting Group Regional Businesses Director and Managing Director of KCB Bank Tanzania.
He joined the position of Group Regional Businesses Director in January 2023.
Kimario has more than 25 years of experience in finance and treasury, with a career spanning major international financial markets.
He has worked with Citigroup in the United States, United Kingdom, Nigeria, Senegal, Kenya and Tanzania.
Japheth Achola — Group Human Resource Director
Japheth Achola has served as KCB Group’s Human Resource Director since July 2019.
He has more than 19 years of experience in human resources, including senior positions at Allianz Africa, Ecobank Transnational Incorporated, Safaricom and Citibank.
His previous roles included Africa Regional HR Director at Allianz Africa, Head of HR Operations and Employee Shared Services at Safaricom, and senior HR positions covering several African markets.
Achola holds a Master’s degree in Human Resource Management and Training from the University of Leicester, a postgraduate certificate in Human Resource Management from the University of Wales and a Bachelor of Education from Kenyatta University.
Bonnie Okumu — Group General Counsel
Bonnie Okumu has served as KCB Group’s Group General Counsel since January 2021.
She previously served as Director of Legal Services after joining KCB as Head of Legal Services in 2014.
Before KCB, Okumu was Chief Legal and Regulatory Affairs Officer and Company Secretary at Telkom Kenya.
She previously served as General Counsel and Company Secretary at Unilever Kenya, overseeing legal and company secretarial functions across nine operating companies in seven countries in East and Southern Africa.
Rosalind Gichuru — Marketing and Communication Director
Rosalind Gichuru is the Group Director of Marketing and Communication.
She was appointed to the position in August 2021 after joining KCB from NCBA Group, where she held a similar role.
Gichuru has more than two decades of experience and has previously worked at NIC Group, Coca-Cola SABCO, The Coca-Cola Company, and Gillette, now part of Procter & Gamble.
She holds an MBA from Northeastern University in Boston and a Bachelor of Commerce from McMaster University in Canada. She is also a certified executive coach.
Charles Lang’at — Group Director, Shared Services
Charles Kipngetich Lang’at serves as Group Director, Shared Services at KCB.
He has more than 28 years of experience in finance, audit and corporate governance.
Lang’at previously worked as an audit manager at PwC, Financial Controller at BOC Kenya, Head of Internal Audit at Bamburi Cement, and Divisional Director at Sovereign Group before joining KCB in 2013.
He holds an MBA in Finance from Heriot-Watt University in the United Kingdom and a Bachelor of Commerce in Accounting from the University of Nairobi.
Dennis Volemi — Group Director, Technology
Dennis Volemi leads technology at KCB Group. He was appointed Group Director of Technology in October 2023.
Volemi has more than 18 years of experience in technology and business leadership across telecommunications, media, entertainment, and financial services.
Before joining KCB, he was Chief Information and Digital Officer at Diamond Trust Bank. He previously served as Group Chief Information Officer at Equity Group and held senior positions at NCBA, Wananchi Group and Safaricom.
He holds a Bachelor of Science degree from Kenyatta University and completed a senior management leadership programme at Strathmore University.
Faith Basiye — Group Chief Risk Officer
Faith Basiye is KCB Group’s Chief Risk Officer, a position she took up in July 2024. She previously headed Forensic Services at KCB.
Her previous roles include Senior Fraud Manager at Safaricom, Forensic Manager at KPMG, and forensic investigation work at the Kenya Anti-Corruption Commission.
She holds a Bachelor of Laws degree and a postgraduate diploma in legal studies. She is also a Certified Public Secretary, Certified Fraud Examiner and Computer Forensics Expert.
Andrew Lisero — Group Director of Audit
Andrew Lisero was appointed Group Director of Audit in September 2024.
Before the appointment, he was Head of Operations Audit at KCB Bank Kenya.
Lisero has more than 20 years of audit experience and previously held senior positions in the banking sector and at PwC.
His academic qualifications include an MBA from Strathmore University, a Pan-African Executive MBA from IESE Business School in Spain, and a Bachelor of Commerce in Finance from the University of Nairobi.
Mark Mwongela Ngungi — Strategy and Innovation Director
Mark Mwongela Ngungi was appointed Group Director of Strategy and Innovation in May 2025.
He joined KCB from PayPal, where he served as Regional Director for Enterprise Sales and Business Development for the Middle East and Africa.
He previously held a role at financial technology company Pesapal, where he served as Chief Executive Officer.
Ngungi holds an MBA in Strategic Management from Strathmore Business School and a Bachelor of Science in Computer Science from Jomo Kenyatta University of Agriculture and Technology.
Anthony Mulisa — Group Director, Treasury
Anthony Mulisa is the Group Director of Treasury and was appointed to the position in March 2024.
