Exclusive Interview with the CEO of Bank of Kigali… Diane KARUSISI

She is a mild wife whose face and temperament are soft and kind. Her name is Diane Karusisi and she is the senior manager of the Bank of Kigali, one of the greatest banks operating in Rwanda, number one in the country on assets.

Despite her busy day Diane Karusisi agreed to provide an exclusive interview with Umuseke.rw.

Diane KARUSISI is a PhD holder in the Quantitative Economics that she acquired in 2009 from the University of Fribourg, Switzerland.

Umuseke: You have been managing the Bank of Kigali, a bank of 50 years. What’s it’s contribution to the development of this nation?

 DK: Of course 50 years are something. All over this period, our bank contributed much in enhancing the national socio-economic progress, but especially for last 20 years. These twenty years were for a tremendous  growing period for the Bank of Kigali.

The progress we made helped us in contributing to the development of our clients and of Rwanda at large.

Throughout this period, we’ve introduced technology and we kept catching up all technological and circumstantial advances. Now, the bank has 80 branches across the country, over 1 000 BK agents and more than one thousand employees.

All of these are meant to boost our services delivery and respond to the needs of our market.

On this occasion I would like to call up on all Rwandans to start saving for their future. At BK we have put in place different opportunities for those who save with us, the money you save will help you when you retire or in other circumstances.

We’ve heard of BK expanding its services abroad, where far with this plan?

 DK: We already have a branch in Kenya. However this branch is specifically entitled to boost relationships with potential investors from Kenya. The branch mainly helps us in assessing the market changes as to allow us make adequate financial policies for our progress.

 Furthermore, we are (still) committed to expand our services abroad. As Rwanda has a positive image in business and high quality of service delivery. Trust is a very important thing in banking, therefore we expect to be successful on international market.

 Some of your clients claim that the interest rates on loans are high. Do you plan to ease them?

 DK: The issue is not to cut down the interest rates. But we do reduce a certain interest rates on our potential clients who have been smoothly working with us for a long time, with financially stable businesses and enough collateral.

This means that we don’t apply the same favor to all clients, especially those with risky business plans.

 The National Bank of Rwanda said that Non performing loans increased, what is the situation in BK?

 DK:(It is true.) We encountered this situation last year (in 2016), Non-performing loans have increased, not only in BK, but also in other banks in the country)

 Statistics show that banking business was not profitable as in the previous years, even a number of loan seekers decreased due to unstable business environment and depreciation of Rwandan Francs against US dollar, all these factors have contributed to increasing non-performing loans. But, National Bank is helping us in handling this issue.

 Your past operations in 50 were relatively promising, what is the plan ahead?

 

DK: We have so many things for our clients, especially we are going to use this special year to reach our clients, show them our products, and we also plan to increase our corporate social responsibility.

We have already introduced insurance package in our services, many people might have not know that yet, we want to inform them about it. We  also have also a new technology based program labeled BK TecHouse.

We want to prove ourselves to all Rwandans that BK is such a great financial institution that can provide them with all financial services they might need.

The fact that a woman like you manages a big bank shows how competitive Rwandan women are. Can you confirm this?

 DK: Rwandan women are enjoying and exploiting the political inclusion initiated and supported by the current government. Rwandan women are also competitive in banking and financial institutions both public and private. This is a fact.

Now, in Rwanda there are three big banks led by women namely BK, Cranes Bank and ECOBANK. And most of BK branch managers are women.

Our Executive team comprises of six members among whom four are females. Among all BK staff members, 53% are females.

This is a good pillar upon which our bank keeps operating in an effective way. Women are risk avoiders.

 Rwandan women today some are in piloting, construction, politics … Is it enough for gender balance now?

DK: No. The current trends are positive but the journey ahead remains long. Women living in rural areas need more inclusion for better living conditions.

 Our observations reveal that men are still dominating Rwandan business platforms. More should be done to allow women have access to finance and education for the family promotion.

 Your education background is successful. Is it your own commitment or fate? Your word to Rwanda’s young girls

DK: I can say both! The Rwandan government provides equal education opportunities to all including women, but we are bound to compete. We should avoid easy things and leave the comfortable zones.

One’s efforts are a milestone for education success regardless of the opportunities made available by either parents or state.

To see a woman managing such a big banking institution in Rwanda should say something to them, that everything is possible.

I encourage Rwandan women to keep trying and will achieve more in the future and in their respective endeavors.

 

UM– USEKE.RW