Victoria Commercial Bank Celebrates International Women’s Day
Victoria Commercial Bank celebrated the International Women’s Day Dubbed Hats & Haute Couture, Introducing The Ultimate Woman Proposition
12th March, 2022. NAIROBI: Premier SME and private corporate financial institution, Victoria Commercial Bank (VCB) unveiled the Ultimate Woman proposition at their second International Women’s Day event dubbed, ‘Hats & Haute Couture.’ VCB’s Women 4 Growth champion Marianne Nyangi highlighted the features of the Ultimate Woman including the quest to be financially savvy, having a secure future, being family-oriented and intending to live a full life. Along with VCB’s Head of Liabilities Azmina Pattni and VCB Chairlady of the Board Ketaki Sheth, unveiled the Ultimate Woman logo.
The event was replete with educative and engaging conversations. VCB Chairlady Ketaki Sheth highlighted the progressive and steady strides the bank has been making in creating a gender-equal representation. “At VCB, our board is captained by a woman and have a 33% female representation at the EXCO level. At middle management, 41% are women and from a total of 100 staff members; 51% are of the female gender. In comparison to businesses in the public and private sector, women representation is between 23%- 35%. Therefore, VCB sits at the top tier when it comes to women empowerment,” stated VCB Chairlady of the Board – Ketaki Sheth.
Renowned media personality Caroline Mutoko delivered an empowering address enlightening women on matters related to wealth management, familial obligations and taking care of self. “Don’t be the woman who dies at 40, but we bury you at 84, because you’re not living. Do what you’ve got to do to be happy in the skin you’re living in. Drink the water, wear the sunscreen, sleep early, avoid crazy people…” stated Caroline.
Sharing personal experiences, cancer survivor Asna Patel encouraged women to seize every moment and live a full life.
Captain Ruth Karauri, famed for her smooth landing amid Storm Eunice last month, was honoured as an Ultimate Woman in the aviation industry. “An Ultimate Woman is financially savvy, family-oriented, seeks a secure future and intends to live a full life, but she is also someone who takes risks and bravely faces her battles. No storm can faze her, even if it’s Storm Eunice,” stated VCB CEO Dr. Yogesh Pattni as he called Captain Ruth Karauri.
VCB recognized and honoured a renowned name in the financial industry, the Central Bank of Kenya’s Deputy Governor Sheila M’Mbijjewe.
Serving the society through women-led charitable organisations, the VCB Charitable Trust’s Ketaki Sheth and Azmina Pattni donated Kshs 350,000 to Amara Charitable Trust to facilitate the building of school infrastructure in rural Kenya as well as to Together 4 Better Foundation led by Aruna Varsani, that champions menstrual health needs in remote parts of Kenya. Rebecca Achieng, a beneficiary of VCB Charitable Trust expressed gratitude for being supported by the Trust from high school to university.
Emcee Amina Rabar kept the entertainment high throughout the evening. A glamorous fashion showcase choreographed by Mochez Models’ Dorothy Oliech and fronted by designers Khalida Wild, Sevaria by Jamie Kimani, Afrostreet by Yvonne, Wazawazi by Chebet, Liz Ogumbo, S2dio Twenty and International Designer – Azuli by Nikki, followed by a Vote of Thanks by Azmina Pattni capped the event.
About Victoria Commercial Bank
Victoria Commercial Bank is a premier SME and private bank. It was incorporated in 1987 initially as a finance company and converted to a commercial bank in April 1996. VCB has grown impressively over the last three decades. The bank is known for its niche private banking model, focusing on relationship-based banking with corporate and high net-worth clients.
The bank is supported by a strong governance framework, robust asset quality, good capitalisation, strong liquidity, and sound profitability. Victoria Commercial Bank has won multiple awards for being a customer-centric bank, giving priority to clients.
About VCB Chairlady – Ketaki Sheth
Ketaki has been with Victoria Commercial Bank as a Director since 2002. She is a fellow of chartered governance institute (UK) and a Certified Public Secretary – Kenya. Ketaki has immense experience in various areas of corporate law and Corporate Governance such as Corporate Restructures, regulatory company matters amongst other business associations.
She is also a Director of Oakhurst Investments Limited, Pannache Properties Limited, Tosica Limited, Women Corporate Directors- Kenya Chapter, Impact East Africa and a Trustee of Victoria Commercial Bank Charitable Trust. In 2018, Ketaki assumed the role of Victoria Commercial Bank’s Chair of the Board. Ketaki is a service to humanity champion and a friend of numerous development foundations in the Country.
