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JEREMY AWORI
CEO, ECOBANK GROUP
Within the realm of banking, Jeremy Awori is renowned as an exemplar, celebrated as a luminary and visionary in his field. On 1st March 2023, he assumed the prestigious position of Chief Executive Officer (CEO) at Ecobank Group, succeeding Ade Ayeyemi from Nigeria, who retired at the age of 60. Awori’s leadership and expertise have garnered widespread recognition, and he now oversees the operations from the bank’s headquarters in Lomé, Togo.
A Kenyan national, Jeremy was born in 1971, blessed with a unique heritage. His father, a talented engineer, embodied the essence of Kenya’s spirit, while his mother, an exceptional British lawyer, brought a captivating charm to the family tapestry. Amongst two loving siblings, a brother and a sister, Awori’s journey began.
Climate Summit 2023 in Nairobi, on 4-6 September, 2023.
He attended the esteemed St Mary’s School in Nairobi for his elementary and secondary education. As destiny beckoned, in 1989, Jeremy embarked on an enlightening odyssey at the prestigious University of Manchester in the United Kingdom (UK). In 1991, guided by diligence, he emerged with a Bachelor of Science (BSc) degree in Pharmacy, and ended up practising as a Pharmacist in the UK for a short while.
Jeremy’s insatiable hunger for knowledge would soon lead him across oceans to McGill University in Canada. There, he forged his path towards excellence, earning a Master of Business Administration (MBA) degree, with a focus on Finance and International Business.
After completing his MBA, Jeremy’s career trajectory took an impressive turn when he assumed the prestigious roles of Executive Board Director and Head of Consumer Banking for East Africa at Standard Chartered Bank (SCB) Kenya, where he successfully served for four years. Notably, his tenure as a Board Director marked a significant milestone, as he was the youngest Board Director in SCB’s history.
Jeremy’s success knew no bounds as he ventured to the United Arab Emirates (UAE) to lead the Consumer Banking Division for SCB. Recognition of his exceptional versatility, expertise and leadership skills resulted in a promotion to the esteemed position of Regional Sales Director, overseeing operations across the Middle East, South Asia, and Africa.
In 2008, Jeremy was appointed CEO and Managing Director (MD) of SCB Tanzania, where he steered the bank to unprecedented heights for four years.
Yearning for new challenges, Jeremy made a decisive move to Barclays Bank Kenya in 2013, assuming the position of CEO. With his visionary and transformational leadership, he orchestrated the successful rebranding of Barclays Bank Kenya to Absa Bank Kenya in 2020. Moreover, he established a seamless Management Information System (MIS) operation that spanned across three continents. This achievement came amidst the challenging backdrop of the COVID-19 pandemic. Jeremy demonstrated exceptional dedication to maintaining uninterrupted, customer-centric services without inconveniencing patrons. He ensured that all branches remained open, simultaneously implementing robust protocol systems that not only met but exceeded the standards set by the World Health Organization (WHO).
Jeremy was appointed by the President in 2020 to join the COVID-19 Funding Board. Besides his past directorship at Kenya Private Sector Alliance (KEPSA), the most prominent business lobby group in sub-Saharan Africa dedicated to economic empowerment, he also served as Chairman of the Kenya Bankers Association (KBA) from June 2013 to July 2014. This association plays a crucial role in managing the banking agenda and fostering communication with vital stakeholders, including the government and key consumer institutions in the banking industry.
Jeremy’s fulfilling and triumphant stint at Absa Bank Kenya led him to embark on a new adventure outside his homeland, assuming his current role at Ecobank Group. His illustrious career stands as a testament to brilliance, unwavering determination, integrity, focus and exceptional leadership in the banking domain.
Without a doubt, he is already making a profound and lasting impact at Ecobank. This is evident from the bank’s nomination as Africa’s Best Bank for small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) by the prestigious Euromoney Awards for Excellence in July 2023. Awori’s influence is expected to continue shaping the company’s trajectory in the years to come.
Ecobank Group is a leading pan-African banking group. With a presence in 33 African countries and additional offices globally, it serves over 32 million customers and employs approximately 13,000 people. The Group offers a wide range of banking products and services, including digital banking options, to cater to various needs. Ecobank Group maintains a commitment to providing reliable and diverse banking solutions to its extensive customer base across Africa and beyond.
