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Pact appoints Jeremy Ngunze as new board chair

May 24, 2023
Pact appoints Jeremy Ngunze as new board chair. He will assume the position starting in September 2023.

Today, Pact announced the appointment of Jeremy Ngunze as its new Chair of the Board of Directors. Jeremy brings more than 30 years of experience in financial services and was appointed for his strong leadership and commitment to Pact’s mission to build solutions for human development that are evidence-based, data-driven and owned by the communities it serves.

“We are thrilled that Jeremy has been elected to lead our board,” said Caroline Anstey, Pact President & CEO. “He is a champion of community voice in development, which is central to our vision of engaged communities leading their own development. With his global experience and passion for our mission, I know he will continue the strong and supportive board leadership that we’ve had over the past few years.”

Ngunze, who has served on the board since 2019, is a career banker with broad experience in financial services across Africa and Asia. He is currently the Chairman of the Board of Integrated Payment Services Ltd Kenya. He previously served as Executive Director NCBA Group and prior to that was the Chief Executive Officer at Commercial Bank of Africa, Kenya. He has also held positions at Standard Chartered Kenya, Zambia and the Gambia. Today, Ngunze also serves as a Non-Executive Director at Diamond Trust Bank, Old Mutual Investment Group, and UAP Old Mutual Uganda, among other organizations. He previously served as a member of Pact's local board of directors in Kenya.

“I am honored to be elected by my fellow board members to chair this group of talented, dedicated professionals who are committed to improving the state of human development around the world,” said Ngunze. “I was drawn to Pact’s focus on putting communities at the center of everything they do, championing local voices and building capacity in cross cutting areas around the globe. I look forward to serving in this new role and continuing to support a healthy organization that achieves its goals.”

Ngunze will assume the role in September 2023. 

Pact extends its appreciation to Mark Fitzgerald, current Chair and Principal in KPMG’s international development assistance services practice, who has held the position for the past four years. Under his leadership, Pact has continued to evolve as an organization, undertaking a new strategy, moving into new countries and regions and marking its 50th anniversary, all while facing unprecedented challenges, such as the Covid-19 pandemic and war and conflict that put staff and operations in harm’s way. While his term as Chair is ending, Fitzgerald will remain on Pact’s Board of Directors.

“I am pleased to pass the baton to Jeremy who has been a wonderful addition to Pact’s board. I am confident that he will be an effective and impactful leader,” said Fitzgerald. “I look forward to continuing to serve alongside him.”

Pact’s Board of Directors is responsible for oversight of the overall health of the organization, particularly as it relates to strategy and finances. Under Ngunze’s tenure, Pact will be embarking on a new strategic phase as its current three-year strategy ends in 2024.