Ugandan banker Anne Juuko has taken over as director general of the East African Development Bank, with Rwanda’s Finance and Economic Planning Minister Yusuf Murangwa chairing the governing council that appointed her as the regional lender enters a new phase of leadership.
Juuko assumed office on Friday, Oct. 2, after being appointed by the EADB Governing Council. Murangwa said her more than two decades of experience in banking and financial markets across Africa would help the bank expand its development-finance role and strengthen its contribution to its member states.
“Anne Juuko is a distinguished financial sector leader with a strong record of delivering growth across multiple African markets,” Murangwa said, citing her knowledge of regional economies, capital markets, investment and development finance.
Juuko, who is from Uganda, joins EADB after more than 20 years in banking and financial services in East and Southern Africa. Before her appointment, she was responsible for international financial markets operations in East Africa at Standard Bank Group.
She previously served as managing director and chief executive of Stanbic Bank Uganda, headed the corporate and investment banking division at Standard Bank Namibia and held senior positions at Citibank Kenya and Citibank Uganda.
Her appointment comes as EADB reports strong financial performance. The bank said its profit before tax increased by 51% in 2025, while lending rose 140%.
EADB also retained investment-grade credit ratings of A from S&P Global and Baa3 from Moody’s, with both agencies maintaining stable outlooks, according to the bank.
Murangwa said Juuko would take over at a time when the bank had already made significant progress, giving her a foundation on which to build.
The Governing Council has also approved governance reforms aimed at improving the bank’s operations and oversight, although details of the changes have not been disclosed.
Murangwa said effective governance was essential to maintaining confidence in a development bank and ensuring that it delivered stronger results for its member states.
Juuko said she would focus on strengthening EADB’s capacity to finance development, mobilising new sources of long-term capital and building partnerships that could expand the bank’s reach across the region.
“It is a privilege to join an institution that has been in existence for almost sixty years,” Juuko said. “I am excited to work with stakeholders across the region to build on that foundation and deliver even greater impact for future generations.”
She succeeds Benard Mono, who had been serving as acting director general. The Governing Council thanked Mono for maintaining continuity during the transition.
EADB was established in 1967 and re-established under a new charter in 1980. It is owned by Rwanda, Uganda, Kenya and Tanzania, alongside other financial institutions, and is mandated to support economic and social development and regional integration through development finance.
