Equity Bank has emerged as the best bank in Kenya at this year’s Think Business Banking Awards for the eighth time.
For the third time, The Managing Director and CEO of Equity Group Dr. James Mwangi, also took home the award for CEO of the Year.
The Think Business Banking Awards have been held every year, since 2006.
Awards at the Think Business Banking Awards, are won on a combination of merits, which include financial stability, opinion polls, market research and professional assessments.
The overall winner of the title of The Best Bank in Kenya, is usually the bank with an all-round appeal.
In this year’s (2019) edition, Equity Bank this time around bagged 18 awards, snatching up the top slots in 12 categories which are: Best Bank in Tier 1, Best Bank with the lowest charges for Individuals, The Most Customer-Centric Bank, Best Bank in Mobile Banking, Best Bank in Internet Banking, Best Bank in Agency Banking, Best Bank in Product Marketing, Best Bank in SME Banking, Best Bank in Agriculture and Livestock Financing, Best Commercial Bank in Micro Finance, Best Bank in CSR, and Best Bank in Digital Banking.
Equty Bank, also secured the position of first runners-up in three categories; Best Bank in Trade Financing, Best Bank in Retail Banking, and Best Bank in Mortgage Finance. It was second runners-up in Best Banking in Corporate Banking.
The Managing Director and CEO of Equity Group Dr. James Mwangi, was quoted as saying, “These awards are a validation of the sustained effort and expertise we have put in towards ensuring that as many of our people are able to access banking through the development of technologically-led solutions that will truly benefit the real economy. “.
Other winners at the awards event include; Barclays Bank of Kenya which was named the best lender in asset financing. ABC Bank which won in the category for lenders with the lowest charges for individuals while Stanbic Bank was named the best in mortgage-financing.
Credit Bank snatched up the award for the best bank in the Tier III category and the second runners up in the SME banking category.
Sumak Micro Finance bank was named the best microfinance bank in livestock and agriculture financing and Maisha MicroFinance Bank, which is the first micro lender to launch a mobile money savings and loan product backed by Airtel as far back as 2017, also won in the category for product innovation for micro-financiers.
Equity Bank was founded as Equity Building Society (EBS) in October 1984 and was originally a provider of mortgage financing for the majority of customers who fell into the low income population.
Equity Bank in 2010 established the Equity Group Foundation. This innovation and creative vehicle has fully transformed the concept of philanthropy and corporate social responsibility.
Equity Bank maintains a network of 173 branches across Kenya, which includes 38 branches in Nairobi.
Equity Bank Kenya Limited was incorporated in 2014 as a result of the corporate restructure of Equity Group Holdings Limited, which was decided upon, during an extraordinary shareholders general meeting held on the 24th of November of the same year (2014).
