John Mwendwa, OGW

John is a seasoned investment, trade, and industry expert with over twenty years of experience across the public and private sectors in Kenya, the East African region, and the wider African continent. Appointed Chief Executive Officer of the Kenya Investment Authority (Invest Kenya) in January 2025, he previously served as Secretary for Strategy Execution at the President’s Strategy and Execution Office, where he led national investment initiatives, business climate reforms, and private sector development.

In recognition of his impact, John was awarded the Order of the Grand Warrior (OGW) in 2018 for his leadership in advancing the Ease of Doing Business reforms, which contributed to Kenya’s rise from 136th globally in 2014 to 56th in 2019.He holds a Master of Commerce and a Bachelor of Commerce in Finance, has undertaken executive training at Oxford and Harvard, and is affiliated with several professional and academic institutions, including as a founder member of the Global Economic Council for Africa.