He has more than 28 years of banking experience, including more than two decades in treasury roles across African markets.
Mulisa has worked in treasury positions at Barclays and Absa, as well as National Bank of Commerce in Tanzania.
He holds a Bachelor of Science in Financial Services from the University of Manchester and an MBA from Manchester Business School.
Inside KCB’s Boardroom
While the executive team handles the group’s day-to-day management, the KCB Group Board of Directors provides oversight and governance.
The current KCB Group leadership page lists FCS Dr Joseph Kinyua as Group Chairman, alongside Geoffrey Malombe, Lawrence Njiru, Ahmed Mohamud, Anuja Pandit, Agnes Lutukai, William Asiko, Lyn Mengich, Paul Russo, Lawrence Kimathi and Bonnie Okumu.
Joseph Kinyua — Group Chairman
FCS Dr Joseph Kinyua, EGH, is the Group Chairman, a role he took over in March, 2023.
Kinyua is the immediate former Head of Public Service and has more than four decades of experience in public administration and economic management.
Before becoming Head of Public Service in 2013, he served in senior government positions, including Permanent Secretary at the National Treasury.
He also held positions at the Central Bank of Kenya and worked as an economist with the International Monetary Fund.
Geoffrey Malombe — National Treasury Representative
Geoffrey Malombe represents the National Treasury on the KCB Group Board. He was appointed as a Director in December 2022.
He has held senior government positions, including Senior Deputy Accountant General and Director of the National Assets and Liabilities Management Department.
Malombe holds master’s degrees in International Studies and Business Administration from the University of Nairobi and a Bachelor of Science in Agricultural Economics from Egerton University.
He is a member of ICPAK and has served on several boards, including the Kenya Medical Research Institute, Kenya School of Law, Consolidated Bank of Kenya and the Kenya Defence University.
Lawrence Njiru — Board Director
Lawrence Njiru is a KCB Group director with extensive experience in finance, accounting, audit, and corporate management.
He has served in senior management roles at Standard Media Group and previously worked as a senior auditor at KPMG East Africa.
He holds a Bachelor of Commerce degree in Accounting from Kenyatta University and is a member of ICPAK.
Njiru has also held board leadership positions at Kenya Seed Company and Simlaw Seeds.
Ahmed Mohamud — Board Director
Ahmed Mohamud is an advocate of the High Court of Kenya and specializes in commercial law, financing agreements, Islamic finance, and corporate transactions.
He holds an LLB and LLM from the University of Liverpool and a postgraduate diploma in law from the College of Law in London.
Anuja Pandit — Board Director
Anuja Pandit is a senior banker with more than two decades of experience in financial markets and digital treasury transformation.
She previously worked with Citibank, where she held senior roles in global markets and digital strategy.
Pandit holds an MBA in Strategic Management and a Bachelor of Science in Accounting and Finance from USIU.
She currently runs a consulting business focused on property management solutions.
Agnes Lutukai — Board Director
Agnes Lutukai is a chartered accountant with more than 35 years of experience, much of it at KPMG.
She spent 24 years at partner level and held leadership positions at KPMG in East Africa, South Africa and Nigeria.
She has also served in financial-sector regulatory and professional committees in Nigeria.
Lutukai is a fellow of ICPAK and is a member of the Institute of Certified Secretaries of Kenya.
William Asiko — Board Director
William Asiko is Vice President for Africa at the Rockefeller Foundation, a position he has held since 2019.
His career has included public service, private-sector leadership and philanthropy.
He previously worked as a State Counsel for the Kenyan government, as a partner at Hamilton Harrison & Mathews, and held senior positions at Coca-Cola, including President of The Coca-Cola Africa Foundation.
Asiko holds an LLB from the University of Nairobi and an MBA from Emory University’s Goizueta Business School.
He joined the KCB Group Board in 2024.
Lyn Mengich — Board Director
Lyn Mengich is a corporate governance and human resources specialist who has held senior positions in both the public and private sectors.
Her previous roles include HR Director at KCB, HR Director at Barclays, Talent Manager at Shell, and HR Director at SmithKline Beecham.
She has also served as Chairperson of the Salaries and Remuneration Commission (SRC)n, a board member of NSSF and Jamii Bora Bank, and Vice Chairperson of the Kenya Institute of Bankers.
Mengich joined the KCB Group Board in February 2026.
The KCB Group Board also includes three members who hold senior executive positions within the group — Group CEO Paul Russo, Group Finance Director Lawrence Kimathi and Group General Counsel Bonnie Okumu.
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A diverse leadership can make a real difference. A wealth of experience stands out behind this leadership team. Each leader brings a different perspective and depth of experience, from finance and regional banking to digital strategy and human resources.