ECOBANK : What Emmanuel Wakili brings as regional operations director for Central, Eastern, and Southern Africa

(LVDE) – In a major strategic move for the financial institution, Emmanuel Wakili, currently Chief Financial Officer (CFO) of Ecobank Cameroon, has been appointed Regional Director of Operations for the CESA region. With more than 20 years of experience, Wakili brings a wealth of expertise to his new role, aimed at boosting operational efficiency and innovation across the region.

A new chapter is unfolding for Ecobank with Emmanuel Wakili’s appointment as Regional Director of Operations for Central, Eastern, and Southern Africa. This change, which reflects the Group’s commitment to strengthening governance and performance, comes in addition to his responsibilities as Regional CFO. Wakili will lead the regional executive team in executing the Group’s strategy across 18 key markets within the CESA region.

In an ever-evolving economic landscape, Wakili’s mission is to maximize resource allocation while enhancing risk management and compliance frameworks. His leadership will also focus on cost optimization and improving customer service delivery, further emphasizing the importance of technological innovation and digital transformation.

The results speak for themselves: under his financial leadership, the CESA region has witnessed remarkable growth. Between 2017 and 2025, profit before tax surged by over 500%, while return on equity (ROE) rose from 6% to 33%. In addition, the cost-to-income ratio improved significantly, dropping from 73% to 50%. These figures highlight not only the effectiveness of his management but also his ability to steer the Group through complex economic challenges.

More recently, Emmanuel Wakili also served as Acting Chief of Staff to the Chairman of Ecobank’s Board of Directors, where he played a pivotal role in aligning the Group’s strategic priorities. His duties included strengthening stakeholder relations and optimizing operations at the Group level.

As CFO of Ecobank Cameroon, Wakili worked closely with the Managing Director to enhance the subsidiary’s performance, achieving an ROE exceeding 33% and doubling pre-tax profits in just seven years. His oversight of operations across the CEMAC zone was also instrumental in the subsidiary’s success.

With over 22 years of experience in the banking and financial sector, Emmanuel Wakili is a Fellow Chartered Certified Accountant (FCCA) and holds a Master’s degree from Anglia Ruskin University in the United Kingdom. He has also completed prestigious executive programs, including the Global CEO Africa Program, jointly organized by Strathmore Business School, Lagos Business School, and the Yale School of Management.

Before joining the Ecobank Group, Wakili held senior management positions in several major banking institutions in Cameroon, where his outstanding career earned him numerous accolades. Among them, he was named ACCA Africa CFO of the Year 2024, received the Sustainable Finance Leadership Award (2024), and the Ecobank Group CFO Exceptional Finance Leadership Award (2023).

Raphael Mforlem