Damien Gueroult tells Watu Kenya to design loans around customer earnings patterns, not salary schedules.

Damien Gueroult, the country manager of Watu Kenya, says the finance industry must change how it serves customers in the informal economy. He notes that many borrowers in this sector earn daily, depending on demand and weather conditions. Their income shifts constantly, unlike the fixed salary paid by traditional banks. Gueroult states that clients are effectively entrepreneurs who use assets like motorbikes as tools for trade rather than for personal consumption. This reality means standard repayment models designed for salaried workers do not work here. Many of these borrowers are accessing formal credit for the first time without medical insurance. Gueroult took over the Kenya operation this year after leading operations in Uganda. He argues that lending practices must reflect these specific earning patterns to remain sustainable. The focus on how customers earn should reshape asset finance across both markets.