Standard Chartered backs CFOs Awards and financial leadership in East Africa

The Standard Chartered has announced a partnership with CFOs East Africa aimed at strengthening financial leadership and wealth management capabilities among Chief Financial Officer (CFOs) and senior finance professionals across Africa.

The collaboration builds on the Bank’s sponsorship of the annual CFOs East Africa Awards 2025, adding a focused advisory path that aligns with the growing mandate of CFOs to safeguard and grow corporate and personal assets.

Through the partnership, Standard Chartered will deliver wealth management advisory services to over 400 leading financial decision makers across East Africa – that include global, Africa and local CFOs from public sector, development financial institutions and private sector companies.

CFOs in corporate East Africa play a crucial role in wealth management by handling strategic financial planning, investment strategy and risk management.

Volatility in 2025 has affected company’s strategic growth plans – stressing the need to empower CFOs to better navigate complex wealth creation strategies and enhance their financial leadership capabilities.

“Kenya’s trajectory is increasingly tied to the ability of its corporate leaders to balance short-term performance and long-term wealth creation. By partnering with CFOs East Africa, we are positioning our finance talent to lead with insight, agility and a wealth preservation mindset that fuels sustainable growth. We congratulate all the winners at the inaugural CFO’s E.A. Awards,” said Edith Chumba, Head of Wealth & Retail Banking, Standard Chartered Kenya & East Africa.

KC Rottok Chesaina CFO East Africa’s EA Director, Executive Communities said: “When a CFO can speak fluently about a risk-adjusted returns and wealth preservation, the boardroom shifts from cost control to value creation. Standard Chartered’s expertise gives our members that competitive edge.”

Winners of the most CFO East Africa Awards included Dilip Pal, Safaricom Group CIO who was named East Africa’s CFO of the year and took home the coveted Strategy Execution Award for his hands-on approach to greenfield entry into Ethiopia, MTN Uganda CFO Andrew Bugembe who won the Finance Transformation Award and Vodacom Tanzania Finance Director Hilda Bujiku, who won the High-Performance Team Award.

Standard Chartered provides wealth management and investment advisory services to corporate clients and small and medium enterprises (SMEs) as part of its broader banking solutions – from its suite of dedicated wealth management services.

It acts as an advisor to its corporate clients, helping them navigate complex issues such as geopolitical friction, economic volatility, and policy uncertainty.

The CFO East Africa Awards are designed to recognise excellence, innovation, and strategic leadership among financial executives.

The awards honour CFOs of listed companies, large corporations, state-owned entities, and government institutions who have made significant contributions to their organisations and the wider business community.