Safaricom has announced key leadership appointments aimed at accelerating its commercial and financial services growth. Victor Ngumo has been appointed as Tribe Lead – Commercial Growth, while Arthur Gichuru takes on the role of Tribe Lead – Payments, both reporting to Chief Financial Services Officer, Esther Masese Waititu.
These appointments mark a strategic move by Safaricom to strengthen its agent and merchant strategy and boost its M-PESA product positioning.
Victor Ngumo Rejoins as Tribe Lead – Commercial Growth
Victor will oversee the execution of Safaricom’s Merchant and Agent strategy, managing revenue growth across agent, dealer, and merchant channels. He brings over 20 years of experience in Telecoms, Financial Services, Marketing, and Strategy.
A familiar face at Safaricom, Victor previously served the company from 2005 to 2022, during which he held key leadership roles in the Terminals, Regional Business, and SME Segments. He was also instrumental in launching several M-PESA innovations.
He rejoins Safaricom from Airtel Africa, where he served as Director of Sales & Distribution – Kenya. He also collaborated with the International Finance Corporation (IFC) to support digital financial services across Africa.
Victor holds a Bachelor’s degree in Business and Marketing from Daystar University, a Chartered Marketing Diploma (CIM UK), and has completed the Senior Management Leadership Program at Strathmore Business School.
Arthur Gichuru Returns as Tribe Lead – Payments
Arthur will lead the development and commercialization of Safaricom’s payment solutions as the company continues to scale its M-PESA value propositions.
He brings more than 20 years of experience in fintech, banking, mobile money, and digital lending.
He joins from Diamond Trust Bank, where he was Chief Manager Retail Digital Banking, overseeing mobile and internet banking and digital lending portfolios.
Prior to that, Arthur spent eight years at LOOP DFS (NCBA Bank), where he led the development of M-Shwari and Fuliza, in partnership with Safaricom.
Arthur previously worked at Safaricom between 2014 and 2016 as a Senior Manager within the Financial Services cluster, contributing to M-PESA’s expansion.
He holds a Bachelor of Arts degree from Kenyatta University and is currently pursuing an MSc in Blockchain and Digital Currency at the University of Nicosia. He is certified in digital marketing, product growth, and monetization strategies.
Transition Update
Victor Odada, who has served as Tribe Lead – Payments since September 2023, is exploring a new role within Financial Services. A formal update will follow upon conclusion of ongoing discussions.
Safaricom has welcomed both Victor and Arthur back into the organization and congratulated them on their new roles.
