Meet Patience Mutesi: CEO of Rwanda’s second-largest bank, BPR

Patience Mutesi leads BPR Bank, Rwanda’s second-largest bank at a time when the country’s financial sector is expanding its reach and role in the economy. As managing director and chief executive officer of BPR Bank Rwanda PLC, she oversees an institution with more than RWF1.4 trillion (about $960 million) in assets and a growing footprint across the country.

 She took the helm of BPR Bank on Feb. 1, 2023, following its integration into KCB Group, one of East Africa’s largest banking groups. Her appointment followed years of work across corporate banking, development finance and regional trade, experience that now shapes how she runs the lender.

Mutesi’s career spans banking, development

Mutesi’s career spans more than two decades, with roles that cut across credit, corporate banking and advisory work. She holds a master’s degree in finance from the Maastricht School of Management in the Netherlands and a bachelor’s degree in quantitative economics from Makerere University in Uganda. She is also an Eisenhower Fellow and an alumna of the Swedish Institute Management Program. 

Before joining BPR, she served as country director for TradeMark East Africa in Rwanda from 2016 to early 2023. In that role, she worked closely with government agencies, private companies and development partners on projects aimed at easing trade flows and improving infrastructure. 

Earlier, she held senior roles at Ecobank Rwanda and I&M Bank Rwanda Plc, where she led corporate banking teams and managed relationships with large clients across the East African Community. 

Her board experience includes positions at MTN Rwanda and Rwanda Cooperation Initiative, as well as advisory work with One Acre Fund. She also serves as Finland’s honorary consul to Rwanda, helping to deepen trade and investment ties between the two countries.

BPR Rwanda partnerships that reach beyond banking 

Under her leadership, BPR has leaned into partnerships that connect finance with everyday needs. Through its Ikamba initiative, the bank has worked with Volkswagen Rwanda to support women drivers seeking to own vehicles, linking access to credit with income opportunities. 

The bank has also explored digital financial services through collaborations with Airtel Rwanda, reflecting a wider push to meet customers where they are—on mobile platforms. 

Beyond commercial partnerships, Mutesi has kept close ties with regional business groups, including engagements with the East African Business Council, where discussions have focused on improving access to finance for businesses operating across borders. 

Internally, BPR has invested in skills and systems. Its recently launched Center of Excellence brings those priorities together, combining workforce training, digital tools and customer experience management under one structure.

At policy level, BPR has partnered with the National Bank of Rwanda to host a strategic financial leadership workshop, convening leaders across the country’s financial sector to advance structured finance and expand access to long-term funding, in a broader effort to align banking practices with Rwanda’s economic priorities.

Mutesi impact Kayonza agribusiness Igire award

Mutesi’s work also extends into social impact, an area she has emphasized throughout her career. Through the BPR Foundation’s Ubumuntu initiative, bank staff have supported vulnerable communities, including contributions to health insurance for residents in Kayonza District. 

Entrepreneurs in agribusiness say the bank’s long-term financing and advisory support have helped them expand operations and manage risk. Programs such as Igire have also backed education and youth employment, with hundreds of students returning to school. 

Recognition has followed. BPR was named Rwanda’s Bank of the Year 2025 by The Banker magazine, part of the Financial Times Group.

BPR expands reach, strengthens operations

At BPR, Mutesi took over from George Odhiambo following his move to National Bank of Kenya. Her focus since then has been on strengthening operations while expanding access to financial services. 

The bank traces its roots to 1975 and today operates as part of KCB Group, which acquired a majority stake in Banque Populaire du Rwanda in 2021. A merger with KCB Bank Rwanda was completed in April 2022, creating a single entity with a broad national footprint. 

That scale matters. BPR serves more than 900,000 customers through over 70 branches and thousands of agents and merchants. Its reach extends from corporate clients to small businesses and retail customers, with growing emphasis on digital banking.

Financially, the bank has shown steady performance. For the year ended Dec. 31, it reported net interest income of RWF 95.94 billion ($65.66 million) and profit of RWF 40.89 billion ($27.98 million), reflecting gains from a broader customer base and tighter cost controls. 

Mutesi’s task has been to align systems, culture and strategy after the merger while keeping day-to-day operations stable. That includes strengthening risk management and expanding lending to sectors seen as key to Rwanda’s economy, such as agriculture and small businesses.