Anne Juuko: Breaker of Records

Banking looks calm on the surface, but quite tough to lead at scale.

In Feb 2021 I received a WhatsApp that reads; “Good morning Elijah, my name is Anne Juuko from Stanbic Bank. I got your number from – -. I was wondering when would be a good time for me to give you a call or better still set up a physical meeting”.

First, her humility had my attention. We had several discussions with Anne and other executives that resulted in me joining Stanbic Bank Uganda in June 2021 as Head Engineering/CIO.

I’ve told Anne before that as a father of daughters, I could not resist an opportunity to support a trailblazing female Chief Executive at her request.

For 2 years, I applied myself as Anne’s “tech co-founder”, and she treated me as such.

Along with EXCO, we had long days and many candid conversations – on and beyond tech – on which way was best to Run the Bank and which bets were critical to Future Proof the Big Blue.

I never once had any worries about holding a different view from my leader and passionately arguing my case until she saw it. Sometimes she won 🙂

Amidst many storms that come with running such a large and critical corporation, Anne broke records every single year of her Chief Executive tenure.

In lighter moments I’ve told Anne that Isaiah 54:17 is definitely active over her life; No weapon formed against you shall prosper, And every tongue which rises against you in judgment You shall condemn.

For it didn’t matter if it was COVID in 2021, a red-hot fraud environment, a gloomy economic outlook, FATF grey-listing that stretches compliance to new levels, or a fragile PR landscape. When it was time for the results, Anne Juuko always broke the record.

Anne, such an honor to have received that WhatsApp in 2021 and to have contributed to your CE success. May you continue to defy odds and set new records as you move on to your next role.

You have a chapter in my book if I ever write one. What great exploits!