Absa Bank Kenya has appointed Diana Mwaniki as acting Chief Financial Officer, effective July 1, 2026.
Mwaniki's appointment, which is subject to regulatory approval, comes after former CFO Yusuf Omari was elevated to interim Managing Director and CEO following Abdi Mohamed's departure. Mohamed has since been appointed Managing Director and CEO of I&M Bank Kenya, subject to regulatory approval.
Before her appointment, Mwaniki served as Absa's Head of Financial Decision Support, a role she has held since joining the lender in September 2022.
She will now lead the bank's finance function, providing strategic financial leadership and oversight as Absa executes its growth strategy and pursues long-term value creation for shareholders and customers.
Interim Managing Director and CEO Yusuf Omari said Mwaniki has played a key role in strengthening the bank's financial planning and decision-support capabilities.
"Diana has been instrumental in strengthening our financial planning and decision-support capabilities since joining Absa," Omari said.
“She brings deep financial expertise, strong leadership, and an unwavering commitment to excellence. Her appointment ensures continuity in our financial stewardship as we continue executing our strategic priorities.”
Mwaniki has more than 17 years of experience in the financial services sector, spanning financial strategy, performance management, governance, internal controls, and risk management.
Before joining Absa, she held senior finance leadership positions in the banking industry, where she was credited with strengthening financial controls. She is also credited with enhancing governance frameworks and supporting regulatory compliance and operational efficiency.
She holds a Master of Business Administration from the United States International University and a bachelor's degree in banking and finance from Moi University. Mwaniki is a Certified Public Accountant (CPA-K) and has completed executive leadership training at Duke University.
The appointment extends a leadership transition that began earlier this week after Abdi Mohamed resigned as Absa Kenya's CEO after a 32-year career within the Absa and Barclays franchises, including three years at the helm of the Kenyan lender. He has since been named the incoming CEO of I&M Bank Kenya.
