•Meet His Board Members & Formidable Team
A few years back, he was one of the whizkid bankers, that rocked the banking sector with others like Mr. Aig Aig-Imaukhuede. But today he has become a seasoned banker and bank MD.
Mr. Herbert Wigwe is the Group Managing Director & CEO of Access Bank. He has been GMD for the past 6 years. And under him Access Bank has grown from strength to strength. He has a solid professional background. He started his professional career with Coopers and Lybrand Associates, an international firm of Chartered Accountants. He spent over 10 years at Guaranty Trust Bank where he managed several portfolios including Financial Institutions, Corporates and Multinationals. He left Guaranty Trust as an Executive Director to co-lead the transformation of Access Bank Plc in March 2002 as Deputy Managing Director. He was appointed Group Managing Director/CEO effective January 1, 2014.
He is an Alumnus of Harvard Business School Executive Management Programme. He holds a Masters degree in Banking and International Finance from the University College of North Wales; a Masters degree in Financial Economics from the University of London and a B.Sc. degree in Accounting from the University of Nigeria, Nsukka. He is also a Fellow of the Institute of Chartered Accountants of Nigeria (ICAN). Mr Wigwe is the Chairman of Access Bank (UK) Ltd and Interim Chairman of Nigerian Mortgage Refinance Company Plc.
He has a strong deputy in Roosevelt Ogbonna, the Group Deputy Managing Director. He has over 20 years of experience in banking cutting across Treasury, Commercial, Corporate and Investment banking. Prior to his appointment, he was the Executive Director, Wholesale Banking Division of Access Bank Plc.
He is a Fellow of the Institute of Chartered Accountants of Nigeria, a Senior Executive Fellow of Harvard Kennedy School and an alumnus of Harvard Business School. He holds a Master’s degree in Business Administration from IMD Business School, an Executive Master’s degree in Business Administration from Cheung Kong Graduate School of Business and a Bachelor’s degree in Banking and Finance from University of Nigeria, Nsukka. In 2015, he was selected as one of the Institute of International Finance (IIF) Future Global Leaders. Roosevelt sits on the board of a number of institutions including, Africa Finance Corporation, Access Bank (Zambia) Ltd and Central Securities Clearing System Plc.
There are other like Etuokwu who is an Executive Director. He was renewed in October 2013 following the expiration of his initial term. He was first appointed Executive Director of Access Bank in January 2012, He oversees the Personal Banking Division and has over 2 decades of banking experience cutting across operations, information technology, and business development. He joined the Bank in July 2003 from Citibank Nigeria.
He holds a Bachelor of Science degree and a Masters of Business Administration from University of Ibadan and University of Benin respectively. Mr. Etuokwu is a Senior Honorary member of the Chartered Institute of Bankers of Nigeria and a director of E-Tranzact Plc and Unified Payments Systems Plc. Committee Membership: Board Credit and Finance Committee (Member)
There is also Mrs. Chizoma Okoli. She is Executive Director, Business Banking. Prior to this, she was Executive Director and Head-Business Development at Diamond Bank Plc. She served as Head of Business Development, Head of Corporate Banking, Divisional Head of Institutional Banking and Regional Manager at Diamond Bank Plc.
Mrs. Okoli graduated with a Bachelor of Law degree from the University of Benin, attended the Nigerian Law School and holds an MBA from Warwick Business School, United Kingdom. She has over two decades of cognate experience.
Dr. Gregory Ovie Jobome is another top director. He is a thorough bred banking professional with excellent academic pedigree. He obtained a First Class Degree in Economics from the University of Maiduguri in 1986 and a Distinction in Master of Business Administration from Obafemi Awolowo University in 1990. He also obtained a Masters of Science Degree (1994) and a Doctorate Degree (2002) both in Economics and Finance from Loughborough University, UK.
He has over 25 years of work experience obtained from Guaranty Trust Bank Plc, University of Liverpool Management School, Manchester Business School and Access Bank Plc. He joined Access Bank Plc in July 2010 as a General Manager and Chief Risk Officer. Prior to joining the Bank, he was a Risk Management Consultant to Guaranty Trust Bank Plc. Dr Jobome has been instrumental to the many giant strides attained by the Bank in the risk management space.
He is a highly sought after resource person and has held several key industry leadership position including: Director, CRC Credit Bureau Ltd, President, Risk Management Association of Nigeria between 2012 and 2015, Member, Working Group on Regulatory Reforms of the Institute of International Finance, Member, Capacity Building Committee, Chartered Institute of Bankers of Nigeria, Member , Board of Trustees, Risk Managers Association of Nigeria, Member, Chief Risk Officers Forum.
