The Board of I&M Bank Rwanda Plc has announced the appointment of Mr. Benjamin Mutimura as the new Chief Executive Officer (CEO). The appointment is effective 1st July 2023 and subject to regulatory approval by the National Bank of Rwanda (BNR).
Benjamin will replace Mr. Robin Bairstow, who will step down as the CEO and take on a new role within the Group subject to regulatory approval.
Benjamin was previously the Chief Commercial Officer (CCO) at Bank of Kigali from June 2020 and has been serving as a board member of Bank of Kigali, Capital.
Benjamin has over 16 years’ experience in the financial services sector. He started off his career at I&M Bank Rwanda in 2007 as a Development Finance Officer and rose to become a Credit Manager, Head of Retail Banking and eventually the Head of Corporate and Institutional Banking, a position he held until 2020 when he moved to Bank of Kigali.
In his last immediate role as the CCO for Bank of Kigali, Benjamin played a key role in overseeing the development and implementation of the commercial strategy.
Benjamin holds a Master’s Degree in Development Economics from Louvain la Neuve & Namur University in Belgium and a Bachelor’s Degree in Economics from the former National University of Rwanda. He has completed a Leadership Program at Strathmore University, the Senior Executive Program at Harvard Business School and is a certified credit professional (Omega Performance).
Mr. Bonaventure Niyibizi, Board Chairman, I&M Rwanda Plc said: “The Board would like to thank Mr. Robin Bairstow for his exemplary service and stewardship during his tenure as the I&M Bank Rwanda Plc CEO. During his tenure the Bank grew three-fold in assets and increased net revenue market share by 35%. Robin has also played a vital role as an advocate for the industry, having been chosen by his peers to lead the Rwanda Bankers’ Association. On behalf of the Board, I would like to welcome the incoming CEO Mr. Benjamin Mutimura as he sets out to harness the full potential of I&M Bank Rwanda by offering best in class financial solutions and a customer-centric approach. The Board is delighted to welcome Benjamin back to I&M Rwanda to lead the business in the ongoing growth strategy”.
Commenting on the new appointment, Mr. Kihara Maina, Regional CEO, I&M Group Plc said: “We believe that Mr. Benjamin Mutimura is the right leader to drive the delivery of the ambitious growth plans for our next cycle under our Imara 3.0 strategy. He has the requisite business experience and the drive to help us take I&M Bank Rwanda to the next level of growth and development. I thank Robin for the dedicated service and leadership he has provided to I&M Rwanda and the Rwanda Banking Industry and welcome the opportunity to tap into his deep experience elsewhere in the Group”.