Sanlam Allianz Holdings (Kenya) PLC has appointed Jacqueline Karasha as its new Chief Executive Officer (CEO), efficient November 1, 2026.
The appointment was introduced in a public discover to the Nairobi Securities Exchange (NSE), issued by the corporate’s Group Company Secretary, Emma Wachira.
Karasha will succeed Dr Patrick Tumbo, who’s retiring after main the NSE-listed insurer for greater than eight years.
The management transition comes as Sanlam Allianz prepares to switch the subsidiary’s insurance coverage portfolio, property, liabilities and fund administration operations into the listed father or mother firm as a part of a proposed company restructuring.
Jacqueline Karasha takes over Sanlam Allianz Kenya
The firm stated Karasha at present serves as CEO and Principal Officer of Sanlam Allianz Life Insurance (Kenya) Limited, a completely owned subsidiary earmarked for absorption into the listed father or mother underneath the proposed restructuring.
According to the discover, she has greater than 17 years of expertise in management, gross sales and operations throughout the life insurance coverage sector.
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- “At SanlamAllianz, she has led a turnaround of all distribution channels, driven digital enablement and built strategic partnerships that position the business for long-term sustainability.”
The firm stated Karasha’s expertise in distribution, digital transformation and strategic partnerships would help the enterprise’s long-term sustainability.
Her appointment additionally coincides with the deliberate consolidation of the Group’s insurance coverage operations underneath its listed father or mother, which is predicted to eradicate an intermediate company construction.
Karasha’s insurance coverage profession and Tumbo’s legacy
Karasha holds a First-Class Honours diploma in Actuarial Science from Jomo Kenyatta University of Agriculture and Technology (JKUAT) and is a graduate of Stellenbosch Business School’s Senior Leadership Development Programme.
She can be a Fellow of the Life Management Institute (FLMI), an Associate Member of the Insurance Institute of Kenya and holds an Underwriting Skills Certificate from Hannover Re.
- At Sanlam Allianz Life Insurance (Kenya) Limited, she has led reforms geared toward accelerating progress, strengthening the corporate’s place within the life insurance coverage market and rising shareholder worth, with a deal with customer support and innovation.
- Tumbo, in the meantime, brings greater than 35 years of expertise in insurance coverage. According to the corporate, he was appointed Group CEO in August 2018 and has contributed to the event of the insurance coverage business in Kenya and throughout Africa.
He has served as chair of the Organisation of Eastern and Southern Africa Insurers (OESAI), Chairman and Trustee of Kenya’s Insurance Training and Education Trust, and chairman of the Association of Kenya Insurers. He has additionally served on the boards of the Federation of Kenya Employers and the Kenya Private Sector Alliance.
His recognitions embrace Africa Insurance CEO of the Year, Insurance CEO of the Year and Gender Champion of the Year. In 2026, he obtained the Lifetime Achievement Award on the Think Business Awards.
What it’s best to know
Sanlam Allianz has continued to broaden its presence throughout African markets as a part of its broader progress technique.
- In June 2025, SanlamAllianz officially launched its operations in Nigeria, marking a step in the direction of increasing entry to insurance coverage and monetary providers within the nation.
- The enlargement adopted the merger between Sanlam, a South African monetary providers supplier, and Allianz, a German multinational monetary providers firm.
- The alliance varieties a part of the businesses’ wider Pan-African progress technique, extending their presence throughout 27 African international locations, together with Kenya, Uganda, Egypt and Ghana.
The management transition in Kenya comes as the Group prepares to consolidate its insurance coverage operations and pursue its long-term progress aims throughout the continent.