There is also Hadiza Ambursa. She was appointed Executive Director, Commercial Banking- North in October 2017. She has over two decades banking experience from Guaranty Trust Bank and Access Bank. Her experience covers Transaction Services, Public Sector, Commercial Bank and Corporate Finance. Prior to joining Access Bank in 2003, she was a Relationship Manager Public Sector in Guaranty Trust Bank Plc.
She graduated with a B.Sc in Political Science from University of Jos in 1991 and also obtained an M.A in Law and Diplomacy in 1996 from the same University. She subsequently attended Massachusetts Institute of Technology (‘MIT’) where she bagged an MBA in 2009. She has attended several Executive Management Programmes in the leading institutions including Harvard Business School and MIT. Ms. Ambursa is a Director of Access Bank (Gambia) Ltd.
Ade Bajomo is another great team player. He was appointed Executive Director, Information Technology and Operations in January 2018. He holds an MBA from CASS Business School; an MSc in Information Systems Engineering and a BSc in Civil Engineering from University of Ife. He is a chartered member of British Computer Society and a member of Institute of Directors.
He has over three decades of work experience with a track record of delivery and leadership in the Global Financial Services Sector spanning across Banking, Capital Markets, Asset Management, and Insurance. Over this period, he has led major transformation and service enhancement programmes, driven business growth initiatives, mergers, acquisitions, and integration of acquired entities within the sectors. Before joining Access Bank, he was the Executive Director, Market Operations and Technology at the Nigerian Stock Exchange where he led the digitization of services and establishment of a robust trading platform. He also steered an ancillary ecosystem to drive new product development, automation, enhanced regulation, market data, and liquidity. Mr Bajomo also held several leadership roles in leading financial services organisations, including Barclays Bank Plc, UK, Pearl Insurance Group UK, Fortis Bank UK, Deutsche Bank and Morgan Grenfell Bank. Committee Membership:Board Digital and Information Technology Committee, Board Risk Management Committee.
Dr. (Mrs.) Dere Awosika is on the Board of Access Bank. She is an accomplished administrator with over 3 decades experience in Public Sector governance. She was at various times, the Permanent Secretary in the Federal Ministries of Internal Affairs, Science & Technology and Power. She is a fellow of the Pharmaceutical Society of Nigeria and the West African Postgraduate College of Pharmacy. Dr.Awosika holds a doctorate degree in pharmaceutical technology from the University of Bradford, United Kingdom.
She was appointed to the Board of Access Bank in April 2013 and served as the Vice-Chairman of the Board Audit Committee and Chairman of the Board Credit and Finance Committee. She sits on the boards of Capital Express Assurance Ltd, Chams Plc, Ned-In Pharmaceutical IV Plant and Josephine Consulting Limited. She became the Chairman of the Bank in January 2020.
So also Mr. Paul Usoro a Senior Advocate of Nigeria. He is a fellow of the Chartered Institute of Arbitrators and the Founder and Senior Partner of the Law Firm of Paul Usoro and Co. He is acknowledged as a highly experienced litigator and Nigeria’s foremost communications law expert. He has advised a wide range of blue chip Nigerian and foreign companies in the areas of project finance, equity raising, infrastructure development and management buy-outs.
Mr. Usoro is a director of Airtel Network Limited (and the Chairman of the Audit committee), Nigeria Bulk Electricity Traders Plc, Marina Securities Limited, Premium Pension Limited and PZ Cussons Nigeria Plc. He holds a Bachelors of Law Degree from University of Ife (1981) and was called to Nigerian Bar in 1982. Mr. Usoro previously represented Access Bank as a Non-Executive Director on the Board of Defunct Intercontinental Bank Plc. He joined the Board of Access Bank in January 2014. Committee Membership: Board Audit Committee (Member) Board Governance and Nomination Committee (Member), Board Credit and Finance Committee (Member), Board Risk Management Committee (Member), Board Remuneration Committee (Member).
Mrs. Anthonia Olufeyikemi Ogunmefun is also on the Board. She is Managing Partner at Kemi Ogunmefun Law Office, a Canadian-based private legal practice specializing in immigration law, family law, real estate and corporate law. She served as the chairperson of Governance Committee of Kinark Child and Family Services , a major Canadian Childcare Trust.
Mrs. Ogunmefun had a distinguished banking career having worked with Chase Merchant Bank and Imperial Bank of Commerce (CIBC) in Nigeria and Canada respectively where she functioned in senior management positions. She obtained her law degree from University of Lagos in 1974 and was called to the Nigerian Bar and Law Society of Upper Canada in 1975 and 2004 respectively. She joined the Board of Access Bank in April 2011.
Committee Membership: Board Remuneration Committee (Vice Chairman), Board Governance and Nomination Committee (Member), Board Credit and Finance Committee (Member), Board Risk Management Committee (Member).
