What Adan Mohamed’s banking & government experience means for KRA

The Kenya Revenue Authority has appointed Adan Mohamed as its substantive Commissioner General, bringing on board a man with more than 30 years of experience in banking, government and corporate management.

His appointment comes as KRA seeks to strengthen revenue collection, improve tax compliance and build stronger relationships with taxpayers.

Mohamed takes over with experience from both the private and public sectors, having held senior positions in banking and government over the years.

Before joining government, Mohamed built much of his career in the banking sector.

He served as Chief Executive Officer of Barclays Kenya for more than a decade before moving into regional leadership positions, including Managing Director for Barclays East and West Africa and later Chief Administrative Officer for Barclays Africa.

His role at Barclays Africa involved overseeing operations across ten countries, giving him experience in managing large organisations and complex systems.

For KRA, that background could be useful in areas such as improving operational efficiency, strengthening systems and managing a large institution with different departments and functions.

Mohamed also brings government experience to the role. He served as Cabinet Secretary for Industrialisation, Trade and Cooperatives and later headed the East African Community and Regional Development ministry.

During his time in the industrialisation ministry, Kenya implemented business reforms that improved the country’s position in global ease of doing business rankings.

He also led the development of the Kenya Industrial Transformation Programme and the country’s first trade policy.

His understanding of government policy could help KRA align tax administration with broader economic priorities.

Apart from banking and public service, Mohamed has also worked in corporate leadership and governance roles.

Mohamed takes over at a time when KRA faces pressure to increase revenue while maintaining taxpayer confidence.