The Board of Directors of Diamond Trust Bank Kenya Limited has appointed Murali Natarajan as the Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer for Kenya, effective immediately.
In a statement confirming the appointment, DTB Group CEO Nasim Devji noted that Natarajan joins the Bank from DCB Bank India, where he previously served as Managing Director and CEO.
This appointment follows recent regulatory approvals and is a key component of Diamond Trust Bank Kenya Limited’s (DTB) strategic corporate reorganisation aimed at fostering regional business growth.
As a member of the Aga Khan Development Network (AKDN), DTB has been a significant presence in East Africa for over seventy-five years.
The reorganisation, which was announced in May 2024, aligns with the company’s goal of reaching 10 million customers across the East African region by 2026.
A central element of the strategy is the enhancement of the DTB Group’s Executive and Leadership Structure, which includes the appointment of a dedicated Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer for Kenya.
At the Group C-suite level, the immediate past Managing Director and CEO of DTB Kenya, Nasim Devji, who has led DTB’s growth initiatives for over two decades and currently serves as both Group CEO and CEO of DTB Kenya, will concentrate her efforts on expanding and fortifying DTB’s stakeholder relationships and franchises throughout the East Africa region.
This focus aligns with the Group’s ongoing commitment to improving customer experience and enhancing its product offerings through digitalization and various initiatives.
In her role as Group CEO, Devji will maintain oversight of the DTB Group’s diverse entities, providing leadership and strategic guidance in areas such as Information Technology, Financial Management, Corporate Governance, and Risk and Compliance, among other functions across the Group.
She will drive service delivery and operational excellence in Kenya, Uganda, Tanzania, and Burundi, ensuring synergy and growth across different business units, fostering long-term sustainable development, and effectively executing the Group’s vision to enhance DTB’s market positioning.
“As part of our regional business growth plans, we welcome Natarajan, a seasoned commercial banker with a wealth of experience, to assume the substantive DTB Kenya CEO role. In this role, Natarajan will provide strong leadership to elevate and accelerate the DTB Group’s Kenyan franchise business growth.
“The MD and Country CEO for DTB Kenya, along with the current Country CEOs for DTB Uganda, DTB Tanzania, and DTB Burundi, will report to and support me [Mrs Nasim Devji] to ensure the smooth customer delivery and continued success of DTB in each country,” she said.
DTB has recently laid a robust groundwork in Kenya to effectively execute its regional growth strategy.
This strategy emphasizes the enhancement of customer value propositions through investments in personnel, digital capabilities, and skill development.
“I am honoured to join DTB Kenya as the managing director and CEO, and I look forward to working closely with and supporting Mrs Devji and the entire team to drive growth and continue to deliver value to our customers in Kenya,” Natarajan commented.
Natarajan holds a Bachelor of Commerce Degree from Delhi University and is a fellow member of the Institute of Chartered Accountants of India.
He possesses over 40 years of international experience in the banking and financial services sector, encompassing a wide range of geographical regions and banking segments.
From 2009 to 2024, he held the position of Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer at DCB Bank in India.
His extensive career includes a role as the Global Head of SME Banking at Standard Chartered Bank prior to his tenure at DCB Bank.
Additionally, Natarajan dedicated 14 years to Citibank’s consumer division, where he engaged in various functions and business areas.
Throughout his distinguished career in banking, he has worked in countries such as Singapore, Hong Kong, Indonesia, and South Korea, where he played a pivotal role in establishing successful retail and SME banking operations in these markets.
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