Driven by passion to create a difference, Ms Goretti Masadde has taught herself and evolved into a food scientist with vast experience in marketing.

Goretti Masadde was hesitant to become chief executive officer (CEO) at the Uganda Institute of Banking and Financial Services (UIBFS).
Having been in banking, she had a low opinion of the institute. But five years later, Masadde, the first woman CEO in the institute’s 57 years, is proud of the platform to change lives, especially among women.
Driven by the passion to create a difference, the daughter of Edward and Imelda Joyce Musooka has taught herself and evolved into a food scientist with vast experience in marketing.
Fresh from Makerere University, Masadde first worked at an interior shop in Kampala. Soon, she and four other graduates of Food Science and Technology joined Uganda Breweries.
Masadde may have been to St Mary’s College Namagunga, an all-girl school, but the university had taught her how to interact with boys.
“At first, leading men was intimidating, but I was very focused as a young girl. The training was also thorough,” she says.
Sometimes, she was the only woman on the night shift. But soon, the men became her protectors.
Fermentation Technology was a crucial course unit to brewing, and the work environment was generally good. But the responsibility was huge. “We would start the process, from malting the grain, mashing it, until it becomes beer.”
One shift would have about 12 batches processing at different stages.
She had two days off, but they weren’t fixed. “It was tricky working Saturday afternoons, Sunday mornings or 12 hours on Christmas.” Within six months, however, she was voted the best brewer, thanks to her commitment and innovation.

Brewer to marketer
Though Masadde had studied food marketing as a course unit, swapping brewing for marketing sounded strange.
Eventually, she became a Uganda Breweries brand assistant, and when her boss, Baker Magunda was promoted to marketing manager, Masadde stepped into his giant shoes as brand manager, handling a Shs2b budget.
That is when the emergence of spirits collapsed beer sales. “But Bell grew into a number one brand,” she says.
Nonetheless, Masadde needed a job that would allow her enough time with her two children. She joined the Uganda Wildlife Conservation Education Centre (UWEC) as a business and marketing manager, a job she was warned was very easy to lose.
“I bought a book which guided me in developing a powerful comprehensive business plan which changed the fate of the organisation,” she says. The plan attracted huge funding and introduced the Christmas Zoo Fest, among other innovations that exponentially attracted tourists, mostly expatriates.
But when the project funds dwindled, marketing was pushed under education. Masadde resigned from consultancy and used that break to study for a Diploma in Marketing from the UK’s Chartered Institute of Marketing.
From 2008 to 2013, she headed communications in Global Trust Bank and Orient Bank, before becoming deputy director of marketing communications and sales at Programme for Accessible Health, Communication and Education (PACE) in 2016.
In between having those roles, she also became the secretary general of the Public Relations Association of Uganda (PRAU) alongside Juma Walusimbi, Jimmy Kiberu, Josephine Omunyide, and Catherine Adengo, among others.
Soon, she became PRAU’s first woman president, breaking walls for Cynthia Mpanga, Sarah Kagingo and now Tina Wamala.

Reforming bankers’ institute
In early 2020, Masadde called a recruiting agency about a communications job. Instead, the agency swayed her into applying for the CEO at UIBFS. But she wasn’t impressed. “I dream of a CEO job, but not this one,” she thought.
But two hours after the interviews, Masadde was asked when she would be ready to start work as the new CEO of UIBFS.
She had never held a role that big, but the institute knew her marketing acumen would boost its visibility, win respect in the industry, and revive its glory.
UIBFS is the training and certification body for the banking and financial services industry in Uganda. It is affiliated to several institutions and bodies involved in the provision, promotion and regulation of banking and finance education.
Ten days into the job, however, in March 2020, the Covid-19 lockdown happened. In hindsight, many tell her she came at the right time, otherwise, the institute would have collapsed.
Quick research taught her the institute’s strengths, challenges and opportunities.
“We used the Covid time to re-engineer the institute.” When people were asking for their NSSF savings, Masadde launched online financial literacy training programmes to help them make wiser decisions.
This was crucial for her because Masadde says she dreams of a Uganda where most people are financially well off. It is why she is passionate about research around financial literacy.
Masadde and her team also came up with innovations during this crucial time.
“We upped our marketing game and engaged banking CEOs. We thrived on innovation, collaboration, resilience and adaptability to challenges, and a focus on stakeholder needs.”
One of Masadde’s key achievements is green financing, which supports women and youth-led groups in mechanisms like irrigation, renewable energy, etc., to mitigate climate change effects.
This earned her an award from the Royal Danish Embassy in 2024.
UIBFS’s corporate membership and visibility doubled. In 2023, the institute registered a surplus for the first time in 10 years.
“It’s a shame I don’t have active mentors. But there’re people I looked up to, and it helped me become what I am.”
Her former boss, Magunda tops that list. From him, she learnt a lot after switching from brewing to marketing.
“But I also appreciate those who suppressed me. They’re angels in disguise because hadn’t they challenged me, probably I wouldn’t have become as assertive and ambitious.”
Masadde used to treat men and women the same way, and many confess to learning a lot from her.
“But recently, I am more intentional about supporting women because they have as many needs as men but are a bit disadvantaged. Many are shy, meek, and less ambitious than men.
“Men are usually direct in their communication. But you can easily miss the wisdom in a woman’s presentation because some are imprecise, and others speak very slowly. So, nowadays, I listen more to women.”
Even during the restructuring interviews last year, Masadde encouraged the female staff to fight for their jobs.
Sometimes, beauty can be a disadvantage “because people usually think beautiful women lack brains, yet many are extremely intelligent. So, you have to ignore the looks and focus on the brains.
“I always tell the beautiful girls that you must work harder to prove your worth. Because many will think you’ve gotten where you are because of your looks, favours, or because you’re sleeping with somebody.”

Job vs side business
Masadde does consultancy as a side business. In 2010, she co-founded Nutreal, a manufacturer of healthy snacks.
She says side businesses are good for career women as fall-back options and are platforms to explore one’s other capabilities.
She, however, credits the success of Nutreal to her partner Dorothy Nakimbugwe, who is more present.
“Otherwise, it’s a delicate balance. I should give that business more time. But it’s not easy.”
The mother of three children, two girls and a boy, is proud of a supportive and understanding husband. “But you need to cultivate trust, be friends with your partner and your children.
When I’m there, I give it 100 percent. They must feel my love. And when I’m not there, they understand why.”

ON A LIGHTER NOTE…
What do you do to unwind after a long day?
A healthy drink. And reading anything.

Last movie or documentary you enjoyed?
I used to watch movies a lot, but I don’t know the last time I watched one. If I were to, I would
prefer romantic movies or comedies. Instead, I do housework because we don’t have a maid. I
cook mostly on weekends.

Your most regular ritual at work or home?
Exercise, every morning. And prayers. It’s not unusual for me to call on Jesus 100 times a day.

Do you prefer a quiet night in or a fun date with friends?
A quiet night in. But when out with friends I enjoy myself.