Ecobank Uganda Appoints Veteran Lawyer David Mpanga as Chairperson, Adds Finance Executive Dunstan Rukare to Board
Ecobank Uganda Limited has appointed veteran corporate lawyer David Frederick Kisitu Mpanga as Chairperson of its Board of Directors and named seasoned finance executive Dunstan Ian Rukare as an Independent Non-Executive Director.
In a statement, Ecobank Uganda’s Board, Management and Staff congratulated David Mpanga on his appointment, expressing confidence in his leadership as the institution seeks to enhance banking standards, innovation and long-term value creation for customers, shareholders and other stakeholders across Uganda.
Mpanga brings more than 32 years of legal experience spanning commercial practice, banking advisory, diplomacy and cultural leadership.
His academic journey began at Nakasero Primary School and King’s College Budo before he completed his secondary education at St. Edward’s School in Oxford, United Kingdom.
He later obtained a Bachelor of Laws (LL.B Hons) degree from the University of Exeter in 1992 and was called to the Bar of England and Wales at the Honourable Society of the Middle Temple in 1993.
After returning to Uganda, Mpanga completed a Postgraduate Diploma in Legal Practice at the Law Development Centre and was admitted to the Ugandan Bar in 2000. He was appointed a Commissioner for Oaths and Notary Public in 2010.
Mpanga began his legal career in London, where he trained as a pupil barrister at the Chambers of Robert Seabrook QC and also worked in the chambers of John Mathew QC at 5 Paper Buildings, focusing on criminal litigation, commercial fraud and trading standards matters.
He returned to Uganda in 1998 and practised at Mugerwa & Masembe Advocates for five years before co-founding A.F. Mpanga Advocates in 2003. The firm later became part of Bowmans, a pan-African legal services network.
He subsequently served as Chairman and Senior Partner at Dentons Uganda, advising on complex cross-border financial transactions and sovereign lending matters.
Mpanga has also received recognition from international legal ranking institutions, including Chambers & Partners and IFLR 1000, for his work in dispute resolution and corporate law.
Outside private practice, Mpanga has held several leadership positions within the Buganda Kingdom since 2014, serving as Attorney General, Minister of Local Government, Minister of Land and Properties, and currently as Minister for Special Duties.
He is also the Honorary Consul of Australia to Uganda and has participated in constitutional litigation that has shaped judicial precedents on human rights and criminal procedure in Uganda.
In addition, he is an author and commentator on constitutionalism, African governance and the role of indigenous institutions in modern state structures.
Ecobank Uganda also announced the appointment of Dunstan Ian Rukare as an Independent Non-Executive Director.
The bank said Rukare’s experience in corporate finance, governance and risk management would support efforts aimed at maintaining strong oversight and operational excellence.
Rukare has more than two decades of experience in corporate finance and has worked across several African markets, including Kenya, Nigeria, South Africa, Ghana, Tanzania, Ethiopia, Mozambique and Eritrea.
He is an alumnus of the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania, where he completed the Advanced Management Program. He also holds executive certifications in strategic finance, executive leadership and artificial intelligence applications in business.
Rukare became a Fellow of the Association of Chartered Certified Accountants in 2009 and has been a Certified Public Accountant registered with the Institute of Certified Public Accountants of Uganda since 2008. He also holds certifications in International Financial Reporting Standards and financial analysis.
Since 2021, Rukare has served as Global Financial Operations Director at UpEnergy, overseeing capital allocation, cash management and financial planning activities in developing markets.
Prior to that, he held the position of Commercial Finance Director at The Coca-Cola Company, where he supported regional investment and distribution strategies.
He is also a member of the League of East African Directors and has earned recognition from the DCRO Risk Governance Institute as a Qualified Risk Director and Certified Board Ready Member.
The appointments come as Ecobank Uganda continues to strengthen its board composition with professionals drawn from legal, financial and governance backgrounds to support its strategic priorities in Uganda’s banking sector.
Jefferson Wachira is a writer at Africa Digest News, specializing in banking and finance trends, and their impact on African economies.
