The Nairobi Securities Exchange and Standard Group PLC have simultaneously appointed Catherine Kawira Bariu as Company Secretary at both institutions, effective 1 April 2026, following the resignation of Millicent Ngetich who had held the role at both entities.
- •Kawira steps into both vacancies with over ten years of experience across corporate governance, legal advisory, and regulatory compliance.
- •Ngetich, a certified secretary and advocate with over 17 years of experience in corporate governance, legal advisory, and risk management, had served as Standard Group's Head of Legal and Company Secretary since 2015.
- •She added the NSE role in January 2025, succeeding Kuria Waithaka who took early retirement after five years in the position.
Kawira holds an LL.M in Corporate Governance from the University of Nairobi, a Bachelor of Laws from Kenyatta University, and a Postgraduate Diploma in Law from the Kenya School of Law. She is a member of the Institute of Certified Secretaries and the Law Society of Kenya.
At her peak, Ngetich simultaneously held company secretary mandates at six entities, including Sasini PLC, Shri Krishana Overseas, Sameer Africa PLC, and Nairobi Business Ventures, alongside her two listed-company roles.
Prior to the dual appointment, Kawira served at Image Registrars, East Africa's leading securities registrar and company secretarial services provider, where she advised corporate clients on statutory compliance, board processes, and governance policy.
She also served as a legal researcher with the Judiciary, supporting judicial decision-making through governance oversight and institutional compliance frameworks, and at the Capital Markets Authority's Market Operations Directorate, where she participated in risk-based supervision and regulatory inspections.
Her tenure at Standard Group spanned a decade, during which she signed off on several significant board disclosures including the appointment of acting Group CEO Chaacha Mwita in July 2025 following Marion Gathoga-Mwangi's resignation. At the NSE, she served for 14 months before stepping down effective 31 March 2026.
