I&M Group PLC has appointed Abdi Mohamed as the incoming Chief Executive Officer of I&M Bank Kenya. The appointment, announced on Monday, is subject to approval by the Central Bank of Kenya (CBK) and comes just hours after Absa Bank Kenya confirmed Mohamed would step down as its Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer on June 30, ending a three-year tenure at the lender.
Abdi Mohamed’s move from Absa Bank Kenya to I&M Bank Kenya places him among an exclusive group of executives who have served as chief executive at multiple commercial banks, a transition that remains uncommon in Kenya’s highly regulated banking industry.
They include:
- Joshua Oigara
Joshua Oigara is among Kenya’s best-known banking executives. He served as Group CEO of KCB Group between 2013 and 2022, overseeing growth in the bank’s balance sheet from about KES300 billion to more than KES1 trillion. During his tenure, KCB completed the acquisitions of National Bank of Kenya and BPR Bank Rwanda while expanding digital lending through products such as KCB M-Pesa.
Following his departure from KCB, Oigara was appointed Chief Executive Officer of Stanbic Bank Kenya and South Sudan, becoming one of the few executives to move directly between two Tier-1 banking groups.
- Adan Mohamed
Before joining Kenya’s Cabinet, Adan Mohamed built his career in banking. He served as Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of Standard Chartered Bank Kenya before being promoted to lead the lender’s West Africa operations, overseeing several markets including Nigeria.
- Kihara Maina
Kihara Maina first served as Managing Director and CEO of Barclays Bank Tanzania before joining I&M Bank Kenya in 2016 as Chief Executive Officer. He led the Kenyan lender for seven years before moving into the position of Group Regional CEO. He currently serves as interim CEO of I&M Bank Kenya pending Mohamed’s appointment.
- Jeremy Ngunze
Jeremy Ngunze served as Chief Executive Officer of Commercial Bank of Africa (CBA) before the lender merged with NIC Bank to form NCBA Group. Following the merger, he became Group Executive Director for Regional Business, overseeing operations across several markets within the expanded banking group.
- Rebecca Mbithi
Rebecca Mbithi led Family Bank Kenya between 2019 and 2023, guiding the lender through the COVID-19 period and the subsequent recovery. In February 2026, she was appointed Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of Ecobank Kenya.
Regional Banking Leaders
Sanjeev Anand served as Managing Director and CEO of I&M Bank Rwanda before taking over Banque Populaire du Rwanda (BPR) during a restructuring period following Atlas Mara’s investment. He later became Group Chief Executive Officer of BancABC’s parent company, overseeing banking subsidiaries across Southern and Eastern Africa.
Maurice Toroitich helped establish KCB Bank Rwanda as its founding Managing Director before taking executive responsibilities linked to the integration of Banque Populaire du Rwanda following KCB Group’s acquisition.
Lamin Manjang has held chief executive roles across Standard Chartered’s international network, serving in Sierra Leone, Uganda, Kenya and later Oman. During his tenure in Kenya, he also served as Regional Head for East Africa.
Charles Mudiwa spent more than two decades within Standard Bank Group, leading Stanbic Bank Malawi, Stanbic Bank Zambia and Stanbic Bank Uganda before retiring in 2022.
West Africa’s Banking Leaders
Ghanaian banker Albert Essien served as Managing Director of Ecobank Ghana before becoming Group Chief Executive Officer of Ecobank Transnational Incorporated (ETI), overseeing operations in more than 30 African countries during a period of governance reforms.
Segun Agbaje led Guaranty Trust Bank from 2011 before becoming Group Chief Executive Officer of Guaranty Trust Holding Company (GTCO) following the group’s restructuring into a financial holding company. He now oversees banking and financial services businesses operating across several African markets.
Jefferson Wachira is a writer at Africa Digest News, specializing in banking and finance trends, and their impact on African economies.