Co-operative Bank of Kenya CEO Gideon Muriuki has acquired 12 million additional shares in the lender, spending Ksh202.8 million between January and May 2025.
This move takes his total holdings to 129.53 million shares, up from 117.53 million at the close of 2024.
The new stake translates to 2.19 percent of the bank’s issued shares, reinforcing his role not just in the management of the lender but also as its top non-institutional investor.
Muriuki’s last major acquisition was in early 2023 when he bought 14.6 million shares to cross the two percent threshold.
The Co-op Bank stock is currently trading at Ksh16.90, having gained 3.6 percent year to date and up 31 percent over the past 12 months.
The shares acquired by Muriuki were bought at an average of Ksh17 each, pointing to a continued interest in building long-term value within the bank.
The bank’s largest shareholder remains Co-op Holdings Co-operative Society Limited with a stake above 60 percent drawn from Kenya’s network of cooperative societies.
Other notable institutional holders include Standard Chartered Nominees and NIC Custodial Services.
Muriuki’s track record in the equities market has drawn attention over the years.
In 2019, he bought 11.1 million shares at Ksh 11.50 when prices were soft.
A year later, he offloaded 14.7 million shares at a higher valuation, realizing Ksh 160 million in proceeds.
The latest purchase extends a pattern of countercyclical investment. It also aligns with a broader view that Co-op Bank is well-positioned to ride the current momentum in the banking sector, which has seen a recovery in earnings and asset quality since early 2024.
The CEO’s position as both manager and investor puts him in rare company among Kenya’s listed banks.
His growing stake continues to draw attention from the market with analysts pointing to alignment of interests between leadership and shareholders.
More moves of this nature will likely be watched closely in the coming quarters as banks recalibrate for growth in a shifting macroeconomic climate.
