Paul Russo (banker)

Last updated

Paul Russo
Bornc.1976 (age 4546)
Alma mater Moi University
Strathmore University
OccupationHuman Resource Management Professional, Businessman and Corporate Executive
Years active2000 – present
Known forBusiness leadership
Title Group CEO at Kenya Commercial Bank Group

Paul Russo, (born c. 1976), is a Kenyan human resources management professional, businessman and corporate executive, who was appointed as the Group CEO at Kenya Commercial Bank Group effective 25 May 2022. [1] [2] Prior to his current assignment, he was the managing director and chief executive officer at National Bank of Kenya (NBK), a subsidiary of KCB Bank Kenya, acquired in 2019. [3]

Contents

Background and education

Russo was born near the settlement of Laisamis, in Marsabit County, in northern Kenya. He attended primary school in Laisamis. He then transferred to Mang'u High School, in Thika, Kiambu County, on scholarship from the Catholic Church. He holds a Bachelor of Business Management (BBM) degree awarded by Moi University in Eldoret. His Master of Business Administration (MBA) degree was obtained from Strathmore University in Nairobi. [3]

He also holds senior executive certification for Africa from Harvard Business School. His Higher Diploma in Human Resource Management, was obtained from the Kenya Institute of Human Resources. [4]

Career

Russo's professional career goes back to 2000 when he joined the human resources department at Kenya Breweries Limited. Later he worked at Barclays Bank of Kenya (today Absa Bank Kenya). He then worked for brief stints at K-Rep Bank (today Sidian Bank) and at PwC Kenya. In 2008, he was hired by Barclays Africa Group (today Absa Group Limited), working as head of human resources in three divisions of the banking conglomerate. He was hired by the KCB Bank Group in 2014 and served there for four years as the Group Human Resources Director. In 2019, he was promoted to Group Regional Businesses Director for nine subsidiaries in the group. [1] [2] [3] [4]

As the CEO of KCB Group, Russo replaced Joshua Oigara who led the group for the previous nine years. Oigara will stay on at KCB Group for sometime, to "support the transition". [5]

See also

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">KCB Bank Kenya Limited</span>

KCB Bank Kenya Limited is a financial services provider headquartered in Nairobi, Kenya. It is licensed as a commercial bank, by the Central Bank of Kenya, the national banking regulator. The bank has also been running Agency banking model.

KCB Group Limited, also known as the KCB Group, is a financial services holding company based in the African Great Lakes region. The Group's headquarters are in Nairobi, Kenya, with its subsidiaries being KCB Bank Kenya Limited, KCB Bank Burundi Limited, KCB Bank Rwanda Limited, KCB Bank South Sudan Limited, KCB Bank Tanzania Limited,KcbTmb Congo and KCB Bank Uganda Limited.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Absa Bank Uganda Limited</span> Commercial bank in Uganda

Absa Bank Uganda Limited, formerly known as Barclays Bank of Uganda Limited, is a commercial bank in Uganda. It is licensed by the Bank of Uganda, the central bank and national banking regulator. The bank is a subsidiary of Absa Group Limited, a financial services conglomerate, based in South Africa, with banking subsidiaries in 12 African countries and representative offices in two other African countries. Absa Bank Group, whose shares trade on the JSE Limited, was reported to have total assets in excess of US$91 billion, as of October 2019. 

NCBA Bank Kenya, whose full name is NCBA Bank Kenya Plc, is a commercial bank in Kenya. It is licensed by the Central Bank of Kenya, the country's central bank and national banking regulator.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">National Bank of Kenya</span> Commercial bank in Kenya

National Bank of Kenya (NBK), also known as National Bank, is a commercial bank in Kenya, the largest economy in the East African Community. It is licensed by the Central Bank of Kenya, the central bank, and national banking regulator. Effective September 2019, the bank is a wholly owned subsidiary of the Kenya Commercial Bank Group.

Mizinga Melu, is a Zambian businesswoman, accountant, and bank executive. She is the current chief executive officer, of Absa Bank Zambia Plc, effective February 2017, based in Lusaka, the capital and largest city in the country.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Absa Bank Kenya</span>

Absa Bank Kenya Plc, formerly Barclays Bank Kenya Limited, is a commercial bank in Kenya and a subsidiary of South Africa-based Absa Group Limited. It is licensed by the Central Bank of Kenya, the central bank and national banking regulator.

John Gachora is an electrical engineer and bank executive in Kenya, the largest economy in the East African Community. He is the Group Managing Director and Group Chief Executive Officer of NIC Bank Group, a banking conglomerate, with subsidiaries in Kenya, Tanzania, and Uganda.

Joshua Nyamweya Oigara is Kenyan businessman, accountant and corporate executive who is the immediate former Group chief executive officer of the Kenya Commercial Bank Group. He served in that position from 1 January 2013. until 25 May 2022.

Martin Luke Oduor-Otieno is a certified public secretary, accountant, businessman, entrepreneur and former bank executive in Kenya. He is the current chairman and CEO of Leadership Group Limited, a Nairobi-based consulting firm, that he founded. He previously served as the Group CEO of Kenya Commercial Bank Group, from 2007 until 2012.

