Upon finalization of the share acquisition transaction, Kenyan I&M Group announced plans to rebrand its newly acquired business in Uganda, Orient Bank Ltd to I&M Bank (Uganda) Limited.
I&M PLC’s acquisition of 90% shareholding in Uganda’s Orient Bank Ltd (OBL) is a move towards its broader regional expansion plan and ambition of becoming Eastern Africa’s leading financial partner for growth.
According to Kumaran Pather, the Managing Director and CEO of Orient Bank Limited, the rebranding exercise will be done in a phased manner, starting with a physical refresh of the branches (and ATMs/); and then over time to the rebranding of all other digital and physical assets.
While commenting on the rebranding, the Bank’s Chairman, Mr. Suleiman Kiggundu, stated, “We are very excited to begin this new chapter as I&M Bank (Uganda) Limited. This will allow us to adopt our new name as well as become part of a growing, vibrant and well-respected brand across East Africa while retaining our strong and secure commitment to Uganda and its people through the provision of innovative service and reliable financial solutions.”
“This is a major milestone for our business and we will be looking to engage with our stakeholders in the coming months as we celebrate the launch of the I&M Bank (Uganda) brand. We will seek to make this process as seamless and efficient as possible,” he added.
The acquisition by Kenya’s I&M Group and this rebranding marks the start of a new era for Orient Bank that has been in operation in Uganda for close to 30 years.
Orient Bank’s Managing Director, Mr. Kumaran Pather said: “I&M Group PLC and its subsidiaries have invested in crucial sectors of development across East Africa’s regional economy, including Banking and Finance, SMEs, Real Estate, Fintech, Trade, Agriculture and Infrastructure. The Group will continue to play a critical role by investing in these sectors while offering holistic financial solutions to individuals, small businesses and large organizations in Uganda”.
“I&M has made significant investments in its technology infrastructure as part of its digital transformation journey. Therefore, being part of this Group is a great opportunity for Orient Bank customers who will now enjoy benefits from this technology with a wide suite of market-driven financial solutions aimed at meeting their financial needs and lifestyle requirements,” Kumaran added.
In a statement to its stakeholders, the Bank said that there will be no change to their account details, customers will continue to carry out their banking transactions as they did before the rebrand.