Diane Karusisi

Dr. Diane Karusisi s a Rwandan statistician, economist, bank executive and academic. She is the CEO of Bank of Kigali, the largest commercial bank in Rwanda by assets.

Quotes

• We are often the first root causes of such exclusion because we don’t have self-confidence. We have inner feelings pushing us not to expose ourselves wondering what people shall think about you. They will consider me arrogant, …And this restrains you from raising hand to express an idea.
  • [1] Speaking at the Made In Africa Leadership Conference, Kigali. 2019

• Women see more role models in local government, in business, and I hope in the not so distant future we shall see more women in executive roles.
  • [2] Speaking with the New Times on getting more women to play executives roles in the banking sector. 2020

• When you have a face-to-face interview with them and they see that you are a normal woman, and that you do all these things, I think it really makes them believe that it is possible, because you don't need to have special knowledge, you just need to be committed, and to work with enthusiasm and be honest.(Iyo ugiranye ikiganiro cy’imbonankubone na bo bakabona ko uri umugore usanzwe, kandi ko ukora ibi bintu byose, ndatekereza ko rwose bibatera kwizera ko bigerwaho, birashoboka, kuko wowe ntukeneye kugira ubumenyi bwihariye, ugomba gusa kwiyemeza, no gukora umurimo ushishikaye kandi ukaba inyangamugayo)
  • [3] Miss Rwanda: Irushanwa rigaragaza ubushobozi bw’umwana w’umukobwa (11 March 2022)

• I want to tell all young women who have ambitions that it is possible to become the CEO of the Bank of Kigali, to be a minister, to be a leader in any field. I want to tell them that it is possible, and I want to tell them that I am not unique, they can also be leaders.(Ndashaka kubwira abakobwa bose bakiri bato bafite ibyifuzo ko bishoboka kuba Umuyobozi Mukuru wa Banki ya Kigali, kuba minisitiri, kuba umuyobozi mu rwego urwo ari rwo rwose.Ndashaka kubabwira ko bishoboka, kandi ndashaka kubabwira ko ntari umwihariko, bashobora na bo kuba abayobozi.)
  • [4] Miss Rwanda: Irushanwa rigaragaza ubushobozi bw’umwana w’umukobwa (11 March 2022)

• As a woman leader, I have to inspire the next generation of leaders.
  • [5]

• Push your inner boundaries. It's good to have passion but hard work and persistence beats passion.
  • [6]

• Bank of Kigali is the largest commercial bank in Rwanda. It’s growth over the last five decades is a story of resilience, hard work and strong partnerships based on Rwandan values.
  • [7]
• We want to understand the issues our clients are facing. This will help us to plan better to extend our financial services to more Rwandans but through the use of technology as our main focus of better service delivery in the coming year.
  • [8] Ktpress Bank of Kigali PLC share post on covid 19 client financing plan]. KT Press.

• While skills are essential, as a Rwandan, I believe we can attest to the significant role leadership plays in empowering women to stay ready for an ever-evolving and dynamic work environment.
  • [9] allafrica.com

• Skills are important, but I think they are not the most important," Karusisi said, before adding that "we are not short of studies from very prestigious houses showing the importance and all the social, economic returns of investing into gender equality. All of that is there. It's out there on the internet and everyone can have access to that information.
  • [10] allafrica.com

• It is what we have been able to do in Rwanda; implement, execute and put the women at the centre of everything we do. Skills are also important, it is not only about leadership.
  • [11] allafrica.com

• It revealed terrible architecture and very limited capabilities to deal with digital, skills gap. So the journey had to involve a lot of heavy lifting, because we are working on infrastructure, architecture, new systems and construction of a new data center,” Karusisi said with a personal example of having an expired BK credit card but without knowing.
  • [12] Bank Of Kigali Celebrates BK Digital Day

• We have built our expertise and reputation, becoming the number one integrator of information technology solutions to our clients to provide a better and more seamless service for their teeming customers in the ever-evolving landscape of financial technology. Kigali is a key growth market and Inlaks is fully committed to working as a trusted partner with the bank now and into the future.
  • [13] Vanguard-Digital transformation conference

• When you see that the country has put you in power, you have to live in it. You have to contribute to building it.(Iyo ubona ko igihugu cyagushyizemo ubushobozi, nawe uba ugomba kucyitura.Ugomba gutanga umusanzu wawe mu kucyubaka)
  • [14] Ibiteye amatsiko ku mibereho ya Dr. Diane Karusisi umaze imyaka itanu ku buyobozi bwa Banki ya Kigali (14 June 2021)

