When it comes to Kenya’s banking sector, the success of a financial institution is always as good as the person leading it. And in Kenya, one of the most respected and celebrated banking leaders is Dr. Gideon Muriuki.
Dr. Muriuki is the is the Group Managing Director & CEO, Executive Director, and Member of the Board of Management of The Co-operative Bank of Kenya.
This is not just for the top position he occupies at Co-op Bank, but for the turnaround and growth that he has instituted at the bank since he became the chief executive officer.
A look at his career profile reveals that Dr. Gideon Muriuki has a rich banking history. He joined the Co-op Bank in 1996 as a Senior Corporate Manager. Three years later in 1999, he assumed the role of Director, Corporate and Institutional Banking. In 2001, Dr. Muriuki was appointed as the bank’s Managing Director.
He holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Mathematics. He is also a Fellow of the Kenya Institute of Bankers and has been awarded an Honorary Doctorate in Business Management in year 2011. He has over 34 years of experience in banking and finance.
He has also served as the Vice-President Africa – International Cooperative Banking Alliance (ICBA), former Chairman, Governing Council of the Africa International University and former Chairman, African Rural and Agricultural Credit Association (AFRACA).
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He was decorated in 2005 with the award of Order of the Grand Warrior (OGW), in 2011 with the award of the Moran of the Order of the Burning Spear (MBS) and in 2017 with Chief of the Order of the Burning Spear first-class (CBS) in recognition of his successful turnaround of the Bank and exemplary service to the nation.
Currently, under Dr. Muriuki’s stewardship, Co-op Bank is ranked as the third largest bank in Kenya in assets.
His career has also been decorated with multiple prestigious banking awards. In 2014, Dr. Gideon Muriuki was named as the CEO of the year Africa by the International Banker, 2016 Lion of Judah Award by Evangelical Alliance of Kenya and Mtumishi Bora Award – 2016 by the Kenya Christian Professionals Forum. In 2018, awarded Best Banking CEO Kenya by International Finance.
In 2021, Dr. Muriuki was named the best bank CEO in Africa during the 2021 edition of the African Banking Awards that were organised by EMEA Finance.
Dr. Muriuki was recognized for the bold decision to sustain the payment of dividends to shareholders despite the pandemic, which offered a critical relief and timely support to the over 15 million-member Cooperative movement.
Dr. Gideon Muriuki is also a recipient of a decoration of Chevalier de L’orde National du Burkina Faso by the President of Burkina Faso in recognition of his contribution to development of rural finance in Africa.
Additionally, Dr. Muriuki has been honoured multiple times by universities for his role in the transformation of the local the banking sector.
In 2022 for instance, the Co-operative University of Kenya (CUK) nominated Dr. Muriuki for the conferment of the Doctor of Humane Letters. He was honoured for his distinguished career in the banking industry, and especially his immense contribution to the co-operative sector.
In the same year, the Africa International University (AIU) nominated the Co-op Bank CEO for the conferment of the Doctor of Humane Letters.
The conferment of Doctor of Humane Letters (Honoris Causa) – DLitt of The Africa International University was in recognition of his illustrious and long-standing career in banking.
It was also an acknowledgement of the historic turnaround of the Co-operative Bank of Kenya, destiny-defining contribution to the co-operative movement in Kenya and Africa, enduring commitment to sustainable finance and inclusive growth practices, and exemplary service to the nation under the stewardship of Dr. Gideon Muriuki.