CEO-Ready: Uganda’s Rising Business Leaders to Watch in the Next 5 Years For years, the narrative in corporate Uganda was that the country lacked sufficient executive leadership depth. In fact, some argued that most C-suite roles, particularly the top job of CEO or Managing Director, required “external help” in the form of imported executives. But that era is fast fading. A quiet but profound leadership transformation is underway, and this curated list of 40 emerging corporate leaders proves it decisively. These are not aspirants, nor are they passengers waiting for opportunity to knock. These are executives already in motion, tested across sectors, seasoned by responsibility, and trusted to lead. They are finance chiefs, executive directors, COOs, commercial heads, governance professionals, and transformation leads. They have spent the last 10–20 years climbing the ladder, building credibility, and shaping institutions. What unites them is that they are now ready, not just to lead, but to redefine leadership at the very top.