James Mwangi

IWA Team

September 22, 2026

James Mwangi
GMD/ CEO Equity Group

James Mwangi is the GMD/ CEO of Equity Group. Equity Group Holdings Plc is a Pan-African financial services holding company listed at the Nairobi Securities Exchange, Uganda Securities Exchange, and Rwanda Stock Exchange. The organisation is Kenya’s first trillion-shilling balance sheet bank. The Group has banking subsidiaries in Kenya, DRC, Rwanda, Uganda, Tanzania, South Sudan, and a commercial representative office in Ethiopia.

On the regional front, James was recognised as the Africa Investor Awards CEO of the Year in 2009 and 2015; Innovation Leader of the Year in 2012; African Business Leader of the Year in 2013 and African Banker of the Year in 2010, 2011 and 2017 at the African Banker Awards to mention a few.

He has served on board and advisory roles at the Global Advisory Council for VISA Inc., the Clinton Global Initiative, The G8 New Alliance For Food Security And Nutrition, US President Barack Obama’s Initiative for Global Development, the G20 Advisory Board of Agriculture, Initiative for Global Development and more.

He identifies with several international bodies as an advisor and was appointed to the Nairobi Advisory Board of Columbia Global Centres. He is a member of the continent-wide PACT initiative, a Board member of the Economic Advisory Board of the International Finance Corporation (IFC), The Mastercard MEA Advisory Board, the Africa Leadership Academy in South Africa and several others.  

James holds doctorate degrees, a Bachelor of Commerce degree and is a Certified Public Accountant. 

Equity Group is the largest bank in the region in assets of Kshs 1.1 trillion (USD 11 billion). It is also the biggest bank in deposits, market capitalisation and with a customer base of over 15 million customers. 

James Mwangi’s stake in Equity Group Holdings hit a record Sh13.42 billion after an intense market rally on the Nairobi Securities Exchange.