The Board of the Financial Inclusion Fund (Hustler Fund) has announced the appointment of Mr. Henry K. Tanui as the Chief Executive Officer for a renewable term of three years.

Mr. Tanui takes over from Ms. Elizabeth Nkukuu, who has been heading the Fund since its inception. The Board acknowledges Ms. Nkukuu’s dedicated service and pioneering leadership, which established a strong foundation for the Fund.

Mr. Tanui is an experienced financial services professional with over 24 years in the industry. He has broad expertise in Risk Management, MSME Lending, Business Lending, Personal Lending, Mortgages, and International Trade Finance. He has held senior roles at Ecobank, Consolidated Bank of Kenya, and the Industrial and Commercial Development Bank of Kenya. His extensive background has given him a deep understanding of Kenya’s economic development and the vital part that financial services play in promoting inclusive growth.

Cabinet Secretary for Cooperatives & MSME Development, Hon. FCPA Dr. Wycliffe Oparanya, commended the role of the Fund in the country’s socio-economic agenda. “The Financial Inclusion Fund has already provided affordable credit to more than 26 million Kenyans. As we look ahead, I encourage the Hustler Fund team to enhance their efforts in promoting timely repayments to improve credit scores and to expand financial literacy programmes that support Kenyans in succeeding.”

Principal Secretary for MSME Development, Ms. Susan Mangeni, highlighted the Fund’s impact in enhancing financial inclusion. “Through the Hustler Fund, over 9 million Kenyans now have improved credit histories and are more capable of accessing financing from mainstream financial institutions. We extend our gratitude to Ms. Elizabeth Nkukuu for her steady leadership in establishing the Fund and guiding it through its early stages.”

Speaking about his appointment, Mr. Tanui expressed optimism about the Fund’s future. “The Hustler Fund has already proven to be catalytic in supporting livelihoods and economic growth. My focus will be on reengineering our collection processes, strengthening financial literacy, and building ecosystem lending channels that expand our reach and deepen our impact.”

The outgoing CEO, Ms. Elizabeth Nkukuu, expressed her gratitude for the opportunity to serve and congratulated her successor.

“It has been a privilege to serve Kenyans by establishing and launching the Hustler Fund. I am proud of the progress we have made in reaching millions of households and MSMEs. I warmly congratulate Mr. Tanui and wish him every success in expanding the Fund’s impact in the years ahead.”