20 •
The Lion King
• April - June 2015
“a global bank
with local expertise”
UBA Kenya’s CEO, Mr. Isaac
Mwige, is an erudite banker
with a wealth of experience
drawn from corporate and
retail banking, having worked
in various capacities in East
and West Africa picking sig-
nificant banking and people
management skills. These
skills are what he has con-
tinued to bring to bear in
catalyzing the growth of UBA
Kenya to new highs since
assuming the leadership role
of the bank.
M
wige obtained his first degree
in Business Administration
from the University of Eastern
Africa, Baraton and a Masters degree
in International Business Administration
from the United States International
University.
He is strongly optimistic about the
Kenyan economy. “Kenya is a fast-
growing economy and with great
potential.” This optimism about Kenya,
he says, is the reason why no business
should fail in the country.
He reveals that UBA focus in Kenya is
“geared towards making UBA Kenya
a household brand through offering
solutions that the average Kenyan
can relate to and embrace.”
Mwige does not believe that the occa-
sional security issues in Kenya detract
from the country’s potential. “Kenya
is relatively a very peaceful country.
With the exception of 2007 where
we had countrywide clashes,
conflict is restricted to the North
of the country near the boarders
with South Sudan, Ethiopia and
Somalia. Our Government is imple-
menting measures to stem this inse-
curity menace and ensure that it
becomes a thing of the past soon.”
Mwige also admits that it
has not always been
smooth sailing for
UBA Kenya. “UBA
Kenya has been
in operation for
the last six years
during which
time, we have
faced many
hurdles
that
hampered our
growth
and
curtailed our
performance.
We
have
learned from our earlier shortcomings
and are determined to turn things
around. I believe in the strategy we
have set and in the staff of UBA Kenya
to keep us headed on the right track.”
Competition in the banking environ-
ment has been tough but he says that
strategies have been deployed that
help UBA Kenya successfully navigate
the challenges.
“Hedging against competition has
seen us embark on a number of ini-
tiatives with a view to improving the
Bank’s profile and profitability. Among
them is Agency banking, whereby the
bank is contracting agents to provide
banking services in areas where we
do not have physical branches. The
Bank has also embarked on building
relationships with government institu-
tions and key players in major sec-
tors of the economy. Through these
partnerships, the Bank is well placed
to grow and play a leading role in the
Kenyan economy.”
According to Mwige, UBA Kenya is
cognisant of the advantages that
come from the presence of the great
Pan African Bank in 19 African coun-
tries. The Bank has been able to utilise
this presence to serve a number of
multinational organisations doing busi-
ness in multiple countries.
“UBA’s reach remains a great oppor-
tunity for us to utilise. We are a global
bank with local expertise. To us, this
rings true.”
Some of the unique initiatives that
UBA Kenya has embarked on recently
to win greater market share, he says,
include; the introduction of a Chinese
desk at UBA Kenya that caters to
Chinese clients and potential clients
in their native language if need be,
providing them with quality customer
experience.
Growing the Seed
| Isaac Mwige
Isaac Mwige
MD/CEO, UBA Kenya
