I&M Bank Uganda Appoints Rutabanzibwa Lwanga as Head of Risk

I&M Bank Uganda has appointed Rutabanzibwa Lwanga as its new Head of Risk, effective October 2025. He takes over from Joseph Biryahwaho, who was recently elevated to the role of Group Head of Enterprise Risk for I&M Group Plc and now sits at the Group Headquarters in Nairobi.

Lwanga joins the bank with 24 years of experience in Uganda’s banking sector, including 18 years in risk management, audit, internal controls, and governance. His career spans senior roles in both Stanbic Bank Uganda and Barclays Bank Uganda, where he built extensive expertise in enterprise risk management frameworks, operational risk oversight, internal audit, and non-financial risk governance.  

Extensive Background in Risk, Governance, and Assurance

Before joining I&M Bank Uganda, Lwanga served at Stanbic Bank Uganda for over seven years, most recently as Head of Non-Financial Risk. In that role, he provided second-line oversight across operational risk, conduct and control risks, ESG and climate-related exposures, and key governance processes. He also worked closely with the Board and Board Risk Committees, supporting decision-making and contributing to the strengthening of enterprise-wide risk culture.  

His earlier career includes an 11-year tenure at Barclays Bank Uganda, where he held progressively senior positions—from Operational Rigour Coordinator to Head of Control Rigour, Ag. Head of Operational Risk, Head of Governance and Control, Ag. Chief Risk Officer and Acting Retail Credit Risk Head. These roles equipped him with broad oversight across credit, market, operational, and fraud risks, as well as control assurance and first-line accountability.   

Lwanga began his banking career in 2001 as a Teller, later serving as an ATM Officer, Back Office Support Officer, Teller Services Manager, and Customer Service Manager. His early operational exposure provides a strong understanding of frontline processes and risk dynamics within branch operations.  

He holds an MBA from Edinburgh Business School and a Bachelor of Arts in Education from Makerere University. His professional training spans several specialised areas, with certifications that include Certified Information Systems Auditor (CISA), Certified Internal Auditor (CIA), and Certified in Risk and Information Systems Control (CRISC). He also holds a Sustainability and Climate Risk certification, reflecting his grounding in emerging risk domains.

Strengthening Risk Leadership at I&M Bank Uganda

Lwanga’s appointment comes at a time when the bank continues to strengthen its governance structures, deepen its digital transformation agenda, and enhance risk oversight across its business units. His experience in operational risk, internal controls, non-financial risk, and enterprise risk implementation positions him to support the bank’s evolving strategic priorities in a fast-changing regulatory and operating environment. He now leads the risk function previously overseen by Joseph Biryahwaho, whose elevation to the I&M Group Plc headquarters reflects the Group’s broader effort to harmonize and strengthen enterprise risk practices across it