Safaricom Announces Key Appointments In Financial Services To Drive Growth And Innovation

Safaricom has announced two major appointments within its Financial Services Cluster, aimed at strengthening its mission delivery and accelerating growth in its key digital finance platforms.

Effective immediately, Victor Ngumo and Arthur Gichuru have joined the organization in leadership roles that will steer the next phase of commercial and payments innovation.

Victor Ngumo Returns as Tribe Lead – Commercial Growth

Victor Ngumo has been appointed as the Tribe Lead – Commercial Growth, where he will be responsible for crafting and executing Safaricom’s merchant and agent strategy while driving overall revenue growth through optimized management of the agent, dealer, and merchant networks. He will report directly to the Chief Financial Services Officer.

Ngumo is a seasoned commercial leader, bringing over 20 years of experience in telecoms, financial services, business marketing, and commercial strategy. This marks a homecoming for Victor, who previously served at Safaricom for 17 years between 2005 and 2022. During his earlier tenure, he held various senior leadership roles including Head of Terminals, Regional Business, and the SME Segment. Notably, he was among the pioneering managers behind the inception of M-PESA and was instrumental in launching several innovative products.

He rejoins Safaricom from Airtel Africa, where he was the Director for Sales & Distribution in Kenya. Prior to that, he partnered with the International Finance Corporation (IFC) to advance digital financial services across the continent.

Ngumo holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Business and Marketing from Daystar University, a Chartered Marketing Diploma from the Chartered Institute of Marketing (UK), and has completed the Senior Management Leadership Program at Strathmore Business School.

Arthur Gichuru Appointed Tribe Lead – Payments

Arthur Gichuru takes over as the Tribe Lead – Payments, also reporting to the Chief Financial Services Officer. In this role, Arthur will be at the helm of developing, positioning, and commercializing Safaricom’s payment solutions, with a strong focus on scaling M-PESA’s value proposition in Kenya and beyond.

Arthur is a fintech veteran with over two decades of experience spanning banking, mobile money, digital lending, and payments. He joins Safaricom from Diamond Trust Bank (DTB), where he served as Chief Manager – Retail Digital Banking, overseeing mobile, internet, and digital lending channels.

His previous roles include Chief Product Officer and Chief Commercial Officer at LOOP DFS, the digital banking arm of NCBA, where he was instrumental in developing transformative products like M-Shwari and Fuliza—both launched in partnership with Safaricom. Gichuru also previously worked at Safaricom between 2014 and 2016 within the Financial Services Cluster, contributing to M-PESA’s strategic expansion during a period of aggressive growth.

Arthur holds a Bachelor of Arts Degree from Kenyatta University and is currently pursuing a Master of Science in Blockchain & Digital Currency at the University of Nicosia. He is certified in digital marketing, product growth, and monetization strategies.

Leadership Transition

Victor Odada, who has served as Tribe Lead – Payments since September 2023, is exploring a new role within the Financial Services division. Safaricom has indicated that a formal update will follow upon conclusion of these internal discussions.

Safaricom has welcomed both Victor and Arthur back to the organization, acknowledging their impressive track records and deep industry expertise. The appointments are seen as strategic moves to build on the company’s strong foundation in digital finance and to unlock the next wave of growth in the rapidly evolving fintech landscape.

“Please join us in welcoming Arthur and Victor back to the Safaricom family and congratulating them as they take up their new roles,” the company stated in its announcement.

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