Profile: Central bank Governor Gatete: a diplomat, economist and family man

Behind the success of the new central bank Governor, Claver Gatete lies a family of three children and a wife. Despite his busy work schedule; Gatete still creates time for his family. In an interview with Business Times, he narrates how he finds a balance between work and family.

Monday, May 23, 2011
BNR Governor Claver Gatete.

Behind the success of the new central bank Governor, Claver Gatete lies a family of three children and a wife. Despite his busy work schedule; Gatete still creates time for his family.

In an interview with Business Times, he narrates how he finds a balance between work and family.
"My family and I are used to this kind of demanding life,” he said.

Prior to his appointment as the Governor of the central bank, Gatete was the Deputy Governor, a post he held from December 2009.

He joined the central bank after serving as a diplomat in the UK where he was Rwanda’s Ambassador to the UK, Ireland and Iceland, a position he held from November 2005 to December 2009. 

From November 2003 to September 2005, Gatete was the Secretary General and Secretary to the Treasury in the Ministry of Finance. From October 2001 to May 2005, he worked in the Office of the President as a Personal Representative of the President on NEPAD Steering Committee; Coordinator of the National African Peer Review Mechanism (APRM), member of the APR National Commission; and Member of the NEPAD’s African Partnership Forum (APF). 

At the Office of the President, Gatete had also served as Director General for social and economic Affairs and member of the Presidential Advisory Council (PAC) between July 2000 and October 2003.

Before joining the Office of the President, he worked with the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) – Kigali-Rwanda, between 1997 and 2000 as the National Economist.   

"My wife is an accountant at King Faisal hospital but we always create time for the family especially over the weekend,” he said.

He is driven by the desire to contribute to the development of his country. This might be rooted from his inspiration, HE Paul Kagame, whom he says likes to get things done.

His greatest achievement is mastering the skill of getting things done for the benefit his country and her people. As Governor of the central bank, he wants to bring new changes to the financial sector.

While the 1994 Genocide against the Tutsi is his saddest period in his life, Gatete is motivated to offer a hand in rebuilding the country.

Born in Mbarara-Uganda on May 23, 1962, Gatete completed his undergraduate degree in 1991 at the University of British Columbia, Canada, where he specialised in Agricultural Economics.
He pursued the same course at Masters Level and graduated in 1993.

"I love economics and statistics. In my free time, when am not in the gym, I read books on economics. Currently, I’m reading a book on payment systems.”
Despite his achievements, Gatete prefers to live a modest life with his family.

He loves local dishes without a specific one and is contended with driving only two cars; a Land Cruiser Prado and a RAV 4.

He also loves football and supports APR FC, locally, and Manchester United in the English premiership.

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