Wendy Elizabeth Lucas-Bull is a South African businesswoman, banker and corporate executive, who served as the chairperson of Absa Group, a large pan-African financial services group, with subsidiaries in Botswana, Ghana, Kenya, Mauritius, Mozambique, Seychelles, South Africa, Tanzania, Uganda and Zambia. She retired from Absa on 31 March 2022.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Wilfred Musau</span>

Wilfred Musau (1974) is the immediate former Managing Director, CEO & Executive Director of National Bank of Kenya. A position he took over from Munir Sheikh Ahmed in the year 2016. In his first year as CEO he led the bank to profitability bouncing back from a huge loss the previous year. The following year profits were up 190%. Prior to joining National Bank he had worked in various notable positions in several banks in Kenya including Kenya Commercial Bank, NIC Bank, Barclays Bank of Kenya and Standard Chartered Bank.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Absa Bank Ghana</span> Ghanaian commercial bank

Absa Bank Ghana (ABGL), formerly known as Barclays Bank of Ghana Limited, is a commercial bank in Ghana, licensed by the Bank of Ghana, the country's central bank and national banking regulator. ABGL is a subsidiary of Absa Group Limited, a financial services conglomerate, headquartered in South Africa, with subsidiaries in 12 African countries and with assets in excess of US$87 billion as of 30 June 2017. Absa Group's shares trade on the Johannesburg Stock Exchange under the symbol ABG.

Nadine Byarugaba, is a Ugandan businesswoman, and management consultant. She is the current chairperson of the board of directors of Absa Bank Uganda Limited, effective 28 July 2020. Before that, from September 2019, she served on the same board, as chairperson in acting capacity, replacing Swithin Munyantwali, who was appointed non-executive director to the board of Absa Group Limited.

Jane Karuku, is a Kenyan businesswoman and corporate executive, who in December 2020, was appointed as the Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of the East African Breweries Limited, headquartered in Nairobi, with subsidiaries in Kenya, Uganda, South Sudan and Tanzania. Before that, she served as the managing director of Kenya Breweries Limited, one of the Kenyan subsidiaries of EABL. She assumed her new position on 1 January 2021.

Kihara Maina is a businessman and bank executive in Kenya. He is the chief executive officer of I&M Bank Kenya Limited, the largest subsidiary of the I&M Bank Group, an East African financial services conglomerate, active in Kenya, Tanzania, Rwanda, Uganda and Mauritius. He is based in Nairobi.

Jeremy Awori, is a Kenyan businessman and corporate executive who was appointed as Group CEO and director of Ecobank Transnational, effective 1 November 2022. He replaces Ade Ayeyemi, from Nigeria, who retires, having attained the retirement of age of 60. Awori will be based in Lomé, Togo.

Robert Kibaara is a Kenyan businessman, banker and corporate executive, who serves as the chief executive officer at Housing Finance Group of Kenya, the holding company of Housing Finance Company of Kenya, a commercial bank in that East African country. He assumed his current position in December 2018.

Arrie Rautenbach is the chief executive officer (CEO), of Absa Group Limited, a financial services conglomerate, with headquarters in Johannesburg, South Africa, and subsidiaries in eleven sub-Saharan countries. Prior to his current assignment, Rautenbach was the head of the bank group's retail and business banking (RBB) unit. He takes over from Jason Quinn, who was the interim CEO of Absa Group from April 2021 to March 2022. Jason Quinn resumed his role as Absa Group's Financial Director. Rautenbach's tenure as Group CEO of Absa Group started on 29 March 2022.

Patricia Ithau, is a Kenyan business executive. Since March 2022, she works as the executive director and chief executive officer of WPP-Scangroup, a multimedia, information technology and advertising conglomerate, whose stock of shares are listed on the Nairobi Securities Exchange. Before that, she worked as the regional director for East Africa at Stanford Seed, an initiative of the Stanford University Graduate School of Business that aims to reduce global poverty.

References

  1. 1 2 Adonijah Ndege (24 May 2022). "KCB picks insider Paul Russo as new CEO". Business Daily Africa . Nairobi, Kenya. Retrieved 24 May 2022.
  2. 1 2 Duncan Miriri, Louise Heavens and David Goodman (24 May 2022). "Kenyan lender KCB selects Paul Russo as new CEO, sources say". Reuters.com . Retrieved 23 May 2022.
  3. 1 2 3 Jackson Biko (20 November 2020). "Paul Russo: NBK boss who keeps camels". Business Daily Africa . Nairobi, Kenya. Retrieved 24 May 2022.
  4. 1 2 Orgio, Inc. (April 2022). "Paul Russo: Managing Director National Bank of Kenya". Theorg.com. Sausalito, California, United States. Retrieved 24 May 2022.
  5. Susan Nyawira (24 May 2022). "Paul Russo Named KCB Group CEO As Oigara Exits". 98.4 Capital FM . Nairobi, Kenya. Retrieved 24 May 2022.