By Dipo Olowookere

Following the retirement of Mrs Oluwatomi Somefun from Unity Bank Plc after the completion of her tenure as the chief executive, the board of the financial institution has appointed Mr Ebenezer Kolawole, as her replacement in an acting capacity.

The appointment of Mr Kolawole was announced at the Annual General Meeting (AGM) of the lender in Lagos on Wednesday.

He will lead the company armed with more than 30 years of industry experience.

The bank has already obtained the approval of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) to have the appointee take over the position.

He has the primary responsibility to finalise the company’s ongoing corporate programmes and other strategic business initiatives of the institution.

Mr Kolawole joined Unity Bank in 2015 as Chief Financial Officer (CFO) and became the Executive Director for Finance, Operations and Information Technology in February 2018.

While on the board of Unity Bank, he helped in the company’s strategic transformation and cost optimization initiatives, which enhanced the firm’s performance and market feasibility.

The acting CEO began his financial services career at Caribbean Finance Limited (an affiliate of CFL in Cayman Island) in Kaduna in 1992, and later joined Ecobank, rising to the position of Deputy Financial Controller after working in various departments of the bank, both operations and finance suites.

He later moved to Standard Trust Bank (STB) and worked at various strategic areas, including operations, regulatory risk management and finance suites and played a pivotal role in the STB/UBA merger and served as the CFO of the new entity, UBA.

Mr Kolawole, thereafter, worked at Mainstreet Bank as CFO and then moved to Globacom, a telecommunication company owned by Mr Mike Adenuga.

He is a member of several professional bodies, including: Fellow of The Institute of Chartered Accountants of Nigeria (FCA); Fellow, Institute of Credit Administration, (FICA), Honorary Member of the Chartered Institute of Bankers of Nigeria (HCIB), Associate Member of The Nigeria Institute of Management (AMNIM); Member of the Institute of Directors etc.

Mr Kolawole graduated from Obafemi Awolowo University (OAU), Ile-Ife with a holds a First-Class (Hons) degree in Accounting.

By Aduragbemi Omiyale

The Executive Director for Finance and Business Development at Academy Press Plc, Mrs Oluwakemi Ogunnubi, has been elevated to the position of Deputy Managing Director.

Her appointment, according to a statement signed by the chairman of the company’s board, W.B. Dabiri, becomes effective Tuesday, April 1, 2025.

She will understudy the Managing Director of Academy Press, Mr Gbenga Ladipo, for one year, when he retires from the organisation on March 31, 2026, after 20 years.

It was disclosed that the selection of Mrs Ogunnubi followed a comprehensive and rigorous selection process carried out by external management consultants to ensure the emergence of a forward-looking and result-oriented leader who aligns with the organisation’s values, vision, and strategic goals.

The new DMD is said to bring to her new role a distinguished track record of managerial experience backed with sound academic and professional certification in Accounting and Master’s in Business Administration (MBA).

She has worked in top management positions in reputable organisations such as UAC of Nigeria Plc, culminating in her appointment as Managing Director of CAP Plc.

Mrs Ogunnubi joined Academy Press as Executive Director for Finance and Business Development in 2023. Her competence spans a broad spectrum of fields, including finance, audit, risk management, sales, marketing, and general management practice.

The statement said she would continue to enjoy the cooperation of the company’s highly professional technical and management team led by the Executive Director for Sales and Operations, Mr Paul Aderibigbe.

By Modupe Gbadeyanka

A working capital lender, Zvilo, has appointed a former employee of British International Investment (BII), Mr Admir Imami, as its new full-time chief executive.

Mr Imami was the former Investment Director and Head of Trade and Supply Chain Finance at British International Investment, the United Kingdom’s Development Finance Institution.

He is expected to bring his extensive global trade finance experience and leadership to Zvilo, which is committed to bridging the $2.5 trillion global trade finance gap.

His appointment is to leverage his expertise in order to enhance and expand Zvilo’s global trade finance operations. His strategic vision and deep understanding of financial markets are expected to propel Zvilo’s mission of addressing the working capital needs of businesses across multiple regions.

With a focus on innovation and growth, Mr Imami will lead Zvilo through its next phase of development, ensuring the company remains at the forefront of delivering tailored financial solutions within an evolving geopolitical market landscape.

With over three decades of experience in lending and transformation, the new CEO has successfully built scalable direct lending businesses across various asset-based products serving the full range of entities and institutions in both developed and emerging markets.

His background includes product development, bank transformations, asset management, technology adoption, financial regulations, risk management and credit underwriting.

“We are delighted that Admir Imami is joining as our full-time CEO. His experience in developing sustainable, long-term solutions that align compliance, regulatory frameworks, and business objectives will be critical as the business scales.

“Following three years of growth, this appointment will bring a renewed and dedicated perspective and the operational excellence essential for our next phase.

“Admir’s background and expertise will help us achieve the perfect balance between innovation and operational efficiency,” a member of Zvilo’s board, Ron Boddy, stated.

“Zvilo is constructed on exceptional foundations, developed using groundbreaking technology, with a robust loan book and a strong focus on delivery and market expansion.

“My immediate objectives as CEO will include ensuring effective scaling, executing with operational excellence, and continuing to create value for our customers, employees, and investors.

“I am eager to lead a distinguished team of finance, operations, technology, and regional experts and partners as we embark on the next chapter of Zvilo’s growth,” Mr Imami, enthused.

While at BII, Mr Imami successfully built a trade finance business from scratch with commitments of over $2 billion and limits to over 380 issuing banks all supporting trade transactions in the amount of $30bn in Africa and South Asia.

He was also instrumental in establishing BII’s first Supply Chain Facility with global banking partner Standard Chartered Bank and in broadening BII’s mandate to encompass a wide range of trade finance asset classes.

Prior to that, he was co-founder and CEO of Advance Global Capital (AGC), a global impact trade finance investment manager among other professional posts he has held during his long international career.