In an industry where experience is often measured in policies and portfolios, Dr Ben Kajwang has built a reputation on something less tangible: education.
As director and chief executive of the College of Insurance in Nairobi, he has spent recent years widening access to professional training and strengthening governance across East Africa’s insurance and pensions sectors.
More than two decades in broking, insurance and reinsurance preceded his current role. Under his leadership, the college’s Executive Certificate of Proficiency in Insurance has reached over 5,500 participants in all 47 Kenyan counties.
Its Pensions Trustee Development Programme has trained more than 8,500 trustees, while a partnership with the traffic police has given over 1,500 officers grounding in insurance law, compliance and fraud detection.
Kajwang has also championed research and publication. He has authored nine books and more than 70 academic and professional papers, and the college has produced over 25 learning materials. Its curriculum has been modernised to reflect digital transformation and emerging risks.
The Edge Hotel and Convention Centre, developed under his stewardship, hosted the 48th African Insurance Organisation Conference and General Assembly.
His credentials include a PhD in Strategic Management, chartered insurer status with the Chartered Insurance Institute in the United Kingdom and fellowships in Kenya and Uganda.
He previously served as president of the African Insurance Organisation. In 2026 he became the first Kenyan chief executive to win the Global Change Makers Award, adding to a Best-Performing CEO award at the BOBEA Leadership Awards and national recognition during Mashujaa Day.
Kajwang’s contribution is not confined to Kenya. His teaching and advisory work extend into Uganda, Rwanda, Burundi, Malawi and the wider COMESA region.
For a sector that often struggles to reach beyond major urban centres, his record offers a practical argument: that raising professional standards at scale is possible, and that education remains the industry’s most durable form of risk management.
