By Leonard Kamugisha,
KAMPALA
Incoming Centenary Bank Managing Director Godfrey Byekwaso has pledged to accelerate the bank’s digital transformation, saying technology and innovation will be central to improving customer experience while preserving the institution’s long-standing culture of trust.
Speaking during the bank’s Leadership Transition Media Breakfast at Centenary Bank Headquarters, Mapeera House Kampala on Thursday, Byekwaso said the bank’s next phase of growth will focus on faster, more convenient and secure financial services powered by technology.
“We have to embrace technology. We have to digitally innovate and use technology to enhance the services we offer. The technology must be convenient, simple and secure,” Byekwaso said.
He takes over leadership of the country’s largest indigenous commercial bank at a time he described as a period of stability, noting that the transition comes while the institution is performing well.
“Normally, change happens when something has broken. In our case, nothing has broken,” he said, commending the outgoing Managing Director Fabian Kasi for handing over “a ship that is continuing to sail.”
Byekwaso said while the bank would preserve its values of integrity, teamwork, professionalism and customer-centric service, it would accelerate digital solutions to meet changing customer expectations for speed and efficiency.
He said technology would support the bank’s mission of providing inclusive financial services to farmers, youth, women, rural communities and small businesses through digital platforms, agency banking and GonzaPay.
“Our bank is everywhere. Beyond branches, we are reaching customers through mobile banking, agents and digital platforms to ensure timely financial solutions,” he said.
However, Byekwaso stressed that digital transformation would go hand in hand with investing in employees, saying technology alone cannot sustain customer trust without a skilled and motivated workforce.
Outgoing Managing Director Fabian Kasi said the leadership transition reflected the bank’s commitment to sustainability and succession rather than a change in institutional direction.
“Leadership changes, but the institution remains. What is important is the continuation of the values and DNA of the institution,” Kasi said.
He described Byekwaso as an experienced banker selected through a competitive process by the board, citing his nearly 10 years leading Centenary Bank’s finance function before taking up an international banking assignment.
“He has done it before, and I don’t think he will have any problem continuing to lead this ship forward,” Kasi said.
Kasi urged his successor to remain authentic in his leadership while driving the bank’s vision of financial inclusion through innovation, adding that effective leadership requires earning trust, understanding people’s aspirations and continuously learning in a rapidly changing environment.
“The people you lead need to feel that they are benefiting from your leadership. And you as a leader also need to ensure that the team is moving in a direction that makes everything possible,” he said.
