TRYNESS TEMBO
Lusaka
THE Africa Report has named three of Zambia’s leading bank executives among 10 women reshaping the country’s business landscape.
The report cites their growing influence in a traditionally male-dominated sector and their role in supporting economic recovery.
The three are Mizinga Melu of Absa Bank Zambia, Mukwandi Chibesakunda of Zanaco Bank Plc, and Kapumpe Chola of First National Bank (FNB) Zambia.
“Zambia’s leading businesswomen are playing a key role in supporting a fragile economic recovery, even as the country faces external shocks and increasing climate-related risks,” the report reads.
Ms Melu has become one of the most recognisable faces in Zambia’s banking industry, helping to change the perception of commercial banks as elitist institutions.
The Africa Report attributed her visibility to a carefully managed social media presence that projects warmth and accessibility.
Regarding Ms Chibesakunda, the report highlighted her role in steering the bank to a record K1 billion profit in 2023, while retaining its position as Zambia’s largest bank by assets and customer base.
Ms Chibesakunda is the first woman to head Zanaco, which was founded in 1969 as a state-owned institution before being privatised in 2007.
The report notes that her focus is on leveraging technology to drive growth, developing youth-focused products, and enhancing cybersecurity safeguards.
Ms Chola joined the list following her appointment as CEO of FNB Zambia in February 2024.
The Africa Report described FNB as Zambia’s leading digital-first lender, noting that its strong online presence has positioned it competitively as mobile money continues to outpace traditional banking. https://enews.daily-mail.co.zm/welcome/home
