Jobs/Appointments
Former Defunct Skye Bank Director Joins Wema Bank
By Dipo Olowookere
A former executive director of the defunct Skye Bank Plc, Mrs Ibiye Asime Ekong, has been appointed to the board of Wema Bank Plc.
The operating licence of Skye Bank was revoked by the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) and then nationalised to Polaris Bank. Mrs Ekong served on the board of the financial institution until she retired.
But Wema Bank intends to tap into the over 28 years’ experience of the financial professional, who is an expert in accounting and banking and finance with a passionate bias for retail banking.
A statement issued by Wema Bank said the new appointee is coming on board as an independent non-executive director to replace Ms Tina Vukor-Quarshie, who left after the expiration of her tenure.
Mrs Ekong started her professional working career as Management Trainee and later Assistant Treasurer at John Holt Plc where she was charged with funds management and foreign exchange bidding management. She later joined banking at Chartered Bank Plc’s Correspondent Banking Unit and was at one time, the Treasurer of the bank managing the bank’s assets and liabilities.
She was part of the pioneer team that transformed the operations of Prudent Merchant Bank to commercial banking, contributing to the growth and development of Prudent Bank in various senior management capacities, to wit: Senior Manager (Treasury, Assistant General Manager (Treasury), Deputy General Manager (Corporate Banking).
From 2006, as part of the consolidated Skye Bank team, she was General Manager (Business Development) and Head of Enterprise Risk Management before becoming an Executive Director in charge of the South-South, Edo, Delta and South-East regions of the bank, as well as Head of the retail banking team.
Mrs Ekong is a Fellow and former Council Member of the Chartered Institute of Bankers of Nigeria (CIBN) and currently serves on the Finance and General Purposes Committee of the Governing Council of the CIBN.
She is also a Fellow of the Institute of Chartered Accountants of Nigeria (ICAN) and member of the Institute of Directors (IoD) and the Risk Management Association of Nigeria. 5he served as a member of the Audit Committee of Nigerian Interbank Settlement System (NIBSS) and member of the Audit Committee of CIBN and member of several other committees of the CIBN.
Jobs/Appointments
CBN Denies Forceful Mass Retirement Amid Restructuring
By Adedapo Adesanya
The Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) has dismissed claims of forced mass retirement as part of efforts by Governor Yemi Cardoso to restructure the workforce of the organisation.
In a statement released on Wednesday, the Acting Director of Corporate Communications, Mrs Hakama Sidi Ali, clarified that its Early Exit Package (EEP) is entirely voluntary and without any negative repercussions for eligible staff.
According to the statement, the decision to implement the exercise was the outcome of extensive consultations with the bank’s Joint Consultative Council (JCC), a body representing staff interests.
Mrs Sidi Ali explained that the EEP, a longstanding policy previously accorded to the executive cadre, has now been made available to eligible staff at all levels.
“For some time, staff representatives through the JCC had called on management to approve the early exit package for all cadres. Following these discussions, management decided to meet this popular demand,” she said in the statement.
Addressing concerns about potential repercussions for staff who decline the package, Mrs Sidi Ali reaffirmed management’s commitment to supporting employees’ professional growth and well-being, describing the concerns as unfounded.
She further emphasized that the initiative is an internal corporate matter designed to promote career development for staff.
According to wide spread reports, there have been plans to retire approximately 1,000 employees by the end of the year with a payoff estimated to cost over N50 billion.
The mass retirement, which was announced in a circular issued three weeks ago, mandates affected employees to apply for the Early Exit Package (EEP).
The statement allegedly warned employees with less than one year of service or unconfirmed appointments to refrain from applying for the program, noting that the application would remain open until December 7, with an effective exit date of December 31, 2024.
It was reported that the entire EEP was valued at N50 billion.
Jobs/Appointments
CBN Okays Appointment of Benson Ogundeji as Greenwich Merchant Bank CEO
By Modupe Gbadeyanka
The Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) has approved the appointment of Mr Benson Ogundeji as the chief executive of Greenwich Merchant Bank Limited.
The board of the financial institution for businesses had picked Mr Ogundeji as its substantive CEO but awaited the authorisation of the banking sector regulator.
He brings over three decades of extensive banking experience to this role as a seasoned financial services professional, who previously served as Executive Director at Greenwich Merchant Bank from July 2020, where he played a pivotal role in the bank’s successful transition from the legacy Greenwich Trust Limited to a merchant bank.
In this capacity, he provided oversight for Corporate Banking, Treasury and Global Markets.
Throughout his career, Mr Ogundeji has demonstrated exceptional expertise in business development and operational excellence.
Before joining the firm, he held various senior leadership roles at prominent financial institutions, including Ecobank Nigeria, GTBank, and other notable banks, where he consistently displayed exceptional leadership skills.
His appointment comes at a crucial time as Greenwich Merchant Bank commences the next phase of its growth plans. Having related closely with the new CEO, as an Executive Director and acting CEO in the last four years, the board has expressed confidence about his ability to lead the bank in delivering our strategic goals.
“The board is pleased to announce the appointment of Benson Ogundeji as our Managing Director/Chief Executive Officer,” the chairman of Greenwich Merchant Bank, Mr Kayode Falowo, stated.
Jobs/Appointments
WTO General Council Reappoints Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala as DG
By Adedapo Adesanya
The General Council of the World Trade Organisation (WTO) has reappointed its Director-General, Mrs Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, for a second term, effective September 1, 2025.
On October 8, the WTO formally commenced the process for appointing its next Director-General, with members given until the 8th of November to submit nominations.
She was elected unopposed after no candidates stepped forward for the position of Director-General had emerged by the nomination deadline, other than the incumbent Director-General.
DG Okonjo-Iweala’s current term comes to an end on August 31, 2025.
She first assumed office as Director-General on March 1 2021, becoming the first woman and first African to lead the WTO.
Her reappointment comes after a special formal meeting of the General Council which started on Thursday, November 28 and culminated on Friday.
The first day of the General Council meeting saw members hear a presentation from Mrs Okonjo-Iweala on her vision for the WTO, followed by a question-and-answer session.
The second day then provided an opportunity for members to decide on the appointment of the next Director-General, to which they gave the Nigerian former finance minister another four years at the helm of affairs.
Speaking on her achievement, the Chairman of the trade body’s council, Ambassador Petter Ølberg of Norway praised her achievements, stating: “The General Council commends Dr. Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala for her outstanding leadership during her first term. Amid significant global economic challenges, she strengthened the WTO’s ability to support its members and set a forward-looking agenda for the organization.
“Her leadership was instrumental in securing meaningful outcomes at pivotal moments, including the 12th and 13th Ministerial Conferences (MC12 and MC13), where major milestones were achieved.”
“As we look ahead, the Council fully supports Dr Okonjo-Iweala’s commitment to ensuring that the WTO remains responsive, inclusive, and results-driven. Her leadership will be critical as the organization continues to advance a resilient, rules-based, and equitable global trading system.”
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