As we are enjoying the late afternoon sun, somewhere between Lavington and Kileleshwa in Nairobi, the rain advertises itself and thunder winks at us. The sky opens up and Bonface Isinta Ombui, the managing director and CEO of Choice MicroFinance Bank, continues speaking against the backdrop of torrents, nodding, like a parent acknowledges a child throwing a tantrum and proceeds with their tasks. I am impressed.
The man betrays not a flicker of emotion—a smile here, a chuckle there—what you find in your dictionary when you look up the word "Accountant". He is a numbers guy. Youngest CEO at 30. Or so the folklore goes. His phone never stops ringing. He uses the word intentional a lot. "My child makes all this effort worth it," he says.
Mr Bonface, do you think accountants and bankers are boring guys?
Not really. There is much fun in accounting, finance, and banking through innovation and creativity. That is the side I lean on. Over time, banking has developed its tech bit, and coming up with new products that can serve the customers.
Is it true you became the youngest CEO at 30? What was that like?
At that point, I was the youngest CEO of a bank. It means there is a lot of trust in me from the board, they felt my skills could grow the business. I was an investment manager of a Venture Capital that invested in the bank in 2021 and I was proposed to be the director at that time because I had accumulated good experience around product and regulation. I served a year as a director then in year two, I was proposed to be the CEO, in September 2022. We were a community microfinance bank, and last year we got a license to become a national bank. Now, we also don’t need to use an intermediary bank in our transactions with clients. Have I mentioned we made, for the first time, a profit in 2023, about Sh8 million? Our vision is to build a digital bank that can facilitate cross-border payments.
What did you believe about yourself that helped you become successful?
I entertain new ideas. I have a strategy but within it, I can play around and come up with different ideas. That is what Choice Microfinance Bank needed at that time—differentiation in the market.
What is the most important question one can ask a CEO?
Where will you be in the next five years? It is about vision and strategy. The role of a CEO is to create value for the shareholders and customers.
Bonface is a simple family guy married with one child. I go to church every Saturday; I love reading, travelling and creating valuable relationships with people.
What’s a book you’d recommend everyone to read?
I am a big fan of Sidney Sheldon, the writer. I have read almost all of his novels. Try his book Nothing Lasts Forever, it literally means that. How do I innovate because this might not last forever, how do I think differently?
Do you ever picture yourself as one of Sidney Sheldon’s characters?
Not really, but it is interesting to see how he portrays other characters in his novels.
What did you grow up believing that has since changed?
Health. You tend to assume everything is okay, but you get to a certain age and you become intentional on what you do to ensure you stay healthy. I watch my weight, go to the gym, play football, and pay attention to what I eat.
At what age did that shift happen?
Immediately after university, after I had gained some weight.
What’s your guilty pleasure now?
I love spicy food, but my wife does not, so when we go to a, say, Chinese restaurant, I eat and then take her to another place to eat.
What have you learned about yourself from marriage?
I value genuine relationships. That makes me happy in my marriage, and I try to be present for my family.
Did you grow up with present parents?
Yes. It’s a family of four and both my parents were teachers. We went to boarding schools but they were always there to support us. The setup is different because I grew up in the village with better social support from my uncles and the community, now you have to make that effort. My father is very goal-oriented, and my mother is the softer one.
What is the funniest advice your father ever gave you?
Always smile and laugh wherever you are. My father loved to joke that we should not always hang out with our mom because we might misbehave. You need to be independent. Clinging to your mom makes you dependent on her.
What is a lesson you wish you learned sooner in life?
Investing and working with the right guys. I have always been hardworking, learning faster than my team, but then that means I don’t have time to build a team or think strategically. Today we hire the right skilled people and delegate—less burden on my side.
Who has been the most influential person in your life?
The late Bob Collymore from Safaricom. I like that every decision he made, the customer was at the forefront, then the employees, and finally the shareholders.
Were you born a leader or were you made one?
I was made one. I am the third born in my family. I am the second boy—there are three boys and a girl. I have learned much from my mentors.
Middle children are usually the forgotten children, so to speak. Did that influence who you are today?
Totally. My parents did not influence what course or career I would take—they were all my decisions. That gave me an advantage because after university my first role was as a Research Analyst at Kenya National Bureau of Statistics. It worked for me.
