Growth and engagement are the watchwords as Rwanda’s IT and Finance high-fliers get stuck into community-engagement at the chapter launch of CITO East Africa community, and the second annual CFO East Africa Summit in that country.
Big news! Executive Communities is excited to announce the launch of CITO East Africa’s Rwanda chapter.
As this follows on the heels of the successful December launch of CITO East Africa in Nairobi, Kenya in December, and a Summit of IT leaders also in Nairobi, it’s clear that East African information technology leaders are more than ready to move from introduction to activation. They are eager for peer-to-peer community-building and networking in the established Executive Communities informal and engaging style.
On 16 April, Rwanda’s technology leadership community gathered at the Kigali Marriott Hotel for a defining moment: the country’s first CITO East Africa Summit. More than 40 top CITOs met for a candid exchange of ideas. The focus of the conversation was growing the community as an independent platform where executives can engage frankly on leadership, risk and value creation.
For many, this was the first time they had engaged in a structured environment built exclusively around the realities of the CITO role. The IT leaders argued that Rwanda has built an efficient regulatory environment in the region, which allows it to iterate and build a tech-savvy workforce at a speed that older, more bureaucratic nations may not be able to match. However, they also shared the recognition that the role of the CITO in Rwanda is expanding faster than the platforms available to support it – another reason why this launch was so well timed.
“The country's leadership understands technology at a level that creates a different environment for IT leaders than they had experienced elsewhere. That understanding does not resolve the budget battles, the talent constraints or the infrastructure gaps. But it creates a foundation,” multiple participants noted.
The event was supported by principal partner PwC, who were represented by Brian Ngunjiri, Zephaniah Lagat and Maureen Komu.
CFO East Africa Summit in Kigali
But Executive Communities wasn’t finished with Rwanda’s business leaders! On 17 April, it was the turn of finance executives to gather for the occasion of the second annual CFO East Africa Summit, bringing together over 100 senior leaders from the country for meaningful exchanges to strengthen the role of finance leadership across the region.
Dunstan Stober, acting CFO of MTN Rwanda, delivered the keynote address on leadership in uncertain times. Josephine Mbabazi, head of corporate services at Rwanda’s Capital Markets Authority, Christine Sesay, VP of finance at Kepler, Theogene Maniragaba, CFO of Crystal Ventures, and Lilian Budandi, finance director of Ishara Towers, also took to the stage to share their wisdom.
A final panel comprising Ange Ntiranyibagirwa, head of finance of BK Group, Dan Mugisha, CFO of Africa Improved Foods, and Collins Otieno, head of finance of Ampersand, discussed their career-defining moments.
The event was supported by principal partner PwC, represented by Brian Ngunjiri, who spoke on the importance of agility in navigating uncertain times. Anita Umuhire represented executive partner Bank of Kigali. And the event was also supported by Associate Partner GardaWorld.
Then it was awards time!
CFO East Africa director KC Rottok Chesaina recognised the 2025 CFO of the Year nominees, who were presented with their finalist trophies on stage – Anita Umuhire, CFO of BK, Christine Sesay, CFO of Kepler, Lilian Budandi, FD of Ishara, Shime Baligira, former CFO of Liquid Technologies, Rahul Bedi, CFO of Silverback Tea, and Toussaint Maniriho, CFO of Rwanda Space Agency.
The 2026 nominees for the CFO Awards were also announced – Anita Kagenza, CFO of Admaius Capital Partners, Clarisse Umutoni, CFO of RAB, Dederi Wimana, CFO of I&M Bank, Innocent Murindabigwi, CFO of RSSB, Paulian Kazibwe, CFO of Airtel Rwanda, and Theogene Maniragaba, CFO of CVL.
“There was no shortage of buzz at the Marriott as both the CFO East Africa and the CITO East Africa communities showed that executive engagement is paramount, and executives are hungry for more,” says KC.
