East African Development Bank Appointed Anne Juuko
The regional development lender selected Anne Juuko as Director General alongside the adoption of new governance reforms.
Updated on Oct. 2, 2026 in People
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The Governing Council of the East African Development Bank appointed Anne Juuko as its new Director General. This leadership transition follows the adoption of a suite of governance reforms intended to support the bank's future trajectory.
Why it matters
The bank seeks to strengthen its governance to better provide long-term capital for infrastructure, climate resilience, industrialization, and job creation. By modernizing its internal structure, the institution aims to play a more catalytic role in crowding in private capital through innovative blended finance solutions.
The East African Development Bank recorded a 51 percent surge in profit before tax and a 140 percent increase in total loan disbursements during 2025. The institution, which has existed for almost 60 years, currently holds investment-grade credit ratings of A from S&P Global and Baa3 from Moody's.
The players
Anne Juuko
She is the newly appointed Director General of the East African Development Bank and previously served as a senior executive at Standard Bank Group and Stanbic Bank Uganda.
Benard Mono
He served as the interim head of the East African Development Bank during the transition period leading up to the new appointment.
East African Development Bank
This regional development finance institution has operated for nearly 60 years to support infrastructure and industrial projects across East Africa.
The details
Anne Juuko, who previously served as Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of Stanbic Bank Uganda, was named to lead the development bank during an announcement in Kampala. She transitions into the role as the bank moves to scale its operations following a period of significant growth under interim leader Benard Mono.
Timeline
The bank recorded significant growth in profit and loan disbursements throughout 2025.
Anne Juuko assumed the position of Director General on October 2, 2026.
Market Landscape
This leadership transition aligns with the broader push by regional development lenders to professionalize governance and mobilize private investment for industrialization. It marks a strategic shift to leverage the bank's investment-grade credit ratings to compete more effectively in the regional infrastructure financing sector.
The bank's increased capacity for loan disbursements and focus on private capital indicates a potential rise in large-scale infrastructure and industrial projects across the region. Clients and partner organizations should anticipate shifts in project financing availability as the new governance reforms are implemented.
The takeaway
The appointment of a seasoned executive like Anne Juuko underscores a regional commitment to aligning development banking with modern private-sector financial standards. Investors and stakeholders should monitor the forthcoming blended finance initiatives as they may define the next phase of capital allocation for regional climate resilience.
Further reading
For more on industry leadership changes, visit the People section.
Source note: This article includes information reported by Monitor.
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