BOARD CHAIR

Advocate | Board Chair | Corporate Governance Expert Nairobi, Kenya | truwam@gmail.com

Gertrude Wamala Karugaba is a highly a accomplished business executive, dual-qualified commercial lawyer, and governance leader with over 20 years of experience across financial services, corporate law, and board leadership in East and Central Africa.

She currently serves as Group Chief Legal Officer at Equity Group Holdings Plc, overseeing legal and strategic governance across banking, insurance, fintech, and social impact entities in over six countries. 

Gertrude is an Advocate of the High Courts of Uganda and Kenya, a Notary Public, and a Commissioner for Oaths. She holds a Master of Laws from the University of Cambridge (Cambridge DFID Scholar) and a Bachelor of Laws from Makerere University, where she received the Chief Justice Award for Academic Excellence from the Law Development Centre. 

Previously, she was Partner and Head of Corporate/M&A at DLA Piper Africa (Uganda) and Head of Legal and Company Secretary at Stanbic Bank Uganda, where she led high-value transactions in M&A, capital markets, restructuring, and regulatory advisory across multiple sectors including banking, telecoms, energy, and FMCG. 

A recognized authority in governance, Gertrude has served on numerous corporate, pension, and nonprofit boards including Equity Bank Uganda, KCB Bank Uganda, AK Life Sciences, and Financial Sector Deepening Uganda. She is the Co-founder and Chairperson of the League of East African Directors (LEAD) and has trained board leaders at Strathmore University Business School. Gertrude is known for her strategic foresight, ethical leadership, and unwavering commitment to strengthening governance and boardroom excellence in Africa.

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