Pearl Bank Managing Director Julius Kakeeto has concluded his tenure as Chairman of the Uganda Bankers Association (UBA), closing a chapter marked by sweeping reforms, strategic lobbying, and a push to position banks at the centre of Uganda’s economic transformation.
Kakeeto, who assumed the role in May 2024, leaves after a tenure that industry players say redefined the association from a passive body into an influential force shaping policy, regulation, and financial sector priorities.
During his time at the helm, the banking industry faced major regulatory changes and global market uncertainties, but Kakeeto steered the sector with a focus on resilience and long-term growth.
Under his leadership, UBA deepened its engagement with key regulators, including the Bank of Uganda, the Financial Intelligence Authority, and the Capital Markets Authority, helping to streamline licensing processes and respond to new guidelines on corporate governance, climate risk, and cyber security.
One of the standout shifts during his tenure was the creation of high-level CEO workstreams in 2025, focusing on the economy, regulatory reforms, the judiciary, and emerging technologies. These platforms brought industry leaders together to generate solutions and drive transformation within the sector.
Kakeeto also oversaw the formation of a technical working group that crafted the banking industry’s response to the government’s long-term economic strategy, with a strong focus on increasing private sector credit and unlocking financing for small and medium enterprises.
The blueprint is expected to guide banking sector interventions over the next 15 years, contributing to Uganda’s ambitious target of expanding its economy from 50 billion dollars to 500 billion dollars by 2040.
On the social impact front, Kakeeto’s tenure saw the banking industry strengthen its commitment to gender inclusion and sustainability. UBA endorsed the UN Women Empowerment Principles and later signed onto the global We-Fi Code, positioning Uganda among countries championing access to finance for women entrepreneurs.
Through this initiative, Bank of Uganda was designated as the national data aggregator, a move aimed at improving tracking of gender-focused financial inclusion across the sector.
Kakeeto exits office having anchored the association’s 2025 to 2027 strategy, leaving behind a banking industry that is more coordinated, digitally aware, and aligned with global ESG standards.
His leadership also earned UBA recognition from institutions such as aBi Finance for promoting green finance and the Uganda Revenue Authority for strengthening the country’s tax base.
As he bows out, Kakeeto leaves a sector better prepared to navigate future shocks and play a leading role in Uganda’s economic ambitions.
