By John Oyuke
Co-operative Bank has won global recognition as Kenya’s best Private Bank for growth strategy as it aggressively scale-up and restructure its high-net-worth services.
The tier 1 lender was honoured at the Global Private Banking Awards 2026 ceremony which took place on November 5, 2026, in London and organised by Professional Wealth Management (PWM) and The Banker, both publications under the Financial Times Group.
Pictured above during the event are from left; Natalie Pirks, Broadcaster, Financial Times, Fredrick Okello, Head – Executive Banking, Co-operative Bank and Ben Muriuki, Head – Investor Relations & Strategy, Co-op Bank.
Co-op Bank said the accolade honours its strategic expansion in wealth management and executive services, supported by a dual-tier client model, upgraded branch and lounge networks, integrated relationship management, and a major asset base managed through Co-optrust Investment Services.
The lender has revamped 43 Executive Banking centres and opened five premium Executive Plus lounges in Nairobi, Mombasa, Nakuru, Eldoret and Kisumu.
Its Executive Banking service has two tiers: Executive Banking for mass affluent customers and Executive Plus Banking that targets high-net-worth individuals through dedicated banking facilities, advisory services and financial products.
The bank has also introduced a One Client, One Relationship Manager model, giving customers a single contact person for personal and business banking services. The model brings together services such as trade finance, mortgages, asset finance, treasury and investments.
It has further expanded its wealth management services through a Virtual Wealth Desk that offers investment advice, stockbroking and asset management. Co-optrust Investment Services Limited, the bank’s wealth management arm, is one of the largest digital and institutional asset managers in Kenya.
Managing over Sh500 billion in assets under management (AUM) places them as a dominant force in the region’s financial sector, serving institutional clients like pension funds, trusts, and individual high-net-worth investors.
Co-operative Bank has also been expanding its premium banking proposition beyond Nairobi, taking its Captain’s Club Network Gala Dinner series to Eldoret, Kisumu and Nakuru in a strategic push to deepen relationships with the country’s growing pool of affluent clients and business leaders.
The expansion follows the success of the inaugural Captain’s Club Gala Dinner, Coast Edition, in April 2026. Captain’s Club Network forms part of Co-operative Bank’s Executive Plus offering.
The three-city programme began in Eldoret on August 7, followed by Kisumu on August 14 and Nakuru on August 21.
The rollout represents Co-operative Bank’s deliberate shift towards Kenya’s regional economic centres, where established businesses, entrepreneurs and high-potential clients are driving activity across agriculture, trade, manufacturing and logistics.
Rather than positioning the initiative solely around conventional banking benefits, the bank is building the platform around relationships, business connections and access to specialized financial expertise.
Members are offered curated networking opportunities with business leaders, priority engagement with investment and advisory teams, as well as a range of financial and lifestyle benefits.
Speaking during the Eldoret launch event, Co-operative Bank Head of Executive Banking Fredrick Okello said the Captain’s Club is intended to create a community around some of the country’s most ambitious business clients.
“What we are building with the Captain’s Club is not just a product, but more of a community of Kenya’s most ambitious and accomplished clients” he added.
“Taking this forum to Eldoret, Kisumu and Nakuru is our way that world-class banking is not a Nairobi privilege. It belongs everywhere that business thrives in this country,” Okello stated.
The bank’s strategic expansion centres on structured, premium interventions designed to transition high-earning individuals from basic retail accounts into robust private wealth portfolios.
According to the Africa Wealth Report 2025 by Henley & Partners in partnership with New World Wealth, Kenya ranks as one of the top five wealthiest nations in Africa by dollar millionaire population (alongside South Africa, Egypt, Morocco, and Nigeria)
The country is home to approximately 6,500 to 6,800 dollar millionaires (individuals with a net worth or liquid investable wealth of at least $1 million, roughly Sh129 million).
Nairobi accounts for 4,200 of the millionaires, representing about 60 per cent of the country’s high-net-worth individuals and roughly 47 per cent of its total private wealth.
For business owners and professionals outside Nairobi, the new centres provide a dedicated environment through which they can access financial services and advisory support while remaining connected to the bank’s wider network.
