Mary Mulili was appointed the CEO of UBA Kenya, becoming the first woman to head the bank in Kenya in its 11 years of existence in the Kenyan market. Immediately the pronouncements were made, and news about her appointment spread like bushfire. It was like people were waiting for it to break.
I met Mary Mulili at Romo House Restaurant, along Muthithi Road, Westlands. She and others had gathered to follow live the unveiling of entrepreneurs from all the African countries who were set to benefit from the Tony Elumelu Foundation (TEF).
During the event, about 1,200 entrepreneurs were unveiled. Each one of them was set to receive 5,000 non-refundable seed funding from the Tony Elumelu Foundation, on top of top-notch entrepreneurial training and networking within and without the sector.
That is how I met Mary Mulili. We did not talk. I just sat. I was observing her. The best way to learn from someone is to observe them. And you cannot easily learn about Mary if you cannot afford to sit, observe, and listen. And so, that is what I did. Sat and observed her every move.
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When she stepped into the room, everyone noticed. Her elegance was something else. One would mistake her for a beautiful queen from Nigeria given the beautiful Nigerian-origin dress she was wearing. I have no name for that dress. I even don’t know whether to refer to it as a dress but its radiance, fineness, and smoothness spoke of a lady who knows what she needs.
She walks with precision and speaks calculative, hammering every point to its finality. “Our mission is to support Kenyan entrepreneurs. And through initiatives such as the Tony Elumelu Foundation., UBA Kenya is always set and ready to walk with the Kenyan entrepreneurs from nothing to something.” She told some of the journalists who had attended to cover the live event.
Mary Mulili is not new within the corridors of the banking sector. Her name is known. Shouted, whispered, and hailed. She has held various executive and senior roles in commercial banks such as Bank of Africa – BMCE Group where she was the General Manager for Business Development.
She also served GT Bank Kenya as the Head of Corporate Banking and African Banking Corporation in the same position. At KCB, she served as the Senior Corporate Relationship Manager.
Mulili is also the Commissioner of the Kenya Meat Commission, where she chairs the audit committee. She is also a board Member of the Kenya Association of Women Business Owners and serves as the vice-chair at the International Chamber of Commerce Kenya’s Banking Commission.
She is also a founding member of the Rotary Club of Lavington, Board member Twana Twitu an NGO dealing with HIV orphans, and a Mentor at WECREAT which is an entrepreneurial community center for women startups and existing businesses.
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“I am a Corporate, Commercial, and Public Sector Banking Expert with 18 years of extensive experience in Corporate, Commercial, Institutional, and Public Sector Banking. My expertise is in Relationship Management, Portfolio Monitoring, Credit Analysis, Sales Coordination, Marketing and Communication, Branch Network Management, Retail/SME Banking Management, Product Development, Institutional Banking and Management, Structured Trade and Project Finance, and Transactional Banking,” she states on her official LinkedIn Page.
With over two decades of unparalleled experience in the banking sector, Ms. Mary Mulili is a distinguished professional known for her expertise and leadership. Her journey in the financial industry has traversed various domains including Corporate, Commercial, Public sector, Institutional banking, SME, Retail, and digital banking. Ms. Mulili’s commitment to providing comprehensive business advisory services and innovative solutions has earned her recognition among customers and key stakeholders alike.
UBA Bank describes her as above on their website.
Ms. Mulili’s academic prowess is reflected in her qualifications. She holds an MBA in Finance, a Bachelor’s degree in Education with a focus on Accounting and Economics, and a diploma in Business Management. Committed to continuous growth, she has actively participated in various leadership programs, enhancing her skills and knowledge.
More to follow. Stay tuned.
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