James Mwangi

Dr. James Njuguna Mwangi (born 1962) is a Kenyan accountant, career banker, businessman and entrepreneur. He is the current Group managing director and Group chief executive officer of the Equity Group Holdings Limited, the banking conglomerate with the largest customer base on the African continent, in excess of 12.4 million as of June 2018. Mwangi was included among The Financial Times' 2009 list of the top 50 thought leaders of emerging markets, and among the top 20 most influential people in Africa.

James Mwangi is also the current chairman of Kenya Vision 2030 since 2009.

Mwangi was born in Kangema, in Kenya's Central Province, circa 1962. His father was killed in the Mau Mau conflict, so the young Mwangi, together with his six siblings were raised by Grace Wairimu Mwangi, their single mother. He attended Nyagatugu Primary School in Kangema Village. He went on to Ichagaki Secondary School, on a government scholarship, having excelled in primary school. For his A-Level education, he went to Kagumo High School, where he studied economics, English literature and geography.

He went on to the University of Nairobi, graduating with the degree of Bachelor of Commerce (BCom). He also sat and passed the Certified Public Accountant of Kenya (CPA) examinations. He is also a graduate of Advanced Management Programme (Strathmore – IESE Business School, Barcelona, Spain).

Mwangi holds five honorary doctorate degrees, including Honorary Doctorate in Business Administration from Kenya Methodist University, Doctor of Humane Letters from Kenyatta University, and Doctor of Entrepreneurship from Jomo Kenyatta University of Agriculture and Technology.

Dr. Mwangi started his career in banking as an auditor. In 1993, he was invited by the then senior executives of Equity Building Society (EBS), the precursor of Equity Bank, to steer the financial institution from insolvency. The company was losing KES 5 million (approx. US$60,000 then) annually and had, at that time, accumulated total losses of KES 33 million (approx. US$380,000 then). Mwangi, aged about 31 at the time, took up the position of director of strategy, mandated with the turnaround of the company. He began by motivating the 27 staff members to give better customer care to the 27,000 customers they had then.

He also encouraged them to use 25% of their salaries to buy EBS shares. When things began to brighten up at EBS, the society began to sell shares to customers and to pay annual dividends in 1997. In 2000, the society computerized their operations. They were able to raise more capital and attract more customers. On 31 August 2004, Equity Building Society became Equity Bank Kenya.

In 2006, Equity Bank listed on the Nairobi Stock Exchange (NSE). On Thursday 18 June 2009, the Group's stock cross listed on the Uganda Securities Exchange and started trading that day, under the symbol: EBL. As of October 2014, the bank group has subsidiaries in Kenya, Uganda, Tanzania, Rwanda and South Sudan. As of March 2019, Equity Group Holdings Limited was a large financial services organisation in East Africa, with an asset base valued at over $5.98bn (KES 605.7bn), with a total customer base in excess of 12.4 million, in the region the group serves

James Mwangi is a married father of four sons. He and his wife, Jane Wangui, own shares in the stock of Equity Group Holdings Limited and of British American Insurance Company Limited (Britam), making the family one of the wealthiest in Kenya. Their net worth was estimated at upward of US$170 million as at October 2014.

James Mwangi is the Chancellor of Meru University of Science and Technology, and the Chairman of Kenya's Vision 2030 Delivery Board.

He is also the Founder and Chairman of Equity Group Foundation, which creates financial and operation infrastructure for social programs aimed at low-income populations.

In 2012 James Mwangi was named Ernst & Young World Entrepreneur of the Year.

He has also won numerous awards including:

• Forbes Africa Person of the Year (2012)
• Africa CEO of the Year (2015), Africa Investor Awards .
• African Banker of the Year (2010, 2011, 2018), African Banker.
• African Leader of the Year, African Leadership Network.
• First Class Chief of the Order of the Burning Spear (CBS)
• Moran of the Burning Spear (MBS) and Head of State of Commendation (HSC)
• Africa Philanthropy Award (2012), IPPF.