What kind of man do you hope to be?
One who creates a meaningful impact in people’s lives. From my family to my clients and shareholders.
What do you do just for you?
I am now very intentional about creating time despite my busy schedule. Nowadays I play golf—a relaxed game. Sometimes, we’d go golfing with business partners, creating time to reflect on work. Over the weekend, I resist meetings so I can have time for family.
Have you taken any life lessons from golf?
Initially, everybody would suggest different ways of holding and swinging the club. Over time, I just stopped listening to them and focused on myself. I had an inner feeling that if I hit it this way, the ball would get to where I wanted it to go. The lesson therein is to calm down, listen to yourself, and believe in yourself.
What’s your insecurity?
Regrets. That means I am extra cautious when making decisions, even if it is not the right one, I have to stand by it so I avoid regretting.
Do you have a particular regret that has stayed with you till today?
Not really. Just the normal things I wish I didn’t have to decide on.
What is the habit that has best served you in your life?Â
Waking up at 5am and sleeping early—by 9pm. Part of our investment team sits in China, so there is a five-hour difference, which means by 4am it is 9am in China. Also, we are a diaspora bank, so most of our clients are in the US, UK, and China. I love that morning time to think, reflect, and clear my pending tasks.
Most investment books talk about the all-nighter CEO who never sleeps. Why did you choose a different path?
I have always operated like this. Over time I have realised if you trust your team and give them authority to make decisions, you don’t need to be there to make and run that business. When I am recruiting, I just want to know, will this guy make my work easier?
You seem very structured. How do you remain spontaneous in your life?
We are who we are because we can make quick decisions and changes. As long as you have a clear plan and vision, you can remain spontaneous in that vision.
When was the last time you did something for the first time?
Haha! That’s a good question. In January, I drove to the Amboseli. It was my first time there. My child was quite excited.
Choice Microfinance Bank CEO Isinta Ombui during an interview at his office in Lavington, Nairobi on January 28, 2025.Â
Photo credit: Bonface Bogita | Nation Media Group
What did that do to you as a family? It brought us together. Just the three of us, we could discuss our family plans, where we want to go, and how to achieve our goals.
What is something I wouldn’t believe about you?
I am a very good striker in football. I play position 11 or 10. I started as an amateur but now I am very good. I play every Wednesday at Gymkhana and Sundays at Lower Kabete.
When did you start?
During the Covid period. We started a team with guys from church.
How many times are you on the bench?
Haha! I am not on the bench as I am the leader of that team. As the Captain, I organise that we have a field, a good turnout and we have quarterly subscriptions, bibs, and balls.
What is a memorable match you remember?
We recently travelled to Homa Bay County and we played against a local team full of teenagers. They were very professional, and we expected to be beaten properly. We donated our kits and football shoes to them just to push them as they did not have any during the time of playing.
What can you tell me about money that I probably don’t know?
Money has to flow. That is its essence. You have to position yourself for money to flow through you—it doesn’t need to stay with you, you can pay bills or invest. Create that continuous cycle. If you hold it, there is no value for you.
What does Bonface splurge his money on?
I love cars. I am a fan of Volvos and I’ll want to spend more money on buying them. I also love travelling. So twice a year I travel and treat myself with my family.
Volvo is known as a safe car. Are you a safe guy or are you risk-averse?Â
I take calculated risks. I have to think about it, prepare, and plan before I make it. On the road, I don’t want any calculated risks [chuckles].
What is the most thoughtful gift you’ve received?
Golf clubs from Larry, one of our board members. He saw my liking for golf and that was very kind of him.
What did you know then when you were starting your career that has helped you now?
I have always been good at mathematics. It’s a lot of planning, projections, and numbers - I can get meaningful information from numbers and reports.
Does your phone ever stop ringing?Â
No. Or not yet. I have calls from customers, our banking partners, staff, and friends.
Does it interfere with your productivity?
It does. So, in the morning, from 4am to 9am, the phone is off. I started doing it recently actually. Initially, I would check my phone first thing I woke up. I am very intentional to ensure I can focus.
Who do you know that I should know?Â
A lot of my friends. I have friends good at planning, engineering, and marketing. My goal is to create meaningful relationships. I could connect you with them if you like.
