FCPA Kellen Eileen Kariuki, MBS

Kellen was the first Unclaimed Financial Assets Authority Chief Executive Officer tasked with setting up the new Public Sector institution. She was responsible for receiving, safeguarding and reuniting unclaimed financial assets. Unclaimed Financial Assets Authority is the first and one of its kind in Africa. She led the strategic direction and operations of a new organization by setting up structures, policies, systems and recruiting staff. Kshs 40 billion worth of unclaimed financial assets was reported in her tenure at UFAA while 100% of valid claims lodged were reunited with their rightful owners.

Kellen has been at the helm of senior leadership positions for over 20 years.  While at Citi, she held different roles including Chief Financial Officer, Head of Human Resources among others where she developed strategic financial procedures to provide the basis for management decisions and control and maintain integrity of accounting and disclosure; proactively supporting the business mission while providing independent strategic judgment necessary to meet corporate objectives and policies while ensuring compliance with applicable local and US regulatory requirements were met.

She has wide international experience in developing and delivering all aspects of Human Resources and Business strategy across Middle East, Pakistan and Africa which includes Institutional, Private, Consumer and Investment Banking businesses thereby understanding the diverse markets and driving the business strategy across the region.

Kellen currently runs her own consulting firm, Feruzi Holdings Limited, dealing with financial advisory, real estate and agribusiness. 

Kellen has had over 15 years Board experience in various sectors including the Chairperson of Citibank Tanzania Limited for the last 8 years, a Director in Citibank Uganda Limited for 4 years, chaired the Citibank Kenya Provident Fund for 8 years, a director of Cititrust (Kenya) Limited, an investment advisory subsidiary of Citigroup Inc., for 12 years where she had extensive engagement with the Capital Markets Authority. A director in the Kenya Roads Board for 6 years. She sits in the Amref Health Africa Board and is Chair of Audit, Risk and Compliance Committee, a member of the Amref Flying Doctors Board. She is a founding member of the Board of Advisors of Strathmore Business School and has served as an elected council member of ICPAK.

In recognition of services rendered to Kenya, she was awarded “The Moran of the Order of the Burning Spear” (MBS) by the President of Kenya in December 2003.

Kellen is a Fellow Certified Public Accountant (FCPA (K). She holds a Bachelor’s degree in Accounting and an MBA in Strategic Management from United States International University. She also holds an MSc in International Human Resource Management from Cranfield University in the UK. She is a PHD Candidate at Strathmore University Business School.