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ANGELA KOECH
REGIONAL CFO (EAST AFRICA) AND CFO (KENYA) – GUARANTY TRUST BANK
Angela Koech describes herself as a transformative leader with a strong passion for investing in people. “I am strategic and commercially minded, and I am passionate about making a difference in all the roles I take on. I invest in people and build leadership capabilities among my team to drive value, organisational efficiency, and effectiveness,” she states. These words encapsulate her leadership ethos, one that has steered her rise to becoming the Regional CFO (East Africa) and CFO (Kenya) for Guaranty Trust Bank (GTBank), a position where she oversees financial control, risk management, and business strategy across the region.
As Regional CFO, Angela has demonstrated an exceptional ability to navigate the complexities of leading a multi-jurisdictional team. She is responsible for ensuring accurate financial reporting, balance sheet management, and regulatory compliance across East African markets, including Kenya, Uganda, Rwanda, and Tanzania. Her leadership extends beyond the financials; she has been instrumental in integrating the East Africa operations into a cohesive unit, streamlining processes to ensure efficiency and consistency across borders. One of her notable achievements includes successfully fostering a regional collaboration strategy, uniting business functions, technology and human resources across these territories to boost collaboration.
Angela’s impact as CFO of GTBank Kenya is no less impressive. Her drive for operational excellence is evidenced by her involvement in several transformational projects, including business process re-engineering that has enhanced customer experience through automation and elimination of process bottlenecks.
Her leadership is more so reflected in her ability to navigate high-stakes negotiations, having successfully spearheaded two funding cycles with the International Finance Corporation (IFC) and negotiated structured guarantees for lending to small and medium sized enterprises (SMEs) with the Africa Guarantee Fund. In a rapidly evolving financial landscape, Angela has ensured that the bank stays ahead by implementing key industry standards such as International Financial Reporting Standards (IFRS) 9 and 16 and spearheading the establishment of an enterprise risk framework that positions the bank to manage risks effectively.
Before her time at GTBank, Angela honed her skills at PricewaterhouseCoopers (PwC), where she spent five years providing audit and advisory services across multiple sectors. Rising through the ranks to Audit Manager, she built a strong foundation in corporate governance, financial due diligence, and forensic audits. Her expertise in these areas made her a natural fit for the demanding roles that followed, particularly when she was headhunted by GTBank to take on the CFO role in Rwanda.
Angela’s tenure in Rwanda was marked by swift success. She led the implementation of a core banking system within three months and rebuilt the finance team from scratch. Her attention to detail and sharp financial acumen also allowed her to identify and rectify procurement pilferage within the bank, resulting in significant savings. Her exceptional performance led to her promotion within a year to the Regional CFO role, based in Kenya.
Angela’s forward-thinking leadership has not gone unnoticed. She was a Top 3 finalist for the 2022 ACCA Africa Financial Services CFO & Young CFO of the Year Award, and in 2019, she was recognised as one of the Top 40 Under 40 Women by Business Daily Africa, a testament to her influence and impact in the financial world. These accolades underscore her ability to lead with vision, drive results, and inspire those around her.
A Chartered Accountant and a Fellow of the Association of Certified Chartered Accountants (FCCA), Angela’s professional qualifications are impeccable. She is also a Member of the Institute of Management Information Systems (IMIS) in the United Kingdom (UK), further demonstrating her commitment to continuous learning and excellence. Her expertise in enterprise risk management has been validated through a CERG Certificate in Enterprise Risk Management.
Angela’s leadership philosophy is centred around empowering people. She was selected to lead GTBank’s training and development committee, where she champions innovation in learning and development. Her commitment to building a culture of growth and engagement is exemplified by her leadership of the ‘Orange Tribe’ initiative, a culture transformation project which fosters a sense of community and drive among employees. With a stellar staff retention rate within her departments, Angela has clearly succeeded in cultivating an environment where talent thrives.
In addition to her professional pursuits, Angela is a firm believer in the power of collaboration. Her stakeholder management skills are second to none, enabling her to work seamlessly with regulators, boards, investors, and employees alike.
In her free time, Angela enjoys the outdoors with a passion for cycling and a new love for Padel tennis, which she plays twice a week to blow off steam. She also loves to travel, guided by her belief that travel opens the windows to the soul and broadens one’s perspective. Angela Koech is, without a doubt, a formidable force in the world of finance. Her career trajectory speaks to her resilience, strategic thinking, and unyielding drive to transform businesses for the better. As she continues to steer GTBank’s East African operations to greater heights, her legacy as a transformative leader and a trailblazer for women in finance continues to grow.
