NCBA Group MD John Gachora Named InstinctBusiness CEO of the Week

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John Gachora, the Group Managing Director of NCBA Group, has been recognized as the CEO of the Week by InstinctBusiness Magazine, a testament to his exemplary leadership and contributions to the financial sector.

Mr. Gachora, a seasoned executive in financial services, has built a distinguished career spanning corporate and investment banking, financial structuring, commercial banking, and financial engineering. His leadership at NCBA Group has propelled the bank’s growth and innovation across its key markets.

Before joining NCBA, Mr. Gachora held notable leadership roles in global financial institutions. He previously served as Managing Director at Bank of America Securities and later as Managing Director of Corporate and Investment Banking at Barclays Africa.

John Gachora served as the Vice President of Credit Suisse from 1994 to 2004. In this timeline, he also squeezed into school, where he studied Finance and Management from 2000 to 2002 at Wharton School and earned an Executive MBA.

Read: NCBA Will Support SACCOs in Cybersecurity Efforts – John Gachora

Gachora later worked at Bank of America’s corporate headquarters in Charlotte, North Carolina, rising to the rank of Managing Director – Group Head, Investment Banking. This was when he became the first Kenyan Managing Director on Wall Street. John Gachora took this role up until 2008.

Beyond his executive responsibilities, he serves on the boards of several companies, leveraging his expertise in financial strategy, risk management, and governance.

He holds a Bachelor of Science and a Master’s degree in Electrical Engineering and Computer Science from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), as well as an MBA from the Wharton School, University of Pennsylvania.

Transformative Leadership at NCBA Group

Under Mr. Gachora’s leadership, NCBA Group has made remarkable strides, strengthening its position as a leading financial institution in East Africa:

Merger and Expansion: He was instrumental in the 2019 merger of NIC Group PLC and Commercial Bank of Africa Limited, creating NCBA Group. This strategic move has cemented NCBA’s status as a top financial services provider with operations in Kenya, Uganda, Tanzania, Rwanda, and Ivory Coast.
Digital Transformation: Gachora has overseen a major push into digital banking, with NCBA’s mobile app being ranked as Kenya’s highest-rated banking app. The bank has also emerged as a leader in digital credit services.
Branch Expansion: Despite its digital advancements, NCBA continues to expand its physical presence, with plans to open additional branches to serve SMEs and customers preferring in-person banking.
Market Positioning: NCBA has strengthened its corporate banking division, catering to large corporations and multinationals while implementing innovative strategies to manage non-performing loans, particularly in the post-pandemic economic environment.
Environmental and Social Responsibility: Under the “NCBA Change the Story” initiative, the bank has taken a proactive role in environmental conservation, aligning with Kenya’s goal of achieving 10% tree cover. NCBA has partnered with organizations such as the Kenya Forest Service (KFS) and the World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF) in tree-planting campaigns.
Industry Leadership: Gachora is a prominent figure in the banking industry and was re-elected as Chairman of the Kenya Bankers Association in 2024.

Read: NCBA Launches Sustainable Development Impact Disclosure (SDID) Document – Here’s What It Means

InstinctBusiness Magazine’s CEO of the Week feature celebrates top-performing executives across Africa for their outstanding leadership, innovative contributions, and impact on their organizations.

In addition to this honor, Mr. Gachora was named the 3rd Most Transformative CEO impacting the economy by Business Monthly in 2023.