Desterio Oyatsi, the Kenyan lawyer with a $14 million stake in NCBA Group

Desterio Oyatsi has a quiet power that few people in Kenya have. By fusing legal knowledge with business acumen from industries including banking, telecommunications, mining and hospitality, the Nairobi-based lawyer has shaped some of East Africa's largest institutions for more than 50 years. His enduring success and influence are reflected in both his reputation and his $14 million stake in NCBA Group.

Desterio Oyatsi’s enduring legacy of leadership

Oyatsi the managing partner of Shapley Barret & Co. Advocates, one of Kenya’s oldest law firms, has built a career that mirrors the country’s economic evolution. Since being admitted as an Advocate of the High Court of Kenya more than 40 years ago, he has held a series of key roles that have placed him at the heart of key corporate and policy decisions.

Between 1998 and 2002, he was a director of the Capital Markets Authority, helping shape Kenya’s regulatory framework during a key period of financial modernization. At the same time, he served as a director of Telkom Kenya and later joined the Kenya Law Reform Commission as commissioner, where he contributed to legal reforms for a decade. His private-sector influence continued through board positions at Kenol Kobil Limited, he also serves as chairman of the Commercial Bank of Africa where he served until 2020.

Today, Oyatsi remains deeply involved in corporate Kenya. He chairs Base Titanium Limited, which operates the country’s largest mining project in Kwale, and plays a leading role at Musiara Limited, part of Wilderness Holdings, which manages high-end safari properties. His involvement in Base Titanium’s early negotiations and resettlement programs underscored his skill in balancing legal obligations with community interests, an approach that has earned him quiet respect across industries.

Desterio Oyatsi’s NCBA stake jumps to $14 million

At NCBA Group, Oyatsi now serves as deputy group chairman, holding 21.7 million shares—equal to a 1.32 percent stake. That position has become even more valuable following reports that Standard Bank Group, Africa’s largest lender by assets, is in talks to acquire NCBA. According to Bloomberg, Standard Bank’s Kenyan unit, Stanbic Holdings, has received internal approval to explore the deal, which could create the country’s third-largest bank by assets.

The market responded swiftly. NCBA’s share price surged nearly 20 percent over the past week, extending its year-to-date gain to 72 percent and lifting its market capitalization to KSh137 billion. That rise has boosted the paper wealth of key shareholders—including Oyatsi. His stake has grown in market value by about KSh760.7 million ($5.88 million) since January, increasing from KSh1.045 billion ($8.1 million) to KSh1.81 billion ($14 million).

NCBA profit climbs to $69 million

The rally reflects renewed investor confidence in the bank’s performance. In the first half of 2025 NCBA's profit increased to KSh8.92 billion ($69 million) from KSh8.39 billion ($64.8 million) a year earlier. Supported by stronger interest income and resilient non-interest revenue this enabled the lender to declare an interim dividend of KSh2.5 ($0.0193) per share. Its retained earnings also rose to KSh56.5 billion ($433 million).