• When a person is involved in many things, in a vacuum, and neglects responsibility in things that are not important, it is a waste of time. Boys and girls who are confident, [based on] the confidence that the country has placed in them, and have the decency to follow what they want, I think they achieve a lot.(Iyo umuntu agiye mu bintu byinshi, mu kavuyo, agateshuka ku nshingano mu bintu bidafite akamaro, ni ukwipfusha ubusa. Abahungu, abakobwa bigiriye icyizere, [bashingiye] ku cyizere igihugu cyabashyizemo, bakagira n’ikinyabupfura cyo gukurikira icyo bashaka, nibaza ko bagera kuri byinshi)
  • [15] Ibiteye amatsiko ku mibereho ya Dr. Diane Karusisi umaze imyaka itanu ku buyobozi bwa Banki ya Kigali (14 June 2021)

• Most of the risk goes to girls but they don't get pregnant on their own […] those people who get pregnant should also be affected and recognized. The unfaithful person must also be affected. It is a very sad thing.(Ingaruka nyinshi zijya ku bakobwa ariko ntabwo baba biteye inda bonyine […] abo bantu babatera inda na bo bagombye kugerwaho n’ingaruka kandi bikamenyekana. Umuntu uhemuka agomba kugirwaho ingaruka na we. Ni ikintu kibabaje cyane)
  • [16] Ibiteye amatsiko ku mibereho ya Dr. Diane Karusisi umaze imyaka itanu ku buyobozi bwa Banki ya Kigali (14 June 2021)

• The thing that teaches me the most is everyday life in Rwanda...watching how Rwandans compete and value each other in order to continue progressing, is something that gives me confidence that our children will live in a more developed Rwanda than it is now.(Ikintu kinyigisha cyane ni ubuzima bwa buri munsi mu Rwanda…kureba ukuntu Abanyarwanda bahatana, bakiha agaciro kugira ngo bakomeze batere imbere, ni ibintu bimpa icyizere cy’uko abana bacu bazabaho mu Rwanda ruteye imbere kurusha aho rugeze ubu.)
  • [17] Ibiteye amatsiko ku mibereho ya Dr. Diane Karusisi umaze imyaka itanu ku buyobozi bwa Banki ya Kigali (14 June 2021)

• When I am free I spend time with my children. I don't have a lot of free time but when I do, I'm with my family and kids, that's what gives me energy for the next day when I go to work.(Iyo naruhutse ngirana umwanya n’abana. Ntabwo ngira umwanya mwinshi ariko iyo nawubonye, mba ndi kumwe n’umuryango ndetse n’abana, ni byo numva bimpa imbaraga ku munsi ukurikira iyo ngiye ku kazi.)
  • [18] Ibiteye amatsiko ku mibereho ya Dr. Diane Karusisi umaze imyaka itanu ku buyobozi bwa Banki ya Kigali (14 June 2021)

• As we are on the same journey, you will not hesitate to ask us and we are ready to help you with your needs. What we want is cooperation.(Ubwo turi mu rugendo rumwe ntacyo mwatwima kandi natwe twiteguye kubafasha mu byifuzo byanyu.Icyo twifuza ni ubufatanye.)
  • [19] Umuyobozi wa Banki ya Kigali (BK), Dr Diane Karusisi, yemereye abikorera b’i Nyagatare imodoka mu gihe baba bashyize mu bikorwa umushinga mugari bafite wa Laboratwari igendanwa y’ubuvuzi bw’amatungo. (08 October 2022)

• We wanted to cooperate with Miss Rwanda because we think it's a good thing, you as girls, I think that at 19, there are maybe about a million girls out here in Rwanda, maybe even outside of Rwanda, they look at you, they see that you are beautiful, but they see that you have opinions. good nation building. That's why we want to partner with you because we know there are a lot of people out there who are watching.(Twashatse gufatanya na Miss Rwanda kuko tubona ko ari igikorwa cyiza, mwebwe nk’abakobwa nibaza ko muri 19, hari abakobwa wenda bagera kuri miliyoni hanze aha mu Rwanda wenda no hanze y’u Rwanda babareberaho, babona ko muri beza, ariko babona ko munafite ibitekerezo byiza byubaka igihugu. Nicyo gituma natwe dushaka gufatanya namwe kuko tuzi ko hari abantu benshi bari hanze aha babareberaho.)
  • [20] Miss Rwanda: Irushanwa rigaragaza ubushobozi bw’umwana w’umukobwa (11 March 2022)

