Nancy Njau is the new managing director and CEO of Family Bank, effective January 1, 2024.
She succeeded Rebecca Mbithi, who, according to Family Bank’s board of directors, resigned to pursue personal interests after a five-year hiatus at the bank.
On her LinkedIn profile, Njau describes herself as an astute, seasoned financial services expert with 17 years of experience.
Her expertise spans several experiences which include strategic planning, coaching, mentorship, training, general management, people management, performance management, relationship management, sales excellence, customer service excellence, and debt management among others.
Surprisingly, she started from the lowest rung of the corporate ladder.
This is her journey as told by WoK:
Nancy Njau starting as a clerk
Njau joined Family Bank in 2002 as a graduate clerk. She held the role for several years until she was promoted to branch manager in 2009.
Almost a year later, she was promoted to senior manager in November 2010.
She held the role for two years and five months before being promoted to Regional Manager in March 2013.
3 years and 10 months later, she was made the bank’s Head of Retail Banking for 2 years and five months.
Until she was appointed CEO, she had been the bank’s Head of Strategic Partnerships, a role she took over in May 2019.
She is credited as one of the key people who have contributed to the growth of Family Bank, making it one of the most recognized lenders in the country.
Nancy Njau Education
Njau holds a Bachelor of Commerce (Accounting) degree from Kenyata University.
She also holds a Master’s in Business Administration degree from the Jomo Kenyatta University of Agriculture and Technology, with her specialty lying in Strategic Management.
She also holds a higher diploma in Human Resource Management.
Aside from her educational accolades, Njau is a certified public accountant of Kenya and an active member of the Institute of Certified Public Accountants of Kenya.
She has been rewarded for her loyalty as the bank’s second female CEO as the lender maintains its brand and faith in female leadership.
Rebecca Mbithi exit
She has served as the bank’s CEO since 2019 when she replaced Mr David Thuku, who had led the bank for three years.
According to the bank’s board of directors, Mbithi left Family Bank ‘to pursue other personal interests’.
Like Njau, her odyssey at the bank originated from humble beginnings.
Before becoming the CEO, she served as the bank’s company secretary and Chief Legal Officer for several years.
She is credited for steering Family Bank through the COVID-19 pandemic.
According to the board of directors, she left after leading the bank through a period of unprecedented profitability.
She also developed the bank’s staff capacity through various trainings.
Under her leadership, the bank’s loan book grew by 40% while its asset base almost doubled between 2019 and 2023.
“Mbithi steered Family Bank to steady growth in profitability while offering even greater value in products and services to customers,” said Dr. Kiboro, the chairperson of Family Bank’s board of directors.
