Former Transport Cabinet Secretary James Macharia has been appointed Chairman of Sidian Bank, succeeding Dr. James Mworia, the Centum Investment Company Group CEO, in a leadership reshuffle that also brings three new directors to the bank’s board.
Dr. Mworia, who has chaired the lender, will step down from the position but continue to serve as a member of the Sidian Bank board.
Centum, a listed company on the Nairobi Securities Exchange, remains one of the bank’s principal shareholders.
As part of the ongoing governance and strategic realignment, Sidian Bank has also appointed Prof. Paul Gachanja, Apollo Ong’ara, and Madhav Bhandari to its board, tapping into their diverse expertise to support the institution’s growth and transformation into a leading player in Kenya’s banking sector.
Macharia, a seasoned banker with over 42 years of experience across both the private and public sectors, brings a wealth of leadership and industry insight.
He began his banking career at Standard Chartered Bank before joining African Banking Corporation (ABC), where he rose to become Managing Director for the bank’s Zambia and Tanzania operations.
In 2005, he was appointed Group Managing Director of NIC Bank Group, where he led the establishment of subsidiary banks in Tanzania and Uganda, expanding the group’s regional footprint.
Centum Investment Company Group CEO Dr James Mworia.
Macharia transitioned to public service in 2013, when he was appointed to the Cabinet, serving over a decade in senior roles including Cabinet Secretary for Health, Cabinet Secretary for Transport, Infrastructure, Housing and Urban Development, and Acting Cabinet Secretary for Water and Irrigation.
His appointment marks a return to the banking sector, where he is expected to guide Sidian Bank through its next phase of growth and transformation.
