Meet the Chaser, Margaret Waithera Kimani. Most people call her “Maggie” in Diaspora Banking (now Diaspora Remittances Services). She’s a former Investment banker who lived and worked abroad in Massachusetts, USA with over 10years banking experience. She truly believes that we were all uniquely and wonderfully made as the good bible says. Our diversity is what makes life worth living, because we play a vital role and add great value in our respective areas or teams.
Maggie joined Chase Bank in September 2011, started the Diaspora Banking Department and created Virtual Branch #026. Before joining Chase Bank, she was abroad so she has a very diverse working exposure having worked with people from different cultures. She studied in a number of schools; Chania High School, Kenyatta University (KU), Northeastern University and Boston University (both in MA, USA) where she majored in Financial Economics, Maths and Business Administration.
Her favorite Chase Habits are ‘going extra mile’ and the ‘let’s get together habits.’ If you want to tick her off, try not giving her eye contact when having a serious conversation, as she feels it’s rude. People who look down on others because of their social status, hierarchy or gender. I hate double standards and believe in equality – giving everyone equal level playing field.
While she’s not one without vices – she’s a clean freak and some people find it obsessive. She’s very bold and not afraid to offer and receive constructive criticism, which some people may take negatively in our Kenyan culture. Also, she loves photos too much – usually when we do family travel, her family members complain of the number of times they have to pose for photos.
What are you passionate about and what are you doing about it?
I am super passionate about giving back to my fellow less-fortunate Kenyans. My current focus is in promoting “academic excellence” for that poor girl child towards a better tomorrow. I want to make a positive difference in the communities/societies we serve. To that effect, I have a foundation Nduta Angels Foundation (NAF) that does exactly that through annual academic awards giving and mentoring students in both primary and secondary schoolshttp://ndutaangels.com
What or who inspires you? Why?
The Late Dr. Myles Munroe – he was very vocal about good leadership which he s & also spoke boldly about “dying empty” gospel. Currently, Foreign Affairs CS Ms. Amina Mohammed-her passion and determination and responsiveness to Diaspora needs.
Tell us something fascinating about you?
I love people and connect naturally. Love fashion. People think of me as a good sales woman (I can literally sell you anything even snakes if I have to … LOL). Pretty beauty queen, passionate, bold, fun to be around & entertaining, talkative, dramatic, random, can be stubborn in what I believe in, and most of all, hate mediocrity. I want to see change in our society. I am one of the few people who love travel as well as thinking differently-throwing the box -thinking without the box as well being innovative.
What matters to you most?
God, family, our Diaspora team/Chase colleagues and currently my #1 priority is of course is my little Princess Amani who just turned 1 year old recently.
What’s that one advice you were told (or that you read or heard) that encouraged you to #ChaseYourDreams? In return, what advice would you give someone trying to chase their dream?
My advice is never give up chasing your dreams!! When the going gets tough the tough gets going?
Don’t be afraid because you don’t know how to achieve your dream that will come to you in time. You will figure it out, you will make a plan and you will do it! “The future belongs to those who believe in the beauty of their dreams” ~ Eleanor Roosevelt. “Every great dream begins with a dreamer. Always remember, you have within you the strength, the patience, and the passion to reach for the stars to change the world.” ~ Harriet Tubman
How would you describe your life at Chase?
My life after joining Chase has been great considering I have lived abroad and away for years. Being proudly Kenyan, I am so happy to be able to work for a great Kenyan bank. Kenya is the place to be as our economy is rapidly rising. Whenever I speak to our Diaspora clients and encourage them to invest back home, I ooze with passion/my face glows. We are no longer in the Banking Industry but in the Service Industry.
I consider my brand MWK as the real Chase Brand Ambassador since I am full of life, passion, love for people and my love for making a positive difference in others by enabling them achieve what matters to them most. She oozes of passion in whatever she does, which resonates with what she says is her biggest virtue.
I am very aggressive and super ambitious in setting my future plans in the next 5 years. “I want to be mentored to becoming the 40 under 40 CEO and be the next “African Oprah Winfrey” – top motivational speaker in Africa. I plan to empower and mentor over 5000 poor students to maximize their academic excellence by 2020, write a book about my life, become a host to a Women Empowerment talk – Kenyan show (and if possible at Prime time). I am inspired when I watch African Leadership Dialogue by Julie Gichuru, she reminds like Lupita Nyongo’s says “your dream is still valid, no matter where you come from.”
Meet the Chaser: Margaret Kimani, the People Person.
