The Board of Ecobank Kenya has announced the appointment of Mrs. Rebecca Mbithi as its new Managing Director, effective 9 February 2026, subject to regulatory approval by the Central Bank of Kenya (CBK).
Rebecca Mbithi succeeds Josephine Anan‑Ankomah, who has stepped down from the role to focus on her responsibilities as Regional Executive for Central, Eastern, and Southern Africa (CESA). Anan‑Ankomah remains a Group Executive at Ecobank and continues to oversee 17 of the bank’s 32 branches across Africa.
Strategic Timing for Growth
According to Ecobank Kenya, the leadership change comes at a time when the lender is firmly positioned on a strong growth trajectory.
“Rebecca assumes leadership at a time when Ecobank Kenya is firmly positioned on a strong growth trajectory and remains central to Ecobank Group’s ambitions in the East African Community and the broader Central, Eastern and Southern Africa (CESA) region,” the bank said in a statement.
Board Confidence in Leadership
Yesse Oenga, Acting Chairman of Ecobank Kenya, expressed confidence in Mbithi’s appointment:
“Rebecca brings over 20 years of executive leadership experience across various sectors, including Kenya’s financial services industry. She has a strong track record of strategy execution, organisational transformation, and performance delivery.”
Mbithi herself describes her leadership philosophy:
“I am a highly experienced and results‑driven leader with an extensive background in managing businesses at Executive Director level. Commercially astute, customer‑focused, and results‑oriented, I combine strong educational and professional expertise in leadership, finance, accounting, and law to deliver holistic organizational management.”
Proven Track Record at Family Bank
Prior to joining Ecobank Kenya, Mbithi served as Chief Executive Officer of Family Bank, where she successfully transformed the institution into a profitable and resilient lender.
During her tenure, Family Bank underwent disciplined repositioning, delivering improved financial performance, stronger capitalisation, and enhanced operational resilience. Profit Before Tax rose from KShs 132.9 million in 2022 to KShs 734 million in the third quarter of 2025, supported by improved cost discipline and operational efficiency.
Academic and Professional Credentials
Mbithi holds an MBA in Strategic Management from United States International University–Africa and a Bachelor of Laws (Hons) degree from the University of Nairobi. She is also a Certified Public Accountant (CPA‑K) and a Certified Public Secretary (CPS‑K).
Her professional background includes serving as a board director at NCBA Kenya and as Vice Chairperson of the Kenya Bankers Association (KBA).
Outlook for Ecobank Kenya
Ecobank Kenya has expressed confidence that Mbithi will build on strong foundations and lead the bank into a new phase of accelerated growth. In the third quarter of 2025, the bank reported a profit before tax of Sh734 million, up from Sh132.9 million in 2022, driven by improved cost control and operational efficiency.
