The Chief Executive Officer of Kenya’s Equity Bank, Dr James Mwangi, has been named Forbes Africa 2012 Person of the Year.
Dr Mwangi beat the likes of Nigeria’s Aliko Dangote who is Africa’s richest man; Tony Elumelu – Founder and Chairman of Heirs Holding; President of Malawi Joyce Banda and Stephen Saad, co-founder of the Aspen Pharmacare.
The event was held November 29, 2012, at the prestigious Porsche Centre in Victoria Island in Lagos, Nigeria.
The award was presented to him by Managing Editor of Forbes Africa magazine, Chris Bishop.
In his acceptance speech Dr James Mwangi asked that “all Africans should brace up and take up the challenge of improving Africa as our generation could go into history as those that changed the African continent for good,” reports Kenya Broadcasting Corporation.
Dr Mwangi was honoured for playing a central role in making Equity Bank the largest bank in East and Central Africa, with more than seven million accounts in Kenya alone.
The judges said “Mwangi is an example of what it means to make it and to overcome the enormous challenges facing the average person in Africa. His influence and contribution to society, in a difficult environment, is significant.”
Mwangi holds a Bachelor of Commerce degree and is a Certified Public Accountant.
Sanusi Lamido Sanusi, Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria was the recipient of the first award in 2011.