Ezra Suruma

Ezra Suruma, born on November 11, 1945, in Kabale District, Uganda, is an economist, banker, and academic. He holds a BSc in Finance (1969) and MA in Economics (1972) from Fordham University, and a PhD in Economics (1976) from the University of Connecticut. Additionally, he has master's degrees in computer science and international banking.

Suruma's career includes roles as a professor at Makerere University and Florida A&M University. He joined the Bank of Uganda in 1987 as Director of Research and later served as Deputy Governor until 1993. From 1993 to 1996, he was Chairman and Managing Director of Uganda Commercial Bank.

He served as Uganda's Minister of Finance, Planning, and Economic Development from 2005 to February 2009, during which he promoted the banking sector and initiated a microfinance project aiding small farmers and businesses. He received the "Best Finance Minister of Africa Award" in 2008. After leaving this role, he became Senior Advisor to Uganda's President until January 2016, when he was appointed Chancellor of Makerere University.

Suruma also served as a Visiting Fellow at the Brookings Institution from April 2010 to January 2016. He is married with four children and one grandchild, raising orphaned nieces and nephews. Previously a shareholder in National Bank of Commerce (Uganda), which closed in 2012, he co-founded UGAFODE Microfinance Limited in 2011.