Mrs. Ruth Makombe a holder of an MBA through Nottingham Trent University (UK); a Management Leadership Development Diploma (MLDP) through the Gordon Institute of Business Science, University (GIBS) -Pretoria (South Africa), a Certified International Retail Banker through the Lafferty International Retail Banking Academy (UK), Executive Certificate in Microfinance and Entrepreneurship (ECME) through NUST (Zimbabwe) and a Certificate in Project Management Competences-CPMC through the Project Management Institute, Zimbabwe (PMZ) is also a seasoned banker with more than 40 years of work experience within the commercial, community and microfinance banking sectors as well as in the fintech and project management space. She held various senior leadership roles within most of the well-renowned and internationally recognized financial institutions both locally and regionally. Through her extensive expertise and passion, her leadership philosophy which blends innovation, effective governance, effective risk management, operational excellence, project management, digital transformation, and financial inclusion, Mrs. Makombe played and continues to play an instrumental role in shaping Zimbabwe’s banking and digital landscape. Key to mention is the indelible mark she left through her involvement and leadership role during the establishment of the Zimbabwe Allied Banking Group (ZABG), and the Zimbabwe Women’s Microfinance Bank which were key national projects.
Being a trainer by passion, she has trained and mentored over 2,000 banking professionals across Africa on Banking Ethics, Corporate Governance, Operational Efficiency and Service Excellence under the Lafferty Retail Banking Academy (UK) programs.
Mrs. Makombe has served in several boards both locally and internationally. She is currently Board Chairperson for Zimbabwe Women’s Microfinance Bank, the Board Chairperson for the Project Management Institute, Zimbabwe (PMZ), board member at the Zimbabwe Council for Higher and Tertiary Education (ZIMCHE), an Executive Board member /Managing Director at FN Software Solutions, a fintech company mainly focusing on developing digital payment systems for financial inclusion.
Mrs. Makombe is currently a member of the Institute of Bankers in Zimbabwe (IOBZ), the Institute of Project Management in Zimbabwe (PMZ), Institute of Management (MZIM); Lafferty International Retail Banking Academy(UK), Chartered Institute of Management (UK)
Locally she recently received the 2024 Women in Project Management Leadership Award within the Financial Services Sector and the 2023 Institute of Directors’ Top 50 Most Inspirational Women in Zimbabwe Award
Mrs. Makombe is driven by a lifelong commitment to empowering communities through financial inclusion, building sustainable institutions, and nurturing women’s leadership in finance. Her ambition is to lead and position the Zimbabwe Women’s Bank as a trusted financial partner and a catalyst for innovation by ensuring that financial solutions remain accessible, inclusive, and impactful for every Zimbabwean especially women.
