Treasury Cabinet Secretary John Mbadi has appointed former Kibwezi MP Philip Kiloki to the leadership of the Retirement Benefits Authority (RBA) Board, replacing Nelson Havi.
Kiloki, who was also the running mate to Polycarp Igathe in the Nairobi Gubernatorial seat, took up the role effective July 30, 2025. His appointment was gazetted in an official notice.
''IN EXERCISE of the powers conferred by Section 6(1) of the Retirement Benefits Act, the Cabinet Secretary for National Treasury appoints, Under paragraph (a), Prof. Philip Kaloki to be the chairperson of the board of the retirement benefits authority, for a period of three years, with effect from July 30 2025,'' the notice read in part.
Kiloki is not new to these leadership roles; he previously served as the CEO of the Global Centre for Business Development, where he led several trade consultancy and market feasibility initiatives in East Africa.
He also served as Chairman of the Board of Directors at the Kenya Medical Training College (KMTC) from 2013 to 2021.
Apart from the corporate career, he also has a political background; he was elected as Member of Parliament for Kibwezi Constituency in the 2007 general elections under the ODM-Kenya party and served until 2013.
He also contested in the Makueni governorship in 2013 and ran again for MP in Kibwezi East in 2017; he did not succeed in either of those races.
The non-executive Board of Directors governs the Authority. It is the highest decision-making body of the Authority. The Board is responsible for the overall policy direction and leadership of the Authority.
Kiloki takes over from Havi, who was officially appointed as the Chairperson of the RBA Board of Directors on February 10, 2023, following a gazette notice by former Treasury CS Prof. Njuguna Ndung’u.
Havi's role was to run to 2026; however, he has been replaced prematurely. The reason for his replacement has yet to be made public, but he has congratulated the former MP.
''Congratulations, Professor Phillip Kaloki, on your appointment as Chair of the Retirement Benefits Authority, Havi wrote. ''They made me a wantam Chair. I am okay with it,'' he continued.
Havi is a lawyer who served as the 49th President of the Law Society of Kenya and a senior partner at Havi & Company Advocates.