• We are working with Miss Rwanda to sponsor a project that will appear more innovative than others. Another thing we are working with Miss Rwanda is to support a project that will appear to have a new one. We as BK believe that the development of our country will be done by people.(Dukorana na Miss Rwanda mu gutera inkunga umushinga uzagaragara ko ufite agashya kurusha iyindi.Ikindi dukorana na Miss Rwanda ni ugutera inkunga umushinga uzagaragara ko ufite agashya.Twebwe nka BK twemera ko kugira ngo igihugu cyacu gitere imbere bizakorwa n’abantu.)
  • [21] Miss Rwanda: Irushanwa rigaragaza ubushobozi bw’umwana w’umukobwa (11 March 2022)

• We've seen in the past a lot of people bring solutions out there, but they don't really answer the problems in our company. I believe that style is very important. What we are looking at is a project that solves the problems, but it fits well with the concerns of the Rwandan community. It's a must-have project that solves a problem quickly and affordably.(Twabonye mu bihe byashize abantu benshi bazana ibisubizo hanze, ariko bidasubiza neza ibibazo biri muri sosiyete yacu.Nizera ko imiterere ari ngombwa cyane.Icyo tureba ni umushinga ukemura ibibazo ariko bihuye neza n’ibireba umuryango nyarwanda.Ni umushinga ugomba kuba ufite ikibazo ucyemura mu buryo bwihuse kandi buhendutse.)
  • [22] Miss Rwanda: Irushanwa rigaragaza ubushobozi bw’umwana w’umukobwa (11 March 2022)

• We want to simplify things but also in a way that is affordable for everyone, and while we are able to offer our services to more people efficiently because people do not have to come to the branches I think that is a win for us and for the customers, we are able to reduce the costs of operations in our business all of them.(Turashaka koroshya ibintu ariko na none mu buryo buhendukiye buri wese, kandi mu gihe dushoboye gutanga serivisi zacu ku bantu benshi neza kubera ko abantu batagomba kuza ku mashami nibaza ko ari intsinzi kuri twe no ku bakiriya, turi gushobora kugabanya ibiciro by'ibikorwa mu bucuruzi bwacubwose.)
  • [23] Miss Rwanda: Irushanwa rigaragaza ubushobozi bw’umwana w’umukobwa (11 March 2022)

• Leadership is key to women capital development.
  • [24] 2022

• Skills are important, but as a Rwandan, i think we can testify about the importance and power of leadership in empowering women to be continually prepared for an increasingly changing and dynamic work environment.
• It is what we have been able to do in Rwanda; implement, execute and put women at the center of everything we do.
• Skills are also important, it is not only about leadership.
  • [25] Speaking during a session themed, 'Human Capital Development: Building Girls Leaders of Tomorrow.' 2022

• It is innovation that fuels business growth, and keeps the global economy on the move.
  • [26] From Diane Karusisi's the Nation Africa guest blog. 2022

• I recognise the importance of investing in women entrepreneurs as a smart business move.
• I am both encouraged and challenged by the resilience and determination of women entrepreneurs in a male dominated world.
• Investing in women entrepreneurs is not just a moral imperative; it is a smart business strategy that unlocks untapped potential and drives progress across the society.
  • [27] Her opinionated article, 'Funding Women Entrepreneurs Is A Smart Strategy'. 2023

• I never expected to experience the embarrassement of a failed transaction on my own card. But there i was, unable to withdraw cash from an ATM machine because my card had expired.
• The banking conveniences that customers take for granted today were not possible a decade ago, but they have become an essential part of our daily lives.
  • [28] Excerpts from her opinionated article on the Nation, 'A CEO's Journey from Frustration to Digital Transformation'. 2023

• Our young people today are luckier (you know) than we've been (you know) we many of the people in my generation was born as refugees. Today, we have a country our young people have an opportunity to thrive and they're given so many opportunities education, access to even informal education, etc. I think we need people to be ambitious, to want more for themselves as people, more for their communities and more for the country because when you're not ambitious you can have all the education you have (you know) nothing will happen much.
• We need people to be ambitious to be to go out of the comfort zone and start businesses and try to grow in whatever they're doing, so they can have more impact for themselves but also on the communities.
  • [29] Karusisi on her biggest lesson learned since becoming the CEO of Bank of Kigali