Access Bank was presented with the Gender Leader of the Year Award at the Africa CEO Forum held on March 25th ,2019. The aim of the "Gender Leader” Award is to recognize the company, active in Africa, that has distinguished itself through its efforts to increase the number of women within its executive bodies, with a strategy to promote women leadership and social initiatives that foster the inclusion of women more generally.

Jean-Claude Karayenzi, Managing Director of Access Bank (Rwanda) Plc who received the award on behalf of Access Bank as a group noted: "Financial Inclusion at Access Bank is a culture. We value empowering women at all levels internally and in all communities we operate in”

Jean-Claude Karayenzi, Managing Director of Access Bank (Rwanda) Plc.

Female leadership and empowerment are positioned at the very crux of Access Bank’s long-term strategy as they constantly strive to inspire, empower and support women across all life stages in Africa.

In July 2014, Access Bank launched the W Initiative - a women-focused market programme with the primary goal of addressing the financial and non-financial, lifestyle and aspirational needs of women across three key segments: Women Professionals, Women in Business and Women with Family.

Herbert Wigwe, Group Managing Director of Access Bank quoted "We are not where we want to be yet but a recognition like this, reminds us of how much more we have to do to create a gender-balance world.”

Access Bank Group is made up of eight (8) African markets spanning Sub-Saharan Africa’s three monetary zones, the Far East, Middle East, Asia and the United Kingdom. The Bank will continue to invest in its operations and is poised to become the world’s most respected African bank.