Kenya’s corporate scene has seen several women managing some of the region’s biggest consumer brands
The dedication, hard work, and leadership acumen of these women have seen them take home millions of shillings in salaries, and deservedly so.
In this article, WoK takes a look at the highest-paid female CEOs in Kenya and Their Reported Salaries:
- Jane Karuku
Mrs Jane Karuku is the CEO and Group Managing Director of EABL, a role she was appointed to on 1st January 2021.
Before joining EABL, she served as the Managing Director of Kenya Breweries Limited (KBL) from 2015.
She has also served in various leadership capacities in other notable companies such as Green Revolution in Africa (AGRA), Telkom Kenya, and Cadbury East and Central Africa.
She has also worked with Farmers Choice and Kenya Cooperative Creameries.
In addition, she previously served as a non-executive director of Barclays Bank of Kenya, which is now Absa Bank Kenya.
Her current pay includes a salary of KSh 65.45 million, a bonus of KSh 26.05 million, and allowances worth KSh 12.23 million.
Additionally, she received allowances amounting to ksh 12.23 million.
Karuku also reportedly owns 1,296 direct shares in EABL.
- Nasim Devji
Nasim Devji is the CEO and managing director of Diamond Trust Bank (DTB) East Africa.
She joined the Diamond Trust Group in 1996 and became the CEO of Diamond Trust Bank just four years later.
In November 2024, Murali Natarajan became the managing director and CEO of DTB Kenya, while Devji continued serving as the Group CEO.
She is also the director of DTB Uganda, Network Insurance Agency, Diamond Jubilee Investment Trust Uganda Limited, and PDM Uganda.
Additionally, she has previously served as director of the Nairobi Securities Exchange Limited and is a member of the Kenya Deposit Insurance Corporation.
Reports estimate her current salary to be ksh 65.7 million annually.
- Anne Muraya
Anne Muraya is the current CEO of Deloitte East Africa, a role she assumed in 2022. At the time, she made history by becoming the first woman to hold the position.
Before becoming CEO, Muraya served as Deloitte’s Audit Leader for the East African region. She was also the company’s Managing Partner for Responsible Business and Public Policy in Africa.
Anne’s educational accolades feature a Bachelor of Education degree (B.Ed. in Science) in Mathematics and Chemistry.
She is also an active member of the Certified Public Accountants of Kenya (ICPAK) and Certified Public Accountants of Uganda (ICPAU).
Reports estimate her salary to be approximately ksh 33.8 million per year.
- Nancy Njau
Nancy Njau is the CEO and managing director of Family Bank. She has over 22 years of experience in corporate leadership and business transformation.
Before being appointed as Family Bank’s CEO, she served as the bank’s Head Commercial Officer.
Her academic repertoire features a higher diploma in Human Resource Management, a Bachelor of Commerce degree (Accounting option) from Jomo Kenyatta University, as well as a Master’s in Business Management from the same institution.
Nancy is also a certified public accountant, a certified executive leadership coach, and an alumna of the Advanced Management Program from Strathmore University Business School and the IESE Business School in Barcelona, Spain.
Her salary is estimated to be over ksh 30 million per year.
- Rita Kavashe
Rita Kavashe is the ceo of Isuzu Motors East Africa. She has worked with the company and its predecessor, General Motors East Africa, for more than two decades.
Kavashe holds a Bachelor’s degree in education from Moi University, as well as a Master’s degree in Business Administration (MBA) from Nairobi University.
Additionally, she is an executive coach who has been certified by the Academy of Executive Coaches (AOEC) UK.
Her career in Isuzu began in 1995 when she joined General Motors East Africa (GMEA) as a sales representative. By 2015, she was the company’s managing director.
That same year, General Motors East Africa was acquired by Isuzu Motors, with Rita overseeing the transition to Isuzu East Africa Limited.
Reports estimate that Kavashe’s salary as Isuzu East Africa CEO amounts to over KSh 30 million annually, with other allowances and benefits.
Conclusion
These are the top 5 highest-earning CEOs in Kenya.
They have managed to build successful careers in sectors such as banking, auditing, manufacturing, and consumer goods