The new chief executive of the Nairobi Securities Exchange (NSE), Mr Geoffrey Otieno Odundo, is an accomplished investment banker with 22 years experience and a Formula One fanatic. He takes over at a time when the NSE has just been listed and thus open to more scrutiny. The market has also been working to increase products offering and tweak policy to attract more listings, especially medium-sized companies.
From his CV, the guy has what it takes. Mr Odundo, a USIU MBA, has worked for 16 years in the capital markets in various senior roles in asset management, corporate finance and stock broking. “I am very confident that the future of the NSE as a key driver of Kenya’s economy is very bright as we deepen the current products and diversify into new product offerings,” he says.
He has been instrumental in the setting up of Co-op trust Investment Services, Co-op Consultancy Services Limited and Kingdom Securities Ltd. This is part of the experience he will be banking on from March 1, 2015, wh
en he begins to helm the leading securities exchange in East and Central Africa. He takes over from Mr Andrew Wachira, the Head of Compliance and Legal who has been acting CEO.
“Mr Odundo’s leadership skills, experience and wealth of knowledge would be instrumental in driving the NSE’s aggressive strategic plan aimed at developing the Kenyan Capital Markets and growing the NSE into be a leading securities exchange in Africa,” said NSE board chairman Eddy Njoroge.
Before he was appointed, Mr Odundo was managing director and CEO of Kingdom Securities Ltd since June 2009, where he oversaw the growth of the firm into one of the leading trading participants of the NSE. He also played a part in key listings on the NSE as well as other corporate finance transactions.
Mr Odundo, affectionately known as Jeff, has also been serving as a non-executive director of the NSE representing trading participants from March 2012. During this time, he was chairman of the NSE Technology Committee and a a member of the NSE Finance and Manpower Committee and the NSE Listings and Admissions Committee. “This is the dawn of a new era for the NSE as we seek to create greater participation by individual Kenyans, homegrown companies and international investors in the market,” Mr Odundo says.
Mr Odundo has in the past served as a Director and Secretary of the Kenya Association of Stockbrokers and Investment Banks (KASIB) which improved service delivery and standards among capital markets intermediaries. He holds a Bachelors of Arts Degree in Mathematics and Economics from Egerton University and a Masters in Strategic Management from the United States International University.
Jeff, a father of three, enjoys soccer, golf, Formula One and is a dedicated member of the St. Pauls University Chapel Lectors Group and founder of the Ame Foundation to support the less fortunate members of the Society.
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