Joyce-Ann Wainaina

Founder & Managing Partner at Chui Ventures

Panellist

Joyce-Ann Wainaina is the Founder and Managing Partner of Chui Ventures, a pan-African seed fund investing in local, tech-enabled startups building massmarket solutions. Since inception, the fund has made 18 investments, supporting the creation of over 1,200 direct jobs and more than 30,000 indirect jobs across Africa. With a strong gender-inclusive lens, Chui Ventures has achieved gender equity among its founders and is recognized for its role in catalyzing transformative businesses across Africa. Joyce-Ann was named “Woman Investor of the Year 2023” by the East Africa Venture Capital Association (EAVCA). Before founding Chui Ventures, Joyce-Ann built a distinguished 30+ year career at Citibank, where she held senior leadership roles across Africa, including Managing Director for Global Network Banking, Sub-Saharan Africa, and CEO of Citi East Africa. Beyond investing, Joyce-Ann is deeply committed to talent development and mentorship in Africa. She co-designed the Sapphire Leadership Program, nurturing senior leaders across Citi’s Emerging Markets, and helped launch a pioneering mentorship program for women leaders in banking with the Kenya Bankers Association and the Central Bank of Kenya. She also serves as a Founding Trustee of the JB Wanjui Education Trust, supporting university education for girls in Kenya. Joyce-Ann is a Senior Fellow at Yale University’s Jackson School of Global Affairs. She holds an M.Sc. in Financial Economics from SOAS, University of London, and a B.Sc. in Finance from Duquesne University, Pittsburgh.