Profile: Mathias Katamba, chief executive of Dfcu Bank

CEO, Dfcu Bank (since 2 January 2019)

Mathias Katamba was named as the chief executive designate of Dfcu Bank on 31 October 2018 and took over from Juma Kisaame, who had led the bank for over 11 years, in January 2019.

But with over 15 years of experience in banking and finance, Mr Katamba was no neophyte. Before he joined Dfcu, he was managing director at Housing Finance Bank, the specialist mortgage lender, for close to five years (he was appointed Housing Finance MD in March 2014).

He was the managing partner, and a co-founder, at Progression Capital Africa, a private equity fund based in Mauritius, before his appointment at Housing Finance Bank. Progression Capital was set up to provide capital and technical support to microfinance institutions in Uganda, Kenya, Tanzania, Rwanda, and Zambia.

Mr Katamba has also previously served as the chief executive officer at Finance Trust, now Finance Trust Bank, for five years. In addition, he has held senior positions at Orient Bank Limited, Post Bank Uganda, the Absa Group, and Pride Microfinance Limited. At Pride Microfinance, he was instrumental in the transformation from a nongovernmental organisation to a microfinance deposit-taking institution.

He studied economics (BA) at the University of Greenwich, and did a master’s degree (MSc) in financial management at the University of East London. He also holds a postgraduate diploma in public relations from the Chartered Institute of Public Relations.

Other board memberships: Uganda Institute of Banking and Financial Services (chair), UAP Old Mutual General Insurance Uganda Limited, Private Sector Foundation Uganda, Central Broadcasting Services