Despite facing a tough economic climate, NCBA Group PLC recently announced a profit after tax of Sh. 9.8 billion for the first half of 2024, marking a 5.0% increase from Sh. 9.4 billion during the same time last year.
Customer deposits rose by 2.4% year-on-year to reach Sh. 529 billion, while total assets grew by 4.3% to Sh. 689 billion.
John Gachora, NCBA’s Group Managing Director, credited the growth to the bank’s financial fundamentals and its adaptability in an antagonistic economic environment.
The bank’s success is largely attributed to effective strategic management, operational resilience, and a diverse business model, which have helped shield it from economic shocks.
“Despite the headwinds, our diversified business model showed resilience, with our banking operations achieving a collective profit before tax of Sh. 11.7 billion,” he noted.
In this article, we’ll look at four notable women who have played a big role in NCBA Bank’s success and rising profits over the years.
1. Karen Kantai
Karen Kantai is the Chief Risk Officer at LOOP DFS Limited, a division of the NCBA Group responsible for innovating and implementing digital solutions.
She has over 15 years of experience in tech and finance, having climbed the ranks from bank teller to leading NCBA’s team handling credit and operational risks across Sub-Saharan Africa.
At LOOP, she’s assisted more than 50 million customers in five countries to access micro-savings and loans through popular services like M-Shwari and Fuliza.
In an interview, Karen Kantai revealed that she is passionate about making finance friendly for women, offering easy loan and savings options that can boost women entrepreneurs.
As a mentor and community champion, she encourages women to step into leadership roles in fintech.
Furthermore, Kantai is a board member at Shadrack Kimalel Mixed Day Secondary School. Additionally, through the Good Kenyan Foundation, she mentors girls and assists them in realising their true potential.
Women Leading Transformation in Africa
2. Pauline Ndote
Pauline Ndote serves as the Group Director of Credit Risk Management at NCBA Group. Her role is to make sure the bank’s credit risk activities support its objectives.
She also helps set the bank’s risk appetite, ensures responsible lending practices are in place, and monitors loan portfolios to keep their quality high while reducing credit risks.
Aligning with the Bank’s goal for gender inclusivity, she shared that she is passionate about promoting inclusivity in access to credit for women.
NCBA has set in place several programs to improve access to credit. These include products for asset ownership, such as affordable housing mortgages, asset financing, working capital, and micro-digital loans.
The bank works with funding partners to provide credit guarantees that assist women in overcoming challenges like a lack of collateral.
These initiatives are aimed at promoting financial inclusivity within the NCBA ecosystem. In the future, Pauline aims to mentor young women in career development, responsible borrowing, and financial management.
On the corporate side, she aims to build capacity, both directly and through partnerships, to help even more women reach their goals.
3. Nelly Wainaina
Nelly Wainaina is NCBA’s Group Director of Marketing, Communication, and Citizenship. She holds over 21 years of global experience in the capacity and is currently dedicated to nurturing Africa’s new leaders.
Her job entails driving NCBA’s business strategy, strengthening the brand, managing communications with stakeholders, and investing in community programs.
As a team leader, she ensures everyone shines, regardless of their unique skills. Nelly coaches the women on her team and leads by example, creating an environment where they can learn to succeed in a challenging world.
She maintained NCBA’s dedication to giving women the skills they need to succeed. The bank aims to connect more women with digital trends through conferences, networking opportunities, training, and tech job placements.
Nelly believes that no job is made for a specific gender, and careers in technology should be open to everyone. Her role on the Executive Leadership team includes raising concerns about women’s marginalization and ensuring that pay reviews are transparent and fair for all employees.
Based on her successful career, Nelly mentors many women and helps them see their unique strengths and use their skills to achieve success.
NCBA Group posts Sh. 9.8bn half year net profit, to pay Sh. 2.25 interim dividend
“The best career advice I would give is to always put your best foot forward and not take things for granted. Stay true to your word. That is how you build trust, and people can vouch for you when you are not in the room,” she said in a past interview with The Standard.
4. Louisa Wandabwa
Louisa Wandabwa is the Director of Strategy and Chief of Staff at NCBA Group. Having over 15 years of experience in strategic management, she helps major global organizations attain their goals and increase shareholder returns.
At NCBA, she manages the Group Strategy, Investor Relations, and Corporate Development areas. As a woman in leadership, she has picked up important lessons.
Such include leading in her own style, taking control of her career growth, seeking honest feedback, and connecting with other female leaders for support.
Louisa Wandabwa believes there are many opportunities for women in banking, especially with the increasing focus on boardroom leadership.
She sees this as a Golden Age for women who have prepared themselves with the right skills and relationships.
“Raise your hand for those stretch opportunities. You’ll be surprised at how welcoming the ground can be,” she advised.
She hopes that in the next decade, the conversation around including women in leadership will become obsolete, as organizations recognize the strategic advantage of having a workforce that reflects their customers.
Specifically in banking, she envisions practical programs to support women in middle management during their child-rearing years, along with initiatives like job-sharing that tackle systemic inclusion issues. Louisa is excited to be part of that solution.