Kenyan businesswoman Flora Mutahi joins Ecobank Kenya board to bolster SME, women focus

Ecobank Kenya has appointed Kenyan business leader Flora Mutahi to its board of directors, as the lender moves to strengthen its strategic leadership with a sharper focus on small and medium-sized enterprises and women-led businesses.

The appointment brings one of Kenya’s most prominent private-sector executives into the governance structure of the pan-African lender, reinforcing Ecobank Kenya’s push to deepen its footprint in enterprise financing and inclusive banking across the market.

Boardroom move signals strategic strengthening at Ecobank Kenya

The board appointment underscores Ecobank Kenya’s broader effort to enhance leadership capacity as it targets growth in SME lending, a segment widely seen as critical to Kenya’s economic expansion and job creation. Mutahi’s experience across manufacturing, financial services, and regional business leadership is expected to support the bank’s governance and strategic direction.

Mutahi is the founder and chief executive officer of Melvin Marsh International, the company behind Melvins Tea, Kenya’s largest flavored tea company that helped popularise the segment locally. She also sits on the board of Old Mutual as a non-executive director.

Deep private-sector and institutional leadership background

Over the years, Mutahi has built a profile across both corporate leadership and industry institutions. She previously served as the first female chairperson of the Kenya Association of Manufacturers (KAM) and later became the first female chairperson of the Kenya Private Sector Alliance (KEPSA), roles that placed her at the center of Kenya’s private-sector advocacy landscape.

Her governance experience also includes board positions at SBM Bank Kenya, the United Nations Global Compact in New York, the Anti-Counterfeit Authority, the Comesa Business Council, the Export Promotion Council of Kenya, and Jubilee Insurance Company Limited.

Mutahi also founded Azizi Realtors in 2011 and launched the Melvins Mentorship Impact Programme, aimed at supporting female entrepreneurs through coaching and capacity building.

Education and outlook

Born in Kenya and educated locally at primary and secondary levels, Mutahi holds a B.Sc. in Finance and Accounts from the United Kingdom and an Executive MBA from the University of Cape Town in South Africa.

Commenting on her appointment, Mutahi said she looks forward to contributing to Ecobank Kenya’s long-term growth strategy. “I am honoured to join the board of Ecobank Kenya and excited to contribute to its strategic journey. I look forward to working with the board and management team to support sustainable growth, innovation, and the long-term impact of the Ecobank brand,” she said.

Expanding governance influence

Mutahi’s appointment adds to a growing portfolio of boardroom and institutional roles across East Africa’s corporate and development landscape. Her experience straddling entrepreneurship, manufacturing leadership, and financial governance positions her as a key voice in shaping business growth strategies, particularly in sectors aligned with SME expansion and women-led enterprise development.

For Ecobank Kenya, the move strengthens its governance structure at a time when competition in SME banking and digital financial services is intensifying. For Mutahi, it marks another step in extending her influence across Kenya’s financial and industrial ecosystem.