Kellen Eileen Kariuki appointed chairperson of Standard Chartered Bank Kenya Board

Kellen Eileen Kariuki has been appointed as the new chairperson of Standard Chartered Bank Kenya Board. The appointment follows the retirement of Mr. Patrick Obath.

“Patrick retires from the Board having served for nine years as an Independent Non Executive Director and as the Board Chair from may 2019. His retirement is in line with corporate governance best practices guided by the Code of Corporate Governance for Issuers of Securities to the Public, 2015,” a statement from the bank reads.

According to the bank, Mr. Obath has left a legacy of strong leadership having led the Board through various challenges including the unprecedented COVID-19 pandemic.

Kellen Eileen Kariuki takes over from Mr. Obath effective May 30, 2021.

She was appointed as an Independent Non Executive Director of the Board in February last year.

Ms. Kariuki was the first Chief Executive Officer and Managing Trustee of the Unclaimed Financial Assets Authority (UFAA) and previously worked at Citibank N.A. Africa Middle East and Pakistan region serving in different senior leadership positions.

She is currently the Managing Director of Feruzi Holdings Limited and has held numerous Board positions including Chairperson of Citibank Tanzania Limited, a Non-Executive Director of AMREF Health Africa international Board, a Non-Executive Director of AMREF Flying Doctors, a Non-Executive Director of Resolution Insurance Limited, a Non-Executive Director of Citibank Uganda Limited, Chair of the Citibank Kenya Provident Fund, Nominee Director of the IFC and Non-Executive Director of Kenya Roads Board (KRB).

She is a founding member of the Board of Advisors of The Strathmore Business School and has served as an elected council member of ICPAK.

Kellen holds an Msc. in International Human Resource Management from Cranfield University in the UK.

She also holds an MBA in Strategic Management and a Bachelor’s degree in Accounting both from United States International University-Africa and is currently a PhD Candidate at Strathmore University Business School.