Mr. Adeniyi Adekoya is another board member. He is a highly experienced Maritime and Oil and Gas industry expert with significant investment banking experience. He is currently an Executive Director with Synerpet Nigeria Limited (formerly Akeprime Limited). Prior to this, he had been a General Manager of Peacegate Holdings Ltd where he was responsible for setting up and developing the company’s marine operations.
He was also a Consultant to Maine Nigeria Ltd where he developed the framework for the private placement to raise start-up capital of USD 500 million and led the company’s participation in bid rounds for oil blocks in the Republic of Equatorial Guinea. He had a 3 year working experience with Mobil Producing Company Ltd as a Budget Officer, Exploration Department and has significant financial service industry experience obtained from AIM Fund and Trimark Investment Service both in Ontario, Canada. Mr. Adekoya holds a Bachelors of Business Administration from University of Lagos.
Mr. Iboro Matamunoemi Akpana is also a Board member. He is the Managing Partner of Solola&Akpana, one of the leading commercial and oil and gas law firms in Nigeria. He is aconsummate corporate and commercial lawyer with a career spanning more than two decades. Mr. Akpana has a proven track record of academic and professional excellence.
He graduated as a top student in Law from University of Jos and subsequently obtained a Masters Degree from Harvard Law School. He is licensed to practice law in Nigeria, England and Wales and United States of America.
Mr. Akpana is a Notary Public of the Federal Republic of Nigeria. Based on his work, he was recognized in the Chambers Global 2006, 2007, 2008 and 2009 editions as ‘Leading Individual’ in Nigeria in its Corporate/Commercial section. The International Financial Law Review 1000 has similarly ranked Mr. Akpana as a ‘Leading Lawyer’ in Nigeria in its 2006, 2007, 2008 and 2009 editions while the Legal 500 Europe, Middle East and Africa profiled him as a ‘Recommended Individual.’ He is a member of the International Bar Association, American Bar Association, New York State Bar Association, Nigerian Bar Association and the Law Society of England and Wales.
Dr. Okey Nwuke (FCA) is on the board. He has over 28 years’ experience in finance and corporate governance working with top corporates and leading commercial banks in Nigeria. He is a Fellow of both the Institute of Chartered Accountants of Nigeria and Chartered Institute of Taxation of Nigeria, an honorary member of Chartered Institute of Bankers of Nigeria and a member of Business Recovery and Insolvency Practitioners.
He has considerable expertise in credit analysis and bank financial management through professional training as a chartered accountant and from relevant on the job trainings. Dr. Nwuke is deeply versed in management of financial institutions having held Executive Director position in Access Bank from 2004 to 2013. He served as the Chairman of the Board of Directors of the Bank’s subsidiaries in Rwanda and Burundi and was a pioneer Non-Executive Director of Stanbic IBTC Pension Managers Limited representing the Bank.
Dr.Nwuke’s key competencies span across finance, strategy development and execution, organizational restructuring and transformation, leadership and change management. He joined the Board of Coscharis Group in August 2014 and is currently responsible for the strategic drive to position it for sustainability beyond the founder’s lifetime. He currently chairs the Shareholders’ Audit Committee of NASCON Plc.
He holds a B.Sc. Degree in Accountancy from University of Nigeria, Nsukka and an MBA (Distinction) in International Banking and Finance from the Birmingham Business School, United Kingdom. Dr.Nwuke also holds a Doctorate Degree in Business Administration (DBA) from Walden University, Minnesota, USA with a research focus on leadership transition challenges in family businesses. He has been exposed to leadership and professional development programmes at globally renowned institutions.
Dr. Nwuke became a Non-Executive Director of Access Bank Plc in November 2019.
Lets tell you about Ifeyinwa Osime also. She is a beautiful woman who is versatile and result oriented professional with over 30 years’ experience in the insurance industry and commercial legal practice at management and board levels. She has deep knowledge and experience in the management of administrative, legal, and company secretarial functions in financial and other related institutions.
She had championed and established a special needs programme which is actively involved in the management and care of children and young people with special needs. She is currently a Partner at Macpherson Legal Practitioners, a Lagos-based law firm.
Mrs. Osime is an Independent Non-Executive Director of WAPIC Insurance Plc and WAPIC Life Ltd. She was the former Chairperson of PHB Healthcare Limited, former Director, Bank PHB Plc (now Keystone Bank Limited) and a former Director, Insurance PHB Limited (now KBL Insurance). She was the Company Secretary/Legal Adviser of African Development Insurance Company Limited (now NSIA Insurance) between 1989 and 1997.
She holds an LLM Degree from University of London (1989) with specialization in Corporate and Commercial Law and an LLB Degree from the University of Benin (1986). She is a member of the Institute of Directors and has attended several leadership and professional development programmes at globally renowned institutions.
