Mr. James Macharia

Board Chairman

Mr. Macharia has had an extensive expertise and held senior-level responsibilities across a broad range of areas, including, accountancy, consultancy, financial management, merchant and commercial banking, general management, and cabinet-level public service.

He started his career in Deloitte’s Tax Consultancy Division as a Consultant Chartered Accountant in London, before returning to Kenya in 1989. His expansive banking career has seen him hold various capacities at Standard Chartered Bank, after which he joined the African Banking Corporation, rising to the position of Managing Director of the Zambian and Tanzania operations of the South African headquartered lender.

Mr. Macharia was in 2005 appointed the Group Managing Director of the publicly listed NIC Bank Group. Under his stewardship, NIC Bank established subsidiary banks in both Tanzania and Uganda.

After a long career in the private sector, Mr. Macharia was appointed to the Cabinet in 2013. He served for ten years as Cabinet Secretary, Ministry of Health; Cabinet Secretary, Ministry of Transport, Infrastructure, Housing and Urban Development and Public Works; and also acted as Cabinet Secretary, Ministry of Water and Irrigation.

In 2014, he received the Presidential Award, Elder of the Order of the Golden Heart [EGH].

Mr. Macharia  holds  a  Bachelor  of  Commerce  degree  from  the  University  of  Nairobi;  Master  of  Business Administration [MBA] from Henley Management College, UK; Certified Public Accountant, Kenya (CPA); and is also a Chartered Accountant, Institute of Chartered Accountants in England and Wales.