Equity Group Holdings CEO James Mwangi has been appointed to a new international commission tasked with reshaping cooperation between the Global North and South, placing the Kenyan banker among global leaders seeking to redefine development partnerships.
Mwangi is one of two business leaders and the only African on the South-North Commission on Development, which was unveiled in Berlin by its co-chairs, former German Chancellor Olaf Scholz and former Costa Rican President Laura Chinchilla.
The commission includes World Bank President Ajay Banga, WTO Director-General Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala and Nobel Peace Prize laureate Denis Mukwege, alongside former government leaders and development experts, with most members drawn from the Global South.
Mwangi said Africa should be viewed not through aid but as a source of growth, talent, innovation and investment, drawing on his experience in mobilising capital, supporting entrepreneurs and expanding financial inclusion.
The commission builds on the legacy of the North-South Commission chaired by former German Chancellor Willy Brandt from 1977. It will hold its first meeting in Bangkok on Oct. 16-17 alongside the IMF and World Bank annual meetings, with interim findings due in 2027 and a final report in 2028.
Mwangi brings 35 years of experience at Equity, which serves 23.3 million customers across six African countries, with 98% of transactions now conducted outside branches.
He will serve in a personal capacity, while Equity continues initiatives including its $6 billion Africa Recovery and Resilience Plan, aimed at reaching 100 million customers and 5 million borrowing businesses by 2030.