In the New Dawn, financial literacy has become more important than ever. Recently there has been an emergence of social media personalities who leverage their experience and expertise in the markets to simplify the movements across the markets. Mulenga Chanda is currently the Assistant Manager for Treasury at the Bank of China. He is currently one the most prolific online personalities, with a lovable character and strong affinity for the markets. To his friends and work colleagues Mr Chanda seems like a man of many talents, with over 30,000 followers across social media platforms where he regularly shares news and ideas on business, politics, and never shying away from speaking his truth.
The Story Behind the Success
Mulenga’s journey started with a bang, as he entered the corporate world having been awarded the Best Graduating Student for Economics at the prestigious Shobit University in India. Despite this he had started small, taking up a job as the ‘Accounts Payable Associate’ at First Quantum Minerals while finishing his degree. Shortly after Mr Chanda undertook a competitive MBA, where he finished as one of the top 5 students (despite being one of the youngest). Furthermore he started his journey with Bank of China as a Credit Specialist, where he won the employee of the year for 2019 and worked on huge projects including the funding of Kenneth Kaunda International Airport. Mulenga is currently on the path to commencing his Phd studies this coming January adding to an already impressive array of qualifications including: a certificate in Movable Asset Based Lending from World Bank, International Finance Corporation and Zambia Institute of Banking and Financial Services.
With the assistance of Capital Markets Certifications, his career has accelerated to the point of becoming Assistant Manager for Treasury and Financial markets, covering 80% of the market. He is also a member of the ACI Financial Markets Association of Zambia and has established himself as one of the leading experts in Forex and Capital Markets trading on behalf of the Bank of China. His coworkers sing his praises as he has established himself as a leading deal maker. Despite such an illustrious career however, in conversations with Mr Chanda, he rarely discusses business. We discussed at length some of the work he started doing when he had just left university with a group called Undikumbukire Project Zambia. Mulenga would mentor young juveniles often trapped in the prison system and assist them in drafting appeals for sentences and ensuring they are properly represented. The group’s leader, Sara Larios, is one of few individuals dedicated to the fight for vulnerable children in Zambia and has mentored Mulenga. She brought him into the organisation and often teaches of the importance of humility and service to others. Part of this shows a deep patriotism which Mulenga has recently further explored in a course at the Zambia Institute of Diplomacy and International studies.
Building a Social Brand
Mulenga had grown up spending the majority of his early life abroad and during his studies returned home to Zambia with no friends or contacts. Mulenga had to start from scratch, attending events and meeting new colleagues one at a time. His character always pushed him to celebrate the success of those around him and within a short time he found himself at the centre of the Lusaka social scene. Despite this his brand remains professional and business focused, with Mr Chanda most recently being appointed the youngest speaker at the ICT Fintech Expo held in Lusaka this year. This is an example of how Mulenga leverages his brand name to network and build relationships with some of the biggest companies in the country.
Mr Chanda manages to consistently deliver well written thought pieces on different economic topics both local and international. Some of the titles include analysis of the Foreign Exchange Value of the Kwacha, an in depth breakdown of the IMF deal and most recently breaking down the upcoming global recession. In the last two years he’s built a two season series called a ‘Year in the Life’ featuring young and ambitious Zambians (including characters like Chanda Brian, Komba Malutikila and Sibeso Mofya to name a few.) Central to his brand is the mentality of a serial networker always looking to uplift his fellow colleagues.
Conclusion
Despite his age, Mulenga Chanda reads like that of a seasoned veteran, signalling a bright future ahead for this young banker. His story teaches one that success is built over time and as young Zambians we should always strive to be the best and help others achieve their full potential.
