Nairobi — Sidian Bank has appointed John Okulo as its new Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer, effective May 1, 2026.

Okulo joins from KCB Bank Kenya, where he currently serves as Director of Corporate Banking, overseeing strategic client relationships, financial performance, and risk frameworks.

He will replace Chege Thumbi, who is set to retire on June 30, 2026, after nine years at the helm.

Sidian Bank Board Chair James Macharia said Thumbi leaves behind a strong legacy, having led a major transformation of the lender.

"Mr. Thumbi has had a distinguished banking career spanning over three decades. During his tenure at Sidian Bank, he led a significant transformation of the business, including significantly growing the Bank's Trade Finance portfolio, increasing the branch network to fifty branches and expanding digital banking and foreign exchange income streams," Macharia said.

He added that the bank strengthened its operations, improved customer experience, and achieved strong growth under Thumbi, culminating in its elevation to a Tier II bank in September 2025.

In the year ended December 31, 2025, Sidian Bank posted a 502 percent jump in net profit to Sh1.73 billion.

The growth was driven by higher interest and non-interest income, with net interest income rising by 54.4 percent to Sh4.4 billion, while non-interest income surged by nearly 129 percent to Sh3.8 billion.