British American Tobacco Kenya - Samuel Onyango Okech

Nationality: Kenyan
Age: 69

Position:
Independent Non-Executive Director since July 2019. Chairman of the Board Audit and Risk Committee and member of the Board Remuneration Committee.

Leadership and experience:
Samuel is a distinguished accounting professional and board leader whose career spans more than four decades in audit, professional services and governance. He is the immediate former CEO of Deloitte East Africa, where he led the firm through a period of regional growth and strengthened its advisory and assurance capabilities.

Beyond professional practice, Samuel has played an influential role in shaping the accounting profession in East, Central and Southern Africa. His leadership roles include serving as Chair of the Institute of Certified Public Accountants of Kenya (ICPAK) and President of the then East, Central and Southern Africa Federation of Accountants (ECSAFA), representing the region at the International Federation of Accountants (IFAC).

Academic and Professional Background:
Samuel holds a Bachelor of Commerce, Accounting Option (First Class Honors) from the University of Nairobi. He is a Fellow of the Institute of Certified Public Accountants of Kenya (FCPA), a Fellow of the Institute of Chartered Accountants in England & Wales (FCA), a Life Member of the Institute of Certified Secretaries of Kenya and a Member of the Institute of Certified Public Accountants of Uganda. He is also a trained Arbitrator and Mediator at the International Law Institute, George Town University, Washington DC.

Distinct Board Expertise:
Audit leadership | Financial Reporting integrity | Professional standards leadership

Key Appointments:

• Non-Executive Director - Equity Bank (Kenya) Limited
• Director - Jadala Investments Ltd