Risper Genga Ohaga is a trailblazer in the corporate world.

In 2020, she became the first African woman to hold the position of Group Chief Financial Officer (CFO) at East African Breweries Limited (EABL), a position she holds to date.

With turnovers of over ksh 124 billion in 2024, EABL is one of the largest companies on the Nairobi Stock Exchange in terms of market capitalization 

In an interview with Citizen Digital’s Claire Munde, she opened up on what it takes to manage the financial portfolio of a multi-billion-shilling organization.

A foundation of numbers

Risper’s journey to the top of the corporate world began with her decision to pursue a Bachelor of Commerce (BCom) degree, a choice driven by her natural talent for mathematics and a challenge from her father, who doubted she could handle the course.

Soon after, she was awarded a scholarship and proceeded to Strathmore University, where she completed her CPAs and became a certified public accountant. “I still recall my dad borrowing sh 10,000 just to pay the balance of the part of the fees that was not covered by the scholarship,” she said.

From Strathmore, she proceeded to the University of Nairobi to pursue a Bachelor’s in Accounting (BCom) degree. That was in 1996.

Climbing the corporate ladder

In 1999, Risper’s career formally began at Klynveld Peat Marwick Goerdeler (KPMG), one of the world’s leading audit firms. There, she spent nine years, rising to the position of Senior Manager. However, as she inched closer to her goal of becoming a partner at the company, she found herself at a crossroads.

“At the time, the company was facing financial setbacks, and much of my work as a partner would have been centered on managing risks rather than working closely with teams and clients, which I loved. Additionally, I wasn’t sure I enjoyed pitching for business. I decided to explore other opportunities,” she explained.

Around that time, Barclays Bank, now Absa, was also in a financial crisis, and they were looking to strengthen their risk management approaches by fully localizing their audit functions. So, they approached Risper with an offer of leading the bank’s financial operations in Kenya.

Initially hesitant about the offer, she was later convinced to take on a regional role covering East and West Africa, marking her entry into the banking sector.

Her journey with Barclays spanned 11 years, taking her from Kenya to South Africa, where she oversaw operations in 10 African countries for four years and later managed South Africa’s retail and business banking division.

Ever dynamic, Risper soon decided that SA was not the promised land and switched her career path from banking to finance. 

“I did a stint in Mozambique on a project, and then I got a finance director (FD) role in Zambia. After four years in Zambia, I got a call from East African Breweries Limited (EABL) inviting me to come back to Kenya as their Chief Finance Officer, which is where I have been for the past five years,” she said.  

Lessons on growth

Throughout her career, Risper has made strategic moves that have shaped her into the leader she is today.

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“My pivotal movements were: Picking what I am good at, sticking with growth—both technically and interpersonally—especially in the early stages of my career, and taking risks—moving countries, changing industries, and challenging myself to grow,” she said. 

Currently, she serves on the boards of APA Insurance and I&M Bank as a non-executive director, alongside her role on the EABL board as an executive member.

Balancing career and family

Beyond boardrooms and financial strategies, Risper is a dedicated family woman. Her career has taken her across borders, and with that came challenges in maintaining a work-life balance.

“When I first started working outside the country, my eldest child was 11 and my youngest was 2. My husband was working in Kenya at one of the multinationals — he is one of the salesy types. He was doing well, but earlier in our marriage, we had decided that if any of us relocated, we would move together. So, when we did the math, we decided that maybe it’s time for him to take a break and for us to explore what other countries would offer us and the kids in terms of exposure and opportunities,” she said.

What then happened was that her husband left his job taking on the primary role of caring for their children while Risper focused on her career.  “Which was good because when I look at my kids right now, a lot of their growth is because of the time he took investing in them, working with them through school, and all the other things they were doing,” explained Risper.  

Living in South Africa, she was also exposed to a different work culture—one that prioritized work-life balance.

“I remember sometimes being the only person in the office at 6pm. Shops closed at 6, domestic workers left at 5, and if you were working beyond 7, you had no support system. That experience taught me to reassess the productivity of long hours and be more effective during the workday,” she said.

Overcoming challenges as a woman in leadership

As a woman in the corporate world, Risper has had her fair share of challenges, from biases around mobility and career progression to the delicate balance of likeability versus authority.

“When I started my career, there was no maternity cover. Today, companies like EABL offer six months of maternity and paternity leave, which is a step forward.”

However, she says that women are still assessed differently. “When you appear too likable, you can’t lead because people think you are too nice. When you are too hard, people perceive you as emotional. So, you need to strive for a careful balance of both, building relationships that align with your credentials and not your likeability factor,” she said.

Beyond Work

Outside the corporate world, Risper is an avid reader. One of the books she’s read is  Range, a book that explores how generalists can thrive in a world that often rewards specialists.

“I believe knowing a lot about many things makes one a holistic thinker,” she says.

When it comes to music, she has no particular genre—Anything goes, as long as it makes her happy.

Her greatest source of fulfillment? The warm relationships she shares with her children, husband, colleagues, and those she has mentored along the way.

Career tip for women

“There is no substitute for knowing what you are doing. Invest in the knowledge, the learning, and the growth. That’s your foundation,” says Risper.