Banking
Adebise Assumes Office as MD/CEO of Wema Bank
By Dipo Olowookere
After acting as the Managing Director of Wema Bank Plc since July 2018, Mr Ademola Adebise will finally resume office as the MD/CEO of the financial institution from Monday, October 1, 2018.
This followed the retirement of Mr Segun Oloketuyi in September 2018 after proceeding on a terminal leave in July 2018.
Prior to this appointment, Mr Adebise was the Deputy Managing Director of Wema Bank, a role he held since January 2017.
A statement issued by the lender disclosed that the new MD/CEO has been part of the bank’s executive management team since 2009 and has played a pivotal role in the execution of the strategic turnaround plan of Wema Bank.
Also, Wema Bank has announced the appointment of Mr Moruf Oseni as its Deputy Managing Director from October 1, 2018.
The financial institution said both the appointments of Mr Adebise and Mr Oseni have been ratified by the Central Bank of Nigeria.
“In Ademola and Moruf, the Bank has two financial veterans with a wealth of experience in senior executive positions across a wide range of countries,” said Mr Babatunde Kasali, the Chairman of Wema Bank.
“With their proven track record in the financial services sector, the Board is confident that their appointments will lead to the continued transformation of the Bank as it positions itself as a market leader in Nigeria’s retail banking segment through technology and innovation,” he added.
Mr Adebise has over 28 years’ experience in the banking and has worked in various capacities in Information Technology, Financial Control & Strategic Planning, Treasury, Corporate Banking, Risk Management and Performance Management.
It was disclosed that before joining Wema Bank Plc, Mr Adebise was the Head, Finance and Performance Management Practice at Accenture (Lagos Office), where he led multiple successful projects for banks in Business Process Re-engineering, Information Technology and Risk Management.
Mr Adebise is an alumnus of the Advanced Management Program (AMP) of the Harvard Business School and a holder of a bachelor’s degree in Computer Science from the University of Lagos.
He also holds a Master of Business Administration (MBA) from the Lagos Business School.
On his part, Mr Moruf Oseni, the new Deputy Managing Director of Wema Bank, since joining the bank Board in 2012, has contributed immensely to the growth of the bank’s retail business.
Until his appointment, he was the Executive Director in charge of Retail business and ALAT, the Nigeria’s first digital bank.
Mr Moruf Oseni brings a wealth of banking and non-banking experience to his new role.
Before joining Wema Bank, Mr Oseni was the CEO of MG Ineso Limited, a principal investment and financial advisory firm with interests in various sectors of the economy.
Prior to his time at MG Ineso, he was a Vice President at Renaissance Capital, where he was responsible for debt capital markets (DCM), equity capital markets (ECM) and structured finance origination and execution for sub-Saharan African corporates and financial institutions.
He was also an Associate at Salomon Brothers/Citigroup Global Markets in London and New York where he was involved in credit market origination and execution for European financial institutions.
He commenced his career as an IT officer with Nigeria Liquefied Natural Gas Company (NLNG) and holds an MBA from the prestigious Institut European d’Administration des Affaires (INSEAD) in France, a master’s in finance (MiF) from London Business School, London and a BSc. in Computer Engineering from Obafemi Awolowo University (OAU), Ile-Ife, Nigeria.
He is also an alumnus of King’s College, Lagos and a member of the Institute of Directors (IoD), an Honorary Senior Member of the Chartered Institute of Bankers of Nigeria (CIBN) and a member of Nigerian Institute of Management (NIM).
He serves on the board of Continental Broadcasting Services Limited and is a member of the Lagos State Economic Advisory Committee.
By Modupe Gbadeyanka
To strengthen Europe-Africa trade ties, Access Bank has opened a new branch in Malta. It will focus on international trade finance, employing approximately 30 people in its initial phase, with plans for controlled expansion over time.
It was learned that this Maltese branch was established by Access Bank UK Limited, the subsidiary of Access Bank Plc, which is also the subsidiary of Access Holdings Plc, which is listed on the Nigerian Exchange (NGX) Limited.
Access Bank Malta Limited commenced operations after obtaining a banking licence from the European Central Bank (ECB) and the Malta Financial Services Authority (MFSA).
Access Bank said the licence marks a transformative milestone in bolstering Europe-Africa trade flows.
Malta, a renowned international financial centre, and a gateway between the two continents, is strategically positioned to play a pivotal role in advancing commerce and fostering economic partnerships.
This strategic expansion into Malta enables The Access Bank UK Limited to leverage growing trade opportunities between Europe and Africa.
It underscores the organisation’s commitment to driving global trade, financial integration, and supporting businesses across these regions.
“By establishing operations in Malta, we will gain a foothold in a market that bridges European and North African economies, moving us one step closer to our goal of becoming Africa’s Gateway to the World.
“It further enhances our bank’s capacity to support clients with innovative solutions tailored to cross-border trade and investment opportunities,” the chief executive of Access Bank, Mr Roosevelt Ogbonna, stated.
