Small is big: The whole country is focused on exam results (and peace deals) but my focus is on the banking sector: How do the four banks that have reported compare with estimates earlier estimates?

– 10. NIC – profit 1.05 billion realized against 1.1 billion estimated
– 3 Standard Chartered – 4.9b exceeds 3.5b
– 2. KCB 3.5b underachieving 4.3b
– Barclays 7.08b underachieving 8.5b*

The Kenyan corporate banking market is saturated and banks may have to go after smaller customers (personal banking and SME’s) to continue to achieve super-profits. To prove it, look at KCB and Standard Chartered – Kenya’s No. 2 and 3 banks’. Two years ago (2005) they were virtually the same size 70 billion, and two years later (2007) KCB is 20 billion shillings larger in assets (112b ~ $1.6b) than standard chartered (91b) (corporate focus),

This vindicates Barclays who have gone for personal business and can expect an even better 2008/09 and, of course Equity Bank – who have overhauled the entire mid-size banks sector in four years)

I love exams: For some reason KCPE and KCSE results bring this blog’s biggest single-day traffic – 5X normal (thanks to an obscure post) as parents and students hit google to search for how they can get results online.

opportunities
(some fin jobs, most from the daily papers)

– African Development Bank Young Professionals Program.d/l is 15/3 (details at the Economist )
– APA Insurance: head of business development, chief underwriter (general insurance) business developers (2). apply to recruitment@apainsurance.com
– Director of internal audit at East Africa development bank (based in Kampala). Apply through Deloitte – esd@deloitte.co.ug by 14/3
– Gulf African Bank: relationship managers, business bankers, credit analysts, database admin, IS auditor. Apply to Recruitment@gulfafricanbank.com by 5/3
– KCB: branch managers, call center manager, product development manager (S&L). apply to recruitment@kcb.co.ke by 5/3
– Kenya Airways: Commercial Director, Group Finance Director, Chief Operating Officer (and others)
– Kengen: business development & strategy director, operations director, finance & commercial director, internal audit manager, company secretary/legal & corp. affairs director, regulatory affairs director. apply through KPMG esdkengen@kpmg.co.ke by 14/3
– KIPPRA – young professionals (11). Apply to hr@kippra.org by 20/3
– KPMG: senior advisor – public sector & development, advisor – public sector & devt. (2) – talentrecruit@kpmg.co.ke by 3/3. also manager corporate finance & transactions services/l 12/3
– Safaricom: Business Intelligence Developer, Retail Sales Manager, Retail Centre Manager, Area Retail Manager (and others)