Diamond Trust Bank’s chief information and digital officer Jimmie Mwangi shares insights into his upbringing in Nyahururu, and his journey into the captivating world of IT.
On a recent visit to Nairobi, CIO South Africa’s Nomahlubi Sonjica, while fostering connections across Africa, caught up with Jimmie Mwangi, CIDO of Diamond Trust Bank. He speaks about what drives and inspires him, shedding light on the motivations of IT leaders across the continent, particularly beyond the scope of technology.
Q: Please tell us about your background, and how it has influenced the person you are today.
A: I grew up in Nyahururu, a town on the slopes of Aberdare ranges. The town sits at an altitude of 2,303 metres and is also the home of the famous Thomson Falls.
This high altitude could have been the reason I became very athletic at a young age. I was known for middle to long distance events, and even did a few full marathons! It was a small community where my mother was a respected church leader. This instilled in me a strong sense of community, resilience, and hard work.
My upbringing taught me the value of adaptability, a trait that has been crucial in assisting me to navigate the fast-paced world of technology in telecommunication, banking and insurance. These experiences continue to influence my approach as a CIO, where I strive to lead with vision, contribute to my teams’ growth, and drive meaningful change in the society.
Q: How did you get into IT?
A: Unlike many who may have stumbled into IT, mine has been a journey of intentional drive and focus. I developed an interest in technology at an early age. I started by fixing my dad’s radio and TV sets, before becoming known for repairing digital watches when still in primary school. After high school, I made some good money assembling amplifiers, which I mostly sold to Matatus, Nairobi’s popular public transport buses. Fascinated by how technology could solve real-world problems, I pursued a degree in information technology, where I specialised in business informatics, and later a master’s in information systems at the University of the Witwatersrand in Johannesburg.
During my early career years, I had the opportunity to work in electronics, computer maintenance, computer sales, and even computer engineering lecturing. All these roles provided me with valuable insights into how IT systems underpin business operations and how they impact society.
Q: What's the best part of your job?
A: One of the most exciting aspects of my role is collaborating with incredibly talented individuals across different departments. We have constant engagements through dynamic brainstorming sessions that often lead to breakthrough ideas and innovative solutions, either working on the technology directly or through the rich ecosystem of partners the bank has cultivated.
It’s incredibly rewarding to see how our constant innovations provide solutions that not only enhance customer experiences, but also drive growth opportunities for both the team members and the bank.
The most exciting thing about leading technology is the landscape’s inherently dynamic nature. You are assured that there will always be something new to learn and implement. This constant evolution keeps me and my team on our toes and pushes us to think creatively and strategically.
Q: Walk us through a crazy day in your shoes, dealing with all things IT.
A: There is no typical day in the life of a CIO. We juggle numerous priorities throughout each day as we manage day-to-day operational activities, strategic planning, technical and business projects, and dealing with human resources activities like hiring, performance reviews and employee development.
All my days start before dawn. This is the time I catch up on the latest global tech news and political events.
I always start the day creating a schedule for myself. This is followed by looking into my inbox to determine if there is anything requiring urgent focus. This helps me in updating the to-do list. During this time, I could be on the phone talking to my IT leadership team and senior colleagues about projects and product management work.
By the time I arrive at the office in the morning; after navigating the Nairobi traffic, my calendar is brimming with back-to-back meetings and a mailbox full of incoming messages.
The morning kicks off with a crisis management session – and my first task is to coordinate with all our teams to restore the services. Once the situation is under control, I transition to a strategic meeting with the executive team to plan the digital and business transformation objectives. We explore emerging technologies to enhance customer experience and grow the business. These discussions are intense, many times involving complex decision-making and balancing the need to innovate with budgetary constraints.
Lunchtime has become more like a working lunch than a break of any sort. In the afternoon, if not occupied in meetings, I review proposals with our architect team leads for upgrading our existing IT infrastructure or deploying a new solution or review the product management initiatives.
Q: What's been the biggest hurdle in your career, and how did you overcome it?
One of the biggest hurdles in my career was leading a major initiative in rethinking banking during the delicate period of the Covid-19 pandemic. This, coupled with the rapid technological change, meant I had to drive the team to radically re-engineer processes, virtualise the bank, and ensure seamless customer experience. All this was done as we simultaneously launched new digital products and channels to meet customer demands for touchless engagements. The challenge was two-fold: managing the technical complexities of acquiring and integrating new technologies, and ensuring that the team was not only fully equipped to handle these changes, but that their and their families’ truly wellness came first.
The scale of the project covered a few countries in the region, which presented a challenge due to the travel bans and rigorous clearing process one had to go through to travel. In addition, as we kept rolling changes, for both our customers and staff, an inherent risk of technical glitches, that could disrupt the bank’s operations, lurked in the dark around us.
To overcome this, I focused on building a fit-for-purpose team, coupled with meticulous planning and communication. We quickly adopted virtual meetings. We broke the project into manageable phases with clear milestones and established an agile approach for delivery. Additionally, I engaged the control functions and crafted a comprehensive risk management strategy. To ensure alignment and manage expectations, we ensured that all stakeholders were kept abreast of the changes through constant and transparent communication.
Q: How would you describe your leadership style?
My leadership style is collaborative and visionary. I recognise that we are all different and it is these different perspectives that lead to innovative solutions and success, when well synchronised. I have a strong belief in fostering an environment where ideas are freely shared, and everyone feels empowered to contribute their unique perspectives. I am also a strong advocate for open communication and encouraging feedback. I have intentionally trained my teams in both receiving and giving feedback. I aim to build a team culture that thrives on mutual respect and continuous learning.
Looking inwards, adaptability is essential in my leadership style. Given the rapidly evolving technological landscape, being informed and being open to change are critical items in the menu of success. I not only live this reality but constantly encourage my team to embrace new challenges and technologies enthusiastically.
Besides IT, are you involved in any initiatives for youth empowerment or charity work?
Yes. I am a strong believer in the transformative power of education and technology to secure the future through the young people. I directly and indirectly contribute to this in various ways.
I have been part of a local setup that aims to drive science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) in underserved communities. We hold workshops and offer guidance on careers to students with interest in technology. My own three nephews are just joining popular universities to study electronics engineering, computer science and financial engineering! These will be the drivers of the next phase of the digital age.
I am also involved in charity efforts aimed at improving access to education and technology in rural areas. My vision is to be able to provide schools and training centres with computers and internet access, as well as programmes to train the next generation of IT workers and innovators.
Q: If you were not in IT, what other profession would you pursue? Any dream careers you've had to put on hold?
Definitely a commercial pilot! I tried my hand in this previously and hope to complete the journey someday.
In a more practical and impactful path, if I were not in IT, I would likely pursue a career in public policy. Although my interest in this career path would still be aligned to technology, I would use my experience to shape the future through inspiring and empowering the next generation of technologists. My focus would be in the broad area of digital transformation for the governments, education, cybersecurity and AI policies, and economic development to drive sustainable development. This path, I believe, would have a very huge impact on society.
How do you unwind?
I love cycling. After a busy week, I enjoy the sound of rubber on tarmac as I cycle on the major highways in Nairobi. I picked up this hobby in Johannesburg and have remained loyal to it over the years. I am also a photographer, trained by Nikon SA, and take time shooting at events or randomly occasionally.
Some evenings after a long day at work, I leave the office a bit late and rush home to enjoy a quiet dinner with my family, sharing stories and insights from our respective days. We read a book together – especially Kiswahili ones – where I have had to teach the kids or watch Peppa Pig with the little one. I find these all critical in helping me recharge for the next day’s guaranteed adventures.
