Dr. James Mwangi is one of Africa’s most renowned thought leaders, a disruptive entrepreneur and philanthropist. As the Group CEO of Equity Group Holdings, James is credited with democratizing financial access. He has led Equity to become an integrated financial services Group operating in 6 African countries with a client base of over 14 million, and an asset base of over USD 9 billion. James established Equity Group Foundation to scale up shared prosperity and as Executive Chairman has mobilized the support of like-minded partners to commit USD 445 million for social impact. James is a winner of the 2020 Oslo Business for Peace Award; and he is a holder of the prestigious G8 2007 Global Vision Award that cited him as “an initiator of a concept of the future that will shape the world economy”. He was recognized in the 2009 Financial Times’ list of the ‘Top 50 thought leaders in emerging markets’ and among the ‘Top 20 most influential people in Africa’. James is the holder of Ernst & Young World Entrepreneur of the Year 2012 and was named one of the Bloomberg 50 in 2019. Nationally He served as the Founding Chair of Kenya’s Vision 2030 Delivery Board from 2007 to 2019. He is also the Chairman of the Health Committee of Kenya COVID-19 Fund, and Chancellor of Kenya’s Meru University of Science and Technology. He provides thought leadership serving on several global economic, education and sustainability advisory boards including the UN, and IFC, among many others. James is a certified international retail banker and is married with three children.