In a continuous effort to alleviate poverty through building sustainable financial solutions, FINCA Uganda has attracted new talent to fill key positions in project management, innovations, risk management, credit control and regional branch management.
FINCA is Uganda’s second-largest micro-finance deposit-taking institution (MDI).
The new executives are Disan Katabalwa (PMP) as Project Manager; Rogers Sebatta and Muhammad Isiko as Regional Managers; Sophia Nabbona Kihumuro as the Head of Credit, Michael Tony Mbusa, as the new Head of Innovations and Product Development and Mpirirwe Mary, as the Head of Risk.
The 6 new executives bring to FINCA over 7 decades of combined relevant industry experience.
Commenting about the new talent pool, James Onyutta, the FINCA Uganda Managing Director, said: “FINCA Uganda attracts talented individuals and invests in their potential to deliver responsible financial services while demonstrating our core values of warmth and trust, all in pursuit of our mission to alleviate poverty through lasting solutions that help people build assets, create jobs and raise their standard of living”.
Here below are the full credentials of the 6 executives.
Disan Katabalwa (PMP)
Project Manager
Disan has over 15 years of expertise in micro-finance, digital banking, and project management.
He has previously worked for SAO, FINCA Uganda, FINCA Nigeria, FINCA DRC, UGAFODE Microfinance, FINCA Impact Finance, and Pride Microfinance. He rose through the ranks from Credit Officer, Teller, Accounts Assistant, Branch accountant, Branch Manager, Business Analyst, Global Business Analyst, Project Manager, Head of Banking Operations, as well as Head of Digital Strategy.
Key highlights in his career, include supporting FINCA’s operation expansion into Nigeria as Head Of Banking Operations and FLEXCUBE Implementation Lead, and over the years he has managed the implementation of six core banking projects and 25 digital banking solutions for FINCA DRC, FINCA Kosovo, FINCA Nigeria, FINCA Malawi, FINCA Zambia, FINCA Uganda, UGAFODE Microfinance, and Pride Microfinance.
Disan is also a PMI member who volunteers as a project management trainer for the PMI Uganda Local Chapter.
He holds a Project Management Professional (PMP) certification, as well as, a Master of Business Administration (MBA) and a bachelor’s degree in commerce (BCOM), both from Makerere University, Kampala. He also holds a Business Diploma from Makerere University Business School and a Business Management Certificate from FH Münster University of Applied Sciences (Germany).
Rogers Sebatta
Regional Manager Eastern
Rogers holds 14 years of financial services industry experience, 10 of them at the management level. He joined the industry as a Credit Officer in 2009 at the then Faulu (now Opportunity Bank), and rose through the ranks to Credit Supervisor, Branch Manager and Regional Manager.
Through much of his career, he has been part of the policy formulation and reviews, designing and implementing strategies for the various institutions that lead to productivity and achieving the bottom line of profitability.
Prior to FINCA he worked at Opportunity Bank and Brac Bank in Uganda.
He describes himself as “an innovative, dynamic individual with good interpersonal and communication skills”.
“I strongly believe in teamwork and the uniqueness of people for the success of any department which is displayed through my ability to delegate roles and build strong and efficient teams. I have demonstrated the ability to lead teams and work under minimal supervision which has translated within the team and therefore able to work independently and contain deadline-related pressures while achieving the set targets,” he says.
Sophia Nabbona Kihumuro
Head of Credit
Sophia is a seasoned banker and business leader with 17 years of experience in banking. She has a vast knowledge of customer service, credit analysis, relationship management and business leadership in the financial sector. She has in-depth knowledge of retail, commercial and corporate banking with technical competence in structured lending, portfolio management, banking operations and digital banking.
Before joining FINCA, she was Head of Credit at United Bank for Africa Uganda Ltd. Prior to that, she also served as Head of Credit, Relationship Manager and Corporate Credit analyst at NC Bank Uganda Ltd as well as served in various roles at Standard Chartered Bank within the credit, sales and operations functions.
She describes herself as a “a people-focused, passionate and solutions-driven leader with experience in managing teams to execute strategy and deliver results”.
She holds a Master of Business Administration degree and a Bachelor of Commerce degree, both from Makerere University.
Michael Tony Mbusa
Head of Innovations and Product Development
Michael describes himself as a “transformational leader with over 15 years of experience working with banking and financial technology companies (Fintech)”.
His key strengths lie in business development, innovation strategy, strategic governance, digital financial services, product development, project management, marketing channels development, organisational cultural transformation, business process-reengineering, as well as risk and operational control management.
Before joining FINCA Uganda, he served as the Acting Chief Executive Officer, Head of Channels Management at Africa’s first interoperable Agent Banking platform – Agent Banking Company of Uganda Limited (ABC).
And before that, Michael worked at dfcu Bank, as the inaugural Senior Manager, Agency Banking. He has also previously served as Branch Manager for dfcu’s flagship branches, among other several roles.
While working for dfcu Bank, he was the recipient of the prestigious Employee of the Year Award (2017) as well as received several certificates of recognition from the dfcu Board of Directors for excellent performance.
Michael holds a First Class MBA from the Eastern and Southern African Management Institute (ESAMI). He has also studied project Management and Finance at the Maastricht School of Management in the Netherlands as well as undertaken executive Education programs at Strathmore Business School. He is also an alumnus of programs at the Digital Frontiers Institute-South Africa among others.
He also holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in Education (Economics Major) from Makerere University.
Michael is passionate about organisational innovation, financial inclusion and digital transformation for all.
Mpirirwe Mary
Head of Risk
Mary describes herself as a “result-driven and detail-oriented risk management professional with over 14 years of extensive banking experience”.
Over this period, she has handled various facets of risk management including: enterprise risk management, liquidity risk, credit risk, market risk and Basel II among others. Before her current appointment, she was Managing Credit and Market Risk at Housing Finance Bank Limited where she diligently served in various capacities at the bank for the last 13 years, 8 of those in risk management.
She is a Certified Expert in Risk Management awarded by the Frankfurt School of Finance & Management and a Certified AML specialist. She holds an International Certificate in Banking Risk and Regulation by the Global Association of Risk Professionals (GARP) and holds an ACI dealing certificate facilitated by ACI-Financial Markets Association.
She holds a Master’s degree in Management Studies with a bias in Financial Management from the Uganda Management Institute and a Bachelor’s Degree in International Business from Makerere University. She is as well as an alumna of Strathmore University Business School having completed the Women In Leadership Program.
“Through my passion for risk management, I am committed to helping organisations achieve their strategic objectives,” she says.
Isiko Muhamad
Regional Manager
Muhamad holds over 10 years of experience in the banking industry especially micro and SME business for both assets and liabilities in commercial banks and Microfinance Institutions.
He is also knowledgeable about the operations of the insurance sector.
He describes himself as being “ self-motivated by tasks and task accomplishment with good communication and interpersonal skills, reliable with integrity” as well as being “result-oriented, hardworking and good at networking and always ready, willing to learn and adaptive to changes”.
“Am also a seasoned leader with wide skills in people management, performance management, a team worker with respect, transparency and integrity,” he says.