FRANCIS KIRIMI KABITI
Nairobi
Summary
Strategic transformation leader with 10 years experience in insurance and financial services, driving corporate strategy execution, digital transformation, and innovation. Proven track record in leading multi-stakeholder programs, embedding agile and digital-first practices, and delivering enterprise change aligned with business growth. Skilled at engaging C-suite and board-level stakeholders, fostering external partnerships, and scaling technology-driven solutions that enhance customer experience, efficiency, and competitiveness across East Africa
Overview
10
10
years of professional experience
1
1
Certification
Work History
Product Owner (Volunteer)
ICEA LION GENERAL INSURANCE COMPANY LIMITED
01.2019 - 06.2020
- Contributed to development of digital transformation roadmap roadmap aligning with company’s innovation and digital strategy.
- Partnered with stakeholders to prioritize and deliver features that drove customer engagement and operational efficiency.
- Contributed to enterprise product planning, shaping digital adoption and customer-centric service models.
- Assessed value, developed cases, and prioritized backlog, stories, epics, and themes to ensure work focuses on those with maximum value that are aligned with product strategy and changing requirements.
- Worked closely with Product Management to create and maintain a product backlog according to business value.
- Worked in an Agile environment and continuously reviewed the business needs, refined priorities, outlined milestones and deliverables, and identified opportunities and risks.
Bancassurance Assistant
ICEA LION GENERAL INSURANCE COMPANY LIMITED
06.2018 - 06.2020
- Managed Bancassurance Business Distribution Channel and ensured the objectives were met by maintaining production revenue budget.
- Developed and managed alternative partnerships within the department.
- Identified markets for the Bancassurance Business distribution channels for the Bancassurance products.
- Regularly reported the performance of Alternative Distribution Channel section in accordance with applicable structures.
Project Manager
EQUITY BANK KENYA LIMITED
07.2025 - Current
- Lead enterprise-level transformation projects with direct reporting to senior leadership, ensuring alignment with organizational strategy, risk controls, and governance frameworks.
- Partner with business units and external vendors to integrate new technology solutions, streamlining operations and improving customer service.
- Provided executive-level reports and insights, influencing decision-making and resource allocation at C-suite level.
- Define project scope and goals through working with stakeholders to establish project outcomes.
- Perform risk management, identify potential issues and developing strategies for mitigation.
- Develop and maintain detailed relocation schedules, checklists and progress reports.
- Monitor progress, track key metrics, and ensure the team stays on schedule.
- Manage the project budget, ensuring expenses don't exceed the allocated funds and adjust as needed.
- Develop and oversee contingency plans to minimize downtime during the relocation.
- Communication and Stakeholder Management
- Ensure the final deliverables meet quality standards by overseeing testing and reviews to confirm the project's output is satisfactory.
- Conduct a project closure process, which includes a final review, documenting lessons learned, and formally handing over the project to its new owners.
- Identify and resolve issues and conflicts within project team.
- Enhance team productivity by implementing agile methodologies and continuous improvement practices.
- Equip teams with required knowledge, resources and materials to successfully execute project work.
Scrum Master
ICEA LION GENERAL INSURANCE COMPANY LIMITED
07.2020 - 07.2025
- Championed digital transformation initiatives across insurance operations, embedding agile practices to accelerate product delivery and innovation.
- Presented transformation progress to the executive team, influencing strategic investment decisions in digital platforms.
- Facilitated alignment of strategic initiatives with business units, ensuring projects contributed to organizational growth, customer satisfaction, and regulatory compliance.
- Mentored cross-functional teams and promoted a culture of creativity, agility, and continuous improvement.
- Prepared and presented progress reports and strategic insights to senior management, enabling data-driven decision-making.
- Forged partnerships with fintechs and third-party providers to expand digital distribution and streamline customer onboarding
- Tracked project processes, deliverables, and financials.
- Facilitated Scrum framework – sprint planning, backlog grooming, daily scrums, sprint reviews, and sprint retrospectives.
Bancassurance Officer
KCB Bank Group
08.2015 - 07.2017
- Effectively created new client relationship and relationships while ensuring retention of existing business relationships by ensuring high standards of customer service.
- Kept detailed records of insurance compliance documents, underwriting records, claims records, insurance register and records of all policies underwritten and decisions made.
- Championing insurance training at the branch, working closely with branch management to sensitize customers on insurance products
Education
MA - Project Planning and Management
University Of Nairobi
Nairobi09.2022
Bachelor of Arts - Economics & Sociology
Kenyatta University
Nairobi12.2014
AIK Insurance Diploma -
College Of Insurance
Nairobi05.2025
Skills
- Cross functional Team management
- Change Management
- Problem-Solving
- Project Management
- Agile Methodology
- Stakeholder Management
- Project management tools: Azure, Mondaycom, Smartsheet, Microsoft Project
- Design thinking
- Digital Transformation
Accomplishments
- Spearheaded the development and launch of an Agents Mobile App that generated over Kes. 1 Billion in revenue within its first year, driving customer acquisition, agent productivity, and digital channel adoption.
- Implemented end-to-end digital policy issuance, reducing turnaround time from 14 days to 3 days, significantly improving customer experience, operational efficiency, and lowering processing costs.
- Led the digitization of underwriting processes, enabling real-time delivery of policy documents to clients and agents, strengthening service excellence and positioning the organization as a digital-first insurer.
- Directed cross-functional teams in integrating core systems with external partners, automating policy issuance, premium collection, and claims reporting — reducing reconciliation issues and enhancing ecosystem partnerships.
Certification
- Certified Scrum Master (CSM)
- Certified SAFe 6 Scrum Master
- Project Management Professional (PMP)
Publications
Influence of Project Planning Practices on Performance of KeRRA Road Construction Projects in Meru County, Kenya. https://www.irjp.org/index.php/irjbsm/article/view/112
Timeline
Project Manager
EQUITY BANK KENYA LIMITED
07.2025 - Current
Scrum Master
ICEA LION GENERAL INSURANCE COMPANY LIMITED
07.2020 - 07.2025
Product Owner (Volunteer)
ICEA LION GENERAL INSURANCE COMPANY LIMITED
01.2019 - 06.2020
Bancassurance Assistant
ICEA LION GENERAL INSURANCE COMPANY LIMITED
06.2018 - 06.2020
Bancassurance Officer
KCB Bank Group
08.2015 - 07.2017
MA - Project Planning and Management
University Of Nairobi
Bachelor of Arts - Economics & Sociology
Kenyatta University
AIK Insurance Diploma -
College Of Insurance