CEO Summit Uganda has announced a leadership transition, with Marion Atuhura taking over from Stephen Mukasa as Chief Executive Officer. The change comes at a crucial period of repositioning for the organisation, which continues to evolve its role in shaping business leadership and policy dialogue in the region.
CEO Summit Uganda (CSU), one of Uganda’s leading private-sector leadership and policy platforms, has announced the appointment of Ms. Marion Atuhura as its new Chief Executive Officer, effective 1st August 2025.
She takes over from Mr. Stephen Mukasa, who has steered the organisation since 2021.
The transition marks both continuity and renewal, CSU said in a statement, paving a new era for the organisation, which has, over the past decade and a half, become the region’s most trusted forum for convening Uganda’s corporate elite, public sector leaders, regulators, and policymakers to co-create solutions for economic transformation.
A Legacy of Impact
According to the statement, CSU said that during his time as Chief Executive, Stephen Mukasa oversaw critical shifts that consolidated CSU’s place as Uganda’s premier leadership haven.
Mukasa was credited for digitising flagship programs, broadening regional participation, and reinforcing CSU’s reputation as a hub where dialogue translates into action.
Dr Peter Kimbowa, Chair of the CEO Summit, praised Mukasa’s contribution, noting that his stewardship gave the organisation the stability and credibility it needed to scale up.
“Stephen’s tenure has been one of consolidation and innovation. He led the digitisation of our programs and strengthened CSU’s stature as a trusted leadership hub. His legacy gives Marion a strong foundation to build on,” Dr. Kimbowa observed.
Continuity with a Growth Agenda
Marion comes in at a time when CSU is repositioning itself for even greater impact as a fully integrated leadership, advisory, and learning institution, and she is no stranger, having been part of the CSU family for five years, serving as Head of Finance and Administration.
With more than a decade of experience in financial stewardship and organisational transformation, she embodies the steady hand and forward-looking mindset needed at this stage of CSU’s Journey.
She holds an MBA from Edinburgh Business School – UK, and is a Certified Public Accountant. Beyond her technical expertise, she is currently completing the CEO Apprenticeship Program (CAP), a leadership acceleration initiative designed by CSU to groom the next generation of corporate leaders. Her own progress through the program demonstrates the Summit’s culture of grooming leaders from within its ecosystem, setting an example for other institutions across the region.
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In her first public statement as CEO, Marion emphasised that her leadership would focus on translating CSU’s legacy into measurable impact.
“We are entering a decisive decade,” she said, adding: “Our goal is to make CSU the benchmark for leadership development and economic transformation in Africa, where every conversation leads to measurable change”.
From Forum to Engine of Impact
The appointment comes against the backdrop of CSU’s broader institutional transformation. Founded in 2009 at the height of the global financial crisis, the Summit began as a pioneering dialogue platform. Its first forum attracted more than 200 CEOs, regulators, and public-sector accounting officers who came together in Kampala to co-create solutions for national development. Over time, what began as a single event evolved into a permanent fixture on Uganda’s business calendar, with more than 2,000 leaders having participated to date.
Over the years, CSU has consistently expanded its footprint and relevance. In 2013, it launched the CEO Apprenticeship Program in partnership with Strathmore Business School, and later extended the program to Tanzania.
In 2015, it spearheaded the creation of governance networks, including the CAP Alumni Association and the League of East African Directors, helping to build boardroom capacity across the region. In 2017, CSU collaborated with the Government of Uganda to design the Future Ready Accounting Officers initiative, aimed at shaping public sector leadership. By 2020, it was forging sustainability partnerships with institutions such as Lagos Business School and Regenerate Africa. By 2023, CSU had positioned itself as a pan-African platform for technology-driven, purpose-led economic transformation.
The Star Model: A New Blueprint
To cement this trajectory, CSU has also unveiled a bold new business design known as the “Star Model.” This blueprint reimagines CSU not just as a convener of dialogue, but as an engine of execution across five interlinked areas.
Learning and development remain central, with the Apprenticeship Program supported by Anchored, a new digital learning ecosystem offering more than 350 curated courses and sector-specific academies in energy, artificial intelligence, and investment. The Green Economy Hub advances sustainability and climate leadership in line with Uganda’s Vision 2040, while the public advisory and policy arm translates dialogue into evidence-based reforms. A dedicated consulting and research function is designed to help organisations translate insights into execution, and technical and institutional partnerships will expand CSU’s global linkages with business schools, think tanks, and development institutions.
For CSU, the Star Model is more than a structural change; it is the framework that will carry the Summit into its next phase. It signals a shift from being primarily a forum for dialogue to becoming a catalyst for competitiveness and innovation across East Africa.
Looking ahead
“CSU’s transition is about turning insight into impact. Uganda and the region face a unique moment in history, a demographic dividend, digital transformation, and rising regional integration. CSU is now structured to help business leaders not just discuss these megatrends but act decisively to shape them,” Dr. Kimbowa says.
