Mr. Richard Ipero Omelu is the Chief Executive Officer of the Exports Processing Zones Authority, a State Corporation under the Ministry of Investments, Trade and Industry, established in 1990 by the EPZ Act CAP 517, Laws of Kenya. EPZA’s mandate is to promote and facilitate export-oriented investments and to develop an enabling environment for such investments. Mr. Omelu is an accomplished Strategy, finance, credit, and risk management professional with over sixteen (16) years of experience in strategic planning, management of strategic partnerships, resource mobilization, Government performance contracting, performance management, risk management, credit management, agricultural value chains financing, promotion of micro, small and medium enterprises and cooperatives management.
Before joining EPZA, he had worked at the Micro and Small Enterprises Authority (MSEA), Commodities Fund, Coffee Development Fund, Agricultural Finance Corporation (AFC) and Equity Bank of Kenya where he held various senior positions and handled strategic initiatives. He holds a Master's Degree in Business Administration specializing in Strategic Management from Moi University and a Bachelor of Commerce Degree in Finance from the University of Nairobi. Mr Omelu is a Risk Certified Professional I (Global Association of Risk Professionals-UK) and a professional Member of the Institute of Risk Management.