On 2 December 2025, Executive Communities officially launched CITO East Africa. Over 70 top executives gathered at the Emara Ole Sereni in Nairobi to mark the first-ever event for this community.
The success of the CITO East Africa launch event was based on the strategic, nine-month engagement with IT leaders in the region, led by community manager Sandra Mulluka. Since early 2025, the team has been meeting executives to understand exactly what they need from their peer network.
In her opening remarks at the launch, Sandra noted the months of discovery: “CITO EA exists to connect the people behind the technology; the ones driving transformation, solving complex problems and shaping how businesses and societies work.” The goal, she said, is to create a “trusted network where ideas move freely, partnerships are born and friendships grow.”
The event’s agenda was curated to meet the specific interests that the IT leaders shared during the pre-launch phase.
Interactive breakaway sessions led by industry heavyweights like Isaac Mwangi, group head of ICT, Unga, and Julius Orayo, group CIO, Jubilee Holdings, addressed:
- The human element of security: Leaders identified that the “weakest link is always the human element”, prioritising cybersecurity discussions around people rather than just systems.
- The AI implementation gap: Addressing the friction between CEO expectations and foundational realities, executives discussed how to manage demands to "implement" AI when the necessary groundwork is still being laid.
- The need for safety: Perhaps the most critical insight gathered over the last nine months was the need for vulnerability. As one executive noted during the launch, the community must be “a safe space where any of us can dial in and say, my friends, I need help”.
Championing local innovation
The launch also highlighted the power of homegrown talent – a key pillar of the executives’ focus in the region. The opening panel, featuring Moses Okundi, CITO, Absa Bank Kenya, Faith Nkatha Gitonga, interim country director, Tony Blair Institute, and Russell Akuom, CIO, Nation Media Group, explored this “homeground advantage”.
Faith emphasised that for Africa to have a voice in the global AI revolution, intentionality must start at home, building solutions that reflect the realities of the communities they serve. This sentiment was echoed in the second panel by Jay Patel of Jacaranda Health, who noted that East Africa has “enough information and a lot of energy and drive” to build world-class solutions without importing talent.
Looking Ahead
The launch of CITO East Africa is just the beginning. By grounding this community in nine months of relationship-building and listening, Executive Communities has ensured that CITO East Africa is not just another event organiser, but a relevant, trusted ecosystem.
As KC Rottok Chesaina, CITO East Africa co-founder, noted earlier this year, the organisation has made great inroads by learning what leaders “most want from their community”. The launch has successfully delivered on that promise, establishing a platform where East Africa’s tech leadership can shape the region’s digital future together.
East African IT leaders who would like to be a part of the CITO East Africa community should reach out to community manager Sandra Mulluka on [email protected], and anyone interested in partnering with this community should reach out to head of partnerships Humbu Karugo on [email protected].