About Amara Charitable Trust
The Amara Charitable Trust started small in 2008 with building one rural school in Lukenya. Today it has supported 19 schools including building 3 rural schools from the ground up.
Amara strives to provide holistic education to students in rural schools. This is achieved through the construction of school structures, enhanced feeding programs, provision of libraries and learning materials, playgrounds, water solutions and educational workshops.
About Together For Better Foundation
Their mission is to reduce period poverty in communities with vulnerable girls and women by empowering them with better menstrual health management through education and sustainable sanitary kits for a better life.
Their vision is to empower girls and women to have better opportunities in life through a cottage industry that manufactures and distributes sustainable sanitary kits.
About Asna Patel:
Asna Patel is the founder of a boutique spa named Ora Spa located in Ridgeways. She has been in the Beauty Industry for over 15 years, trained from the UK and thereafter, worked at Tribe Hotel as a Spa Manager here in Nairobi, Kenya. “The main goal for discovering Ora and myself was after my journey with cancer and was to give the experience of self-awareness and self-compassion to others, which is what it did for me. To allow others to understand the importance of taking time, to relax and de-stress. What I’ve learnt from my journey is that Fear will always present itself, Fate will have a part to play in it, Family and Friends will support you but you and only you can FIGHT,” she states.
FASHION DESIGNER PROFILES
OPIUM BY KHALIDA WILD
Khalida Wild is a spiritual being who love to live the present moments in everything and anything each day. “I’m Khalida Wild, 48 years old. Mum from Lamu Island and Dad Japanese. Born in Kenya and lived between Kenya and Oman. Then travelled the world. Feb 2019 got stuck in Kenya from COVID and then my story started from there, and!! Creativity revealed more of itself. The new story began of my new shop Opium. My production is more to do with being productive in each day to another human being. I do this by myself not with any organization. It satisfies my being each day and its miracles!! I create my own style how I feel each day in my life. I love each day how it presents itself. Life is about others, is the subject of my fashion and in my life,” she states.
SEVARIA BY JAMIE KIMANI
Sevaria is a brand that prides itself in the creation of culturally inspired gender fluid pieces. Through this, they aim to shed light on African cultures in their entirety. Using silhouettes, textiles, style and creative direction to channel different African tribes, religions, music and art. All whilst fostering individuality and self-expression.
AFROSTREET BY YVONNE
Yvonne Odhiambo is a Kenyan Fashion entrepreneur cum model and founder of AfroStreet Kollektions having launched her career in 2013. Her unique approach of designing lively and colorful prints has earned her following including notable personalities who have recognized her for her celebration of African prints. Her signature designs, Attitude and Elegance, draw their inspiration from fabrics with a traditional touch and western aesthetics.
WAZAWAZI BY CHEBET
I studied Education in Economics and French; while in university I began to engage in entrepreneurship. Shortly after a career as an Economist at the World Bank, I immediately became restless about the unsustainable direction of development in Africa. So I decided to leave and start Wazawazi, in 2012.
My mission is to tell the story of modern-day Africa. We ethically and sustainably produced design-driven products are an expression of my conviction as a cultural ambassador. ”I am committed to inclusion and diversity and these are part of the brand’s ethos – being a socially responsible modern global African lifestyle company. ”I am on a mission; to mobilize existing creative communities to power scalable and
sustainable business for the society we exist in and I believe that’s my duty. I challenge everyone to this question: ”What are you doing about Africa today?”
LIZ OGUMBO
Since its conceptualisation in 2007, Liz Ogumbo’s Fashion brand is a clothing brand that specialises in offering the global market fashion that exemplifies our lifestyles in an eco-friendly manner, while enhancing our individual expression. Her fashion offering is inspired by her African heritage for the fashion-savvy individual through sleek cuts, simple yet provocative design and attitude from the inside out.
S2DIO TWENTY
Launched in 2020, S2dio 20 is in the business that brings out comfort and luxury in an everyday task that everyone indulges in – SLEEPING! “We believe that everyone must wear the most luxurious and comfortable pyjamas to bed, hence we bring you a great quality fabric, paired with the perfect tailoring and updated with the trending prints in the market.
AZULI BY NIKKI
Azuli by Nikki is a fashion label that is known for its contemporary take on silhouettes and its modern-day spin on traditional clothing. With fresh collections being spun out every few weeks, the label has made its mark as one of the sought-after brands for occasion wear.
FOR FURTHER DETAILS CONTACT:
JAVED KANA
Corporate Communications
javedkana@vicbank.com
+254 701 566 633