“Europe has emerged as Africa’s leading trading partner, driven by initiatives such as the Economic Partnership Agreements between the EU and African regions and the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA).
“With Europe-Africa economic relations entering a new phase, The Access Bank Malta Limited is ideally positioned to deepen trade and meet the financing and banking needs of our clients in these expanding markets,” the chief executive of Access Bank UK, Mr Jamie Simmonds, commented.
Also speaking, the chief executive of Access Bank Malta, Renald Theuma, said, “Malta is uniquely positioned as a bridge between Europe and Africa, making it an ideal location for our subsidiary. This move allows The Access Bank Malta Limited to engage more closely with customers in Europe and deliver tailored financial solutions that drive growth and connectivity across both continents.”
By Adedapo Adesanya
The International Finance Corporation (IFC) and Goldman Sachs have announced a new partnership with African banks, including Nigeria’s Zenith Bank and Stanbic IBTC Nigeria to support the Goldman Sachs 10,000 Women initiative, a joint programme launched in 2008 to provide access to capital and training for women entrepreneurs globally.
The two Nigerian banks are part of nine financial institutions from across Africa which have agreed to join the 10,000 Women initiative committing to leverage the business education and skills tools the programme provides to create more opportunities for women entrepreneurs across the continent by providing access to business education.
Others banks include Stanbic Bank Kenya, Ecobank Kenya, Ecobank Cote d’Ivoire, Equity Bank Group, Banco Millenium Atlantico – Angola, Baobab Group, and Orange Bank.
Speaking on this, Ms Charlotte Keenan, Managing Director at Goldman Sachs said – “10,000 Women has had a powerful impact to date, but we know that there are more women to reach and more potential to be realized.
“We are delighted to partner with IFC to supercharge the growth of women-owned businesses across Africa, and mainstream lending to female business leaders. We remain committed to supporting entrepreneurs with the access to education and capital that they need to scale.”
Since 2008, the 10,000 Women initiative has provided access to capital and business training to more than 200,000 women in 150 countries.
“This expanded initiative marks a significant step forward in creating equitable economic opportunities for women in Africa, enabling them to build stronger, more resilient businesses and to realize their entrepreneurial goals,” said Ms Nathalie Kouassi Akon, IFC’s Global Director for Gender and Economic Inclusion.
Goldman Sachs’ 10,000 Women initiative complements the Women Entrepreneurs Opportunity Facility (WEOF), launched in 2014 by Goldman Sachs and IFC as the first-of-its-kind global facility dedicated to expanding access to capital for women entrepreneurs in emerging markets.
By Aduragbemi Omiyale
In recognition of its unwavering commitment to fostering access to financing for Nigerian micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs), Development Bank of Nigeria Plc has been rewarded with the Financial Inclusion Leadership Award at the Champions of Inclusion Nigeria Financial Inclusion Awards.
This was at the 2024 International Financial Inclusion Conference (IFIC) organised by the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) in collaboration with the World Bank and other stakeholders.
The chief executive of the lender, Mr Tony Okpanachi, said the recognition affirms the company’s efforts in expanding access to financial services for MSMEs in Nigeria.
“We are honoured to receive the Financial Inclusion Leadership Award, which is a testament to our bank’s commitment to expanding access to financial services for all Nigerians. This award recognises our efforts to bridge the financial inclusion gap, particularly for a priority sector like the MSMEs.
“Additionally, this award is a validation of our strategic focus on driving financial inclusion for small businesses, and we are proud to be at the forefront of this initiative that drives that. We will continue to innovate and expand our financial inclusion programmes, ensuring that more Nigerian small and startup businesses have access to services,” he stated.
On his part, the Chief Operating Officer of DBN, Mr Bonaventure Okhaimo, said the accolade demonstrates the firm’s dedication to driving financial inclusion and economic growth in Nigeria.
“This award acknowledges our Bank’s innovative approach to widening opportunities for MSMEs in Nigeria to grow and scale their businesses,” he said.
“This award will motivate us to continue pushing the boundaries of financial inclusion, exploring more innovative solutions and partnerships to expand our reach and impact.
“We are committed to ensuring that more small businesses and startup enterprises in Nigeria have access to financial services, this award will further inspire us to accelerate our efforts in this regard,” he stated.
-
Feature/OPED5 years agoDavos was Different this year
-
Travel/Tourism8 years ago
Lagos Seals Western Lodge Hotel In Ikorodu
-
Showbiz2 years agoEstranged Lover Releases Videos of Empress Njamah Bathing
-
Banking6 years agoSort Codes of GTBank Branches in Nigeria
-
Economy2 years agoSubsidy Removal: CNG at N130 Per Litre Cheaper Than Petrol—IPMAN
-
Banking2 years agoFirst Bank Announces Planned Downtime
-
Sports2 years agoHighest Paid Nigerian Footballer – How Much Do Nigerian Footballers Earn
-
Technology4 years agoHow To Link Your MTN, Airtel, Glo, 9mobile Lines to NIN