Ugandan banker Anne Juuko has officially taken office as the Director General of the East African Development Bank (EADB), bringing more than two decades of experience in banking, financial markets and executive leadership to the regional development finance institution.

Juuko assumed the position on October 2, 2026, following her appointment by the EADB Governing Council. Her appointment comes at a significant moment for the nearly six-decade-old institution, which is seeking to deepen its development financing role, mobilise more long-term capital and strengthen its contribution to economic growth and regional integration.

She takes over from Benard P. Mono, the Bank’s Senior Director for Finance and Treasury, who served as Acting Director General during the transition following the retirement of former Director General Vivienne Yeda at the end of 2024. Mono formally handed over the instruments of office to Juuko during the leadership transition ceremony.

Juuko joins EADB from Standard Bank Group, where she served as Regional Head of Global Markets for Eastern Africa. She previously served as Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of Stanbic Bank Uganda, Head of Corporate and Investment Banking at Standard Bank Namibia, and held senior positions with Citibank in Uganda and Kenya.

Her appointment was welcomed by the EADB Governing Council, which described her as a seasoned financial sector leader with experience across several African markets.

Yusuf Murangwa, Rwanda’s Minister of Finance and Economic Planning and Chairperson of the EADB Governing Council, said Juuko’s understanding of regional economies, capital markets and development finance would be valuable as the institution enters its next phase.

“Anne Juuko is a distinguished financial sector leader with a strong record of delivering growth across multiple African markets,” Murangwa said.

He said the new Director General was joining the institution at a pivotal time, with the Bank having built a strong foundation from which to accelerate its transformation and expand its impact across the region.

The leadership transition comes against the backdrop of strong financial performance by EADB. According to the Bank, its profit before tax increased by 51 percent in 2025, while loan disbursements grew by 140 percent. The institution also maintained investment-grade credit ratings of A from S&P Global and Baa3 from Moody’s, both with stable outlooks.

The Governing Council has also approved reforms intended to further improve the Bank’s performance and strengthen its governance.

Murangwa said strong governance would be critical to ensuring that EADB continues to deliver better results to its member states and the wider region.

For Juuko, the task ahead will be to build on the institution’s recent gains while expanding its ability to finance long-term development.

Accepting the appointment, she described it as a privilege to lead an institution that has been in existence for almost 60 years.

She said her priorities would include deepening EADB’s development finance role, unlocking new sources of long-term capital and cultivating strategic partnerships capable of expanding the Bank’s reach and delivering lasting socio-economic impact across East Africa.

The priorities come at a time when African economies continue to face significant financing needs for infrastructure, industrialisation, climate resilience and job creation. For a regional development finance institution such as EADB, increasing access to patient, long-term capital will be critical to financing projects that may not be adequately served by conventional commercial lending.

Juuko’s experience in both commercial banking and financial markets could therefore prove important as EADB seeks to mobilise additional sources of capital and develop partnerships capable of increasing its development impact.

EADB’s Director General is responsible for the day-to-day management of the Bank under the strategic direction of the Board of Directors and oversees areas including strategy, performance and financial soundness.

The Bank was established in 1967 and was re-established under a new Charter in 1980 following changes in East Africa’s regional cooperation framework. It is owned by Kenya, Uganda, Tanzania and Rwanda, alongside other development and commercial financial institutions, and operates as an institution of the East African Community.

As she begins her tenure, Juuko will be expected to translate EADB’s recent financial momentum into greater development impact across its member states, while strengthening the institution’s role in regional economic integration.

The Governing Council has expressed confidence that her leadership will help EADB consolidate its position as a leading development finance institution in East Africa and expand its support for sustainable economic growth across the region.