Yes, yes! I can already hear you all scrambling for your keyboards (or keypads) in a rush to jot down some replies.
These 2 are definitely two of Kenya's best chief executives. But who is greater?
James Mwangi joined Equity when it was still a building society and has transformed it into the biggest bank in Kenya by numbers with over half the total numbers of the banked population. Few can argue against him being called a Revolutionary. He changed the local banking scene. While Barclays and other big banks were closing branches in rural areas, he was opening them in the same places and offering loans to farmers for as little as 500 bob (incredible!). He eliminated minimal balances in accounts and operating fees. According to last years financial results, Equity is fourth in the banking industry in profit making behind Barclays, Standard Chartered and KCB and its star is showing no signs of dimming but rather brightening each year after an aggressive local and regional expansion. He has won numerous international accolades including sharing an award with Nobel Laureate Professor Muhammad Yunus for their efforts in securing the livelihoods of the unbanked. He is also involved with the Clinton Foundation. Enough said!

Then we have Michael Joseph. When Safaricom joined the Kenya market it was way behind Kencell (now Zain of course and soon to be .....?)
Over the years through its marketing and technology advancement it now controls around 75% of the entire market with around 13 million subscribers. Its revolutionary Mpesa money transfer service was the first of its kind and was honored worldwide. It has left its competitors trailing in its wake. It is clear that Zain's Zap (or even Yu's Yu cash) is no match for Mpesa.
Michael Joseph is the face of Safaricom. He is synonymous with the company.He has managed to steer it to a whole new level. Even after its competitors reduced prices to crazy levels (others to 1/= a minute) Safaricom's subscribers remain fiercely loyal. Safaricom is the only network with 3G internet and last week even talked about testing 4G network(much faster and easier to upload and download content)

There is no denying that these two are both great. But who do you think is greater? I'd like to know.

@youcan'tstopusnow, consulted a couple of people offline and the verdict seems to be Michael Joseph takes the cake and is a more professional leader.

On professionalism and upholding of corporate governance, MJ lifts the trophee.

IMHO, while not belittling the sheer guts and risk James Mwangi undertook in setting Equity on the course to global acclaim, what he did was not so original in the global micro-finance industry as all he did was merely domesticate/localize the Grameen model of microfinance among the Bangladeshi poor to Kenya's circumstances. The guts and risk was banking on the poor - virtually unheard off & considered suicidal a coupla years back. He forced the entire sector to look and re-look again at the small man and include him in their operations, products and services.
For changing an entire sector and forcing a major paradigm shift in an entire banking sector, JM lifts that one.

@wote DIGNITY

I'll be the first to confess, I do not bank with Equity and even found it harder to appreciate how a bank with that branch setup, high charges, long queues, not very tight controls could make it. My answers came from average normal mwananchi, you know the juakali artisan, taxi driver, primary school teacher etc.

Self-worth cannot be quantified. And when the common mwananchi stand in line and use Equity Bank, they feel needed, respected, at home. And James Mwangi gave them self-respect. On that note alone, other banks charge the 'unwanted' a much higher toll.

banking the unbanked. mpesa=equity. bamba 5 bamba 10 bamba 20 anyone?

@gathinga, since Michael Joseph seems to have won that round, perhaps I can pick thoughts on how he compares to Titus Naikuni...

guru267, I would love to hear your thoughts on this discussion. Currently MJ is winning.

With MJ going later this year, there will be no one to compare JM to. You know what Nas says, "There's One Life, One Love, so there can only be One King"

How about Jonathan Ciano, the turnaround artist, this guys has earned a reputation as a man who takes comatose companies getting them fully recovered.
But I give MJ a heads up over JM for innovation. The vibe for JM firing guys like the late Karisa Maitha is wrong.

What? Kwani Equity Bank is the government... hiring lousy people & keeping them on? If karisa didn't cut the mustard, he shud have been fired! Or anyone for that matter!