Henry Tanui appointed new Hustler Fund CEO

The Board of the Financial Inclusion Fund (Hustler Fund) has appointed Henry K. Tanui as the new Chief Executive Officer.

Mr. Tanui takes over from outgoing CEO Elizabeth Nkukuu, who has led the Fund since its inception.

During the handover, the Board commended Ms. Nkukuu for what it termed as “dedicated service and pioneering leadership” which established a strong foundation for one of Kenya Kwanza’s flagship projects.

In his acceptance speech, Mr. Tanui expressed optimism about the Fund’s future, stating; “The Hustler Fund has already proven to be catalytic in supporting livelihoods and economic growth. My focus will be on reengineering our collection processes, strengthening financial literacy, and building ecosystem lending channels that expand our reach and deepen our impact.”

Outgoing CEO Ms. Nkukuu, on her part, thanked the Board and Kenyans for the opportunity to serve.

“It has been a privilege to serve Kenyans by establishing and launching the Hustler Fund. I am proud of the progress we have made in reaching millions of households and MSMEs. I warmly congratulate Mr. Tanui and wish him every success in expanding the Fund’s impact in the years ahead,” she said.

The new CEO, who is a financial services professional, boasts of over 24 years in the industry with expertise in risk management, MSME lending, business lending, personal lending, mortgages, and international trade finance.

Mr. Tanui has previously held senior roles at Ecobank, Consolidated Bank of Kenya, and the Industrial and Commercial Development Bank of Kenya.

Cooperatives and MSME Development Cabinet Secretary Dr. Wycliffe Oparanya lauded the role of the Hustler Fund in the country’s socio-economic agenda.

“The Financial Inclusion Fund has already provided affordable credit to more than 26 million Kenyans. As we look ahead, I encourage the Hustler Fund team to enhance their efforts in promoting timely repayments to improve credit scores and to expand financial literacy programmes that support Kenyans in succeeding,” Dr. Oparanya said.

MSME Development Principal Secretary Susan Mangeni highlighted the Fund’s role in improving access to credit.

“Through the Hustler Fund, over 9 million Kenyans now have improved credit histories and are more capable of accessing financing from mainstream financial institutions. We extend our gratitude to Ms. Elizabeth Nkukuu for her steady leadership in establishing the Fund and guiding it through its early stages,” said the PS.