Paul Russo (banker)
Paul Russo | |
|---|---|
| Born | circa 1976 Laisamis, Marsabit County, Kenya |
| Occupation(s) | Corporate leader, entrepreneur, human resources expert |
| Years active | 2000–present |
| Known for | Group CEO of Kenya Commercial Bank Group |
Paul Russo (born circa 1976) is a Kenyan corporate leader, entrepreneur, and human resources expert who assumed the position of Group CEO at Kenya Commercial Bank Group on 25 May 2022. Prior to this appointment, he was the managing director and chief executive officer of National Bank of Kenya (NBK), a subsidiary under KCB acquired in 2019.
Background and education
Originating from the vicinity of Laisamis, Marsabit County in northern Kenya, Russo completed his primary education locally before receiving a Catholic Church scholarship to attend Mang'u High School located in Thika, Kiambu County. He earned a Bachelor’s degree in Business Management from Moi University and holds a Master of Business Administration from Strathmore University. Additionally, he obtained senior executive certification focused on Africa from Harvard Business School and a Higher Diploma in Human Resource Management awarded by the Kenya Institute of Human Resources.
Career
Russo began his professional journey in 2000 within the human resources department at Kenya Breweries Limited. He subsequently held positions at Barclays Bank of Kenya (currently Absa Bank Kenya), followed by short-term engagements at K-Rep Bank (now Sidian Bank) and PwC Kenya. In 2008, he joined Barclays Africa Group (presently Absa Group Limited) as head of human resources for three divisions. By 2014, he transitioned to KCB Bank Group as Group Human Resources Director, a role he fulfilled for four years before being elevated in 2019 to Group Regional Businesses Director responsible for nine subsidiaries.
In 2022, Russo took over the CEO role at KCB Group from Joshua Oigara, who stayed on briefly to facilitate a smooth leadership handover.