Standard Bank Group has appointed Stanbic Kenya CEO Dr. Joshua Oigara as Regional Chief Executive (RCE) for East Africa.
- •He will continue as Chief Executive of Stanbic Bank Kenya, a role he has held since December 2022.
- •Dr. Oigara rose to prominence as Group CEO of KCB between 2013 and 2022, where he became the youngest chief executive of a Nairobi Securities Exchange-listed bank at age 37.
- •Patrick Mweheire, the current RCE, will continue as a Senior Executive within the parent company, and as CEO of Stanbic Kenya Holdings.
At KCB, Dr. Oigara led major digital initiatives and regional expansion that boosted profitability and widened financial inclusion. His earlier career included senior roles at Bamburi Cement, Bidco Africa, and PricewaterhouseCoopers. Since joining Stanbic, Oigara has consolidated the Kenyan business, enhancing its market relevance and profitability.
Grooming for Top Seat?
The move signals the bank’s intent to strengthen its East African franchise while positioning proven leadership ahead of future succession battles at group level.
The timing of his elevation coincides with the succession horizon at Standard Bank.
- •Group CEO Sim Tshabalala and CFO Arno Daehnke are scheduled to retire by 2027.
- •Analysts note that this provides a two-year window for grooming internal candidates.
- •With Oigara now overseeing East Africa in addition to Kenya, he enters the conversation as a potential contender for the group’s top leadership.
Oigara’s record extends beyond banking operations. He served two terms as Chairman of the Kenya Bankers Association Governing Council, played a national role on the Vision 2030 Delivery Board, and was recognized by the Financial Times as one of Africa’s top 25 leaders. These credentials reinforce his stature in financial policy and governance across the region.
Competition for Standard Bank’s chief executive role will be strong, with senior South African and regional executives also positioned in the leadership bench.
For Oigara, the pathway depends on his ability to deliver stronger East African growth under Stanbic’s franchise and translate regional ambitions into measurable financial returns.
His success in this new role will determine whether he becomes one of the first East African bankers to seriously contend for leadership of Africa’s largest bank by assets.
