Amhara Bank, one of Ethiopia’s newest and fastest-growing banks with the largest shareholder base in the market, has appointed Mr. Yihnalem Aknaw as Chief Executive Officer. The Board of Directors, which has been carefully evaluating candidates against detailed criteria, ultimately selected Yihnalem Aknaw as the new CEO of Amhara Bank, in due consideration of his educational readiness, extensive experience, and demonstrated strategic leadership. The National Bank of Ethiopia has also approved his appointment.
The new CEO, Yihnalem Aknaw, holds a BA degree in accounting (2001) and Information Systems (2005) from Addis Ababa University, an advanced professional certification from the Association of Chartered Certified Accountants (ACCA) in London, UK, in 2013, and an Executive MBA from Addis Ababa University’s Graduate School in 2014. He spent 25 years of his career at Dashen Bank, one of Ethiopia’s leading private banks, rising from entry-level to senior leadership roles. At Dashen, he served as Branch Manager, Credit Department Director, Strategy Department Director, Chief Transformation and Customer Experience Officer, Chief Retail and SME Banking Officer, and finally as Investment Banking Advisor, playing a key role in the bank’s rapid growth.
This appointment, combined with previous appointments of chief officers in line with the bank’s new strategic plan and structure, will help drive Amhara Bank into its next stage of growth.
The Board of Directors, management, and staff of the bank welcome Yihnalem Aknaw to Amhara Bank and wish him a successful tenure.
