Champion Spotlight: Dr. Susan Jemtai Koech, Deputy Governor of the Central Bank of Kenya
Since launching the WE Finance Code in Kenya on December 4, 2025, the Central Bank of Kenya has served as the national coordinator of the initiative, under the leadership of Dr. Susan Jemtai Koech.
Prior to her appointment as the Deputy Governor of the Central Bank, Dr. Koech served as Principal Secretary in the government of Kenya’s State Departments of Wildlife, East African Community and Regional Development, bringing more than two decades of leadership experience spanning both the banking industry and public service to the WE Finance Code community.
Driving National Momentum
Under Dr. Koech’s leadership, Kenya has rapidly translated commitment into action through the WE Finance Code:
- Successfully anchored the WE Finance Code within Kenya’s National Financial Inclusion Strategy (NFIS) 2025–2028, elevating access to finance as a core national policy priority and ensuring long-term institutional commitment, sustainability, and accountability.
- Built a strong national coalition of 33 financial institutions, regulators, industry associations, development partners, and ecosystem actors committed to advancing women’s access to finance.
- Established four technical working groups focused on Data & Measurement, Governance, Communications, and Product, Policy & Capacity Building to support implementation of the Code.
- Led national efforts to strengthen sex-disaggregated data systems, including governance structures, reporting frameworks, and stakeholder coordination mechanisms across the financial sector.
Impact at Scale
The Kenya WE Finance Code is already generating momentum and strengthening the ecosystem for women entrepreneurs:
- More than USD 544,000 mobilized through Financial Sector Deepening (FSD Kenya), with support from partners including the Gates Foundation and FCDO to strengthen implementation, data systems, learning initiatives, and coalition coordination.
- 80 participants trained through the Financial Alliance for Women Women’s Markets Playbook Training, strengthening institutional capacity to develop women-centered business strategies and financial solutions.
"The WE Finance Code is transforming how Kenya's financial sector understands and serves women entrepreneurs. By strengthening data, partnerships, and accountability, we are creating a more inclusive financial system that recognizes women-owned businesses not only as beneficiaries of inclusion but as a critical driver of economic growth and prosperity."
A Key Lesson for Fellow Champions
Dr. Koech emphasizes that national ownership is critical to sustaining momentum and achieving long-term impact. By embedding the WE Finance Code within an existing national policy framework and positioning the Central Bank as its National Coordinator, Kenya’s Code has been able to build credibility, attract diverse stakeholders, and sustain momentum. Equally important to her success has been the creation of a broad-based coalition aligning regulators, financial institutions, development partners, and industry associations around shared objectives and common data standards.
Looking Ahead
Kenya is now transitioning from coalition-building to full Code implementation. Its next phase will focus on strengthening national sex-disaggregated data systems, harmonizing reporting standards across financial institutions, expanding participation among Code signatories, supporting the development of financial products tailored to women-owned MSMEs, and generating evidence to inform policy and market solutions through 2028.
Through her leadership in advancing policy, partnerships, and data-driven decision-making, Dr. Susan Jemtai Koech is helping ensure that women-owned businesses remain central to Kenya’s economic future.
