KCB Group Chief Executive Officer Paul Russo has been elected the new Chairman of the Kenya Bankers Association (KBA) Governing Council.
Russo takes over from outgoing chair John Gachora, who is the Managing Director of NCBA Group. The announcement was made during the KBA Annual General Meeting held on Thursday.
During the same meeting, Credit Bank CEO Betty Korir was re-elected to continue serving as the Association’s Vice Chairperson.
In his remarks, Russo said the banking industry will remain committed to contributing to Kenya’s growth and financial stability.
“We are committed to building a banking industry that drives shared prosperity and strengthens Kenya’s economic resilience,” he said.
Paul Russo has been serving as the CEO of KCB Group PLC since May 2022.
He sits on the boards of several institutions under the Group, including KCB Bank Kenya, National Bank of Kenya (NBK), KCB Investment Bank, KCB Foundation, BPR Bank Rwanda Plc, and Trust Merchant Bank (TMB) in the DRC.
Beyond the Group, Russo also serves on key national bodies, including the National Investment Council, the Presidential Taskforce on the Establishment of a National Lottery, and the National Steering Committee on Drought Response.
He is also a member of the Steering Committee for the World Rally Championship (WRC) Safari Rally Project.
For his contribution to Kenya’s financial services sector, Russo was awarded the Elder of the Order of the Burning Spear (EBS), a state commendation by President William Ruto.
Internationally, he serves in the United Nations Environment Programme Finance (UNEP-FI) Leadership Council, which brings together global financial leaders to promote sustainability in the banking industry.
Before his current role, Russo served as KCB Group’s Regional Business Director and was the Managing Director of National Bank of Kenya.
He is a seasoned human resource professional with nearly 25 years of experience, having worked at Barclays, PwC, K-Rep Bank, East African Breweries (EABL), and Unga Holdings.
Russo holds a Master of Business Administration from Strathmore University and a Bachelor’s degree in Business Management from Moi University. He also completed a senior executive program for Africa at Harvard Business School.