Top 10 Most Admired CEOs in Nigeria

© Top 10 Most Admired CEOs in Nigeria
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Dr. Adesola (“Sola”) KazeemAdeduntan ( FCA) is the Managing Director/Chief Executive Officer of First Bank of Nigeria Limited.Prior to this appointment, he was an Executive Director and the Bank’s Chief Financial Officer. Before coming to FirstBank, Sola was a Director and the pioneer Chief Financial Officer/Business Manager of Africa Finance Corporation. He has served as a Senior Vice-President & Chief Financial Officer at Citibank Nigeria Limited, a Senior Manager in the Financial Services Group of KPMG Professional Services and a Manager at Arthur Andersen Nigeria. Sola also had a brief stint at the defunct Afribank Nigeria Plc (now Mainstreet Bank) as a graduate trainee where he worked mainly in banking operations. Over the course of his sterling career, he has garnered diverse expertise in Treasury and Financial Management, Risk Management, Accounting and Internal Controls, Corporate Governance, Corporate Strategy Development and Implementation, Corporate Finance, Business Performance Management, Financial Advisory, Investors, Regulators and Rating Agencies Relationship Management, Deployment and Management of Information Technology, and Compliance. Sola attended the University of Ibadan, where he obtained a Doctor of Veterinary Medicine (DVM) degree. He also holds a Master’s Degree in Business Administration (MBA) from Cranfield University Business School, United Kingdom which he attended as a distinguished “British Chevening Scholar.” In addition to his MBA, he has attended executive/leadership programmes at Harvard, Cambridge, Oxford and INSEAD. Sola is a member of Sigma Educational Foundation, which is focused on enhancing the quality of tertiary education system in Nigeria and a member of the prestigious Metropolitan Club. He is happily married with children. Mrs. NnekaOnyeali-Ikpe assumed office as Managing Director/CEO, Fidelity Bank on January 1, 2021. Mrs. Onyeali-Ikpe has been an integral part of the transformation team at Fidelity Bank in the last six years. She was formerly Executive Director, Lagos and South West, overseeing the bank’s business in the six states that make up the South West region of the bank. She led the transformation of the Directorate to profitability and sustained its impressive year-on-year growth, across key performance metrics, including contributing over 28% of the Bank’s PBT, Deposits and Loans. She is a consummate professional of over 30 years’ experience across various banks including Standard Chartered Bank Plc, Zenith Bank Plc and Citizens International Bank Limited, where she held several management positions in Legal, Treasury, Investment Banking, Retail/Commercial Banking, Corporate Banking. She has been involved in the structuring of transactions in various sectors including oil & gas, manufacturing, aviation, real estate and exports. As an Executive Director at Enterprise Bank Plc, she received formal commendation from the Asset Management Corporation of Nigeria (AMCON) as a member of the management team that successfully turned around Enterprise Bank Plc.


Mrs. Onyeali-Ikpe holds Bachelor of Laws (LLB) and Master of Laws (LLM) degrees from the University of Nigeria, Nsukka and Kings College, London, respectively. She has attended executive training programs at Harvard Business School, The Wharton School University of Pennsylvania, INSEAD School of Business, Chicago Booth School of Business, London Business School and IMD amongst others. She is also an Honorary Senior Member (HCIB) of The Chartered Institute of Bankers of Nigeria (CIBN). Kennedy UZOKA is a renowned African business executive, with vast experience in banking, business development, financial and business advisory, strategic planning and execution as well as human resource management. He is an advocate of disruptive technology and has led many game changing innovations in the African banking industry over the past two decades of his career. As Group Managing Director/CEO, Kennedy is responsible for the development and execution of UBA Group’s business strategy, championing the vision to be the leading and dominant financial services institution in Africa. He has previously served as the Group Deputy Managing Director/CEO UBA Africa, with responsibility over the Group’s subsidiaries in eighteen countries whilst also providing supervisory oversight on the Group’s information technology and digital banking suites as well as the personal banking business. A multiple award-winning student and professional, with strong customer service orientation, Kennedy sits on the Boards of reputable local and global institutions. He won the prestigious Zik Prize for Professional Leadership, chosen as a result of his outstanding contributions to the development and growth of the Banking and Financial Services Industry and unblemished record of service as a banker of international repute. He has consistently led the Bank to set a year-on-year track record of profitability, wealth creation and innovative financial products across its operations in the African continent despite global economic challenges. Under his leadership, UBA changed the face of e-banking on the African continent for the first time with the introduction of Leo – UBA’s Chat Banker. The idea of Leo, which was birthed in 2018, was to enable customers make use of their social media accounts to carry out key banking transactions with ease. This is the first time ever that a financial institution in Africa evolved a one- stop solution to simplify the way customers transact, a key essential in today’s fast- paced world with demands for quick-time transactions and response. Kennedy holds a BSc. in Mechanical Engineering from the University of Benin and an MBA from the University of Lagos. He is an alumnus of the Advanced Management Program (AMP) of the Harvard Business School, Boston USA, the International Institute of Management Development (IMS) in Lausanne, Switzerland, and the London Business School, United Kingdom. Kennedy is also a Fellow of the Chartered Institute of Bankers of Nigeria (CIBN). Nigerian Breweries Plc has confirmed the resumption of duty of its new managing director and chief executive officer, Hans Essaadi. According to a statement signed by Corporate Affairs Director, Sade Morgan, Essaadi who was appointed CEO designate in May replaces JordiBorrutBel, who now assumes the position of Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer, Heineken South Africa. MD, Nigerian Breweries Plc, Hans was expected to bring his rich and robust experience to bear on the company to unlock fresh opportunities, sustain and improve the category leadership position of the company in the Nigeria market and deliver improved value for its shareholders. Until his appointment, Essaadi was the Managing Director, AlHaram Beverages, the Heineken operating company in Egypt. He began his working career in the Heineken Group as a sales representative in 1991, rising through the ranks and assuming senior roles within the group in different units such as sales, export and marketing. An industry veteran with 30 years of experience, Hans commenced his international career with Heineken Puerto Rico as the country manager and thereafter moved to Austria as General Manager, Brau Union International. He then served as the Managing Director, Heineken Malaysia Berhad, from 2013 to 2018 before his last role in Egypt. Mrs. YemisiEdun, the Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of its largest subsidiary, First City Monument Bank (FCMB) Limited effective May 1, 2021 follow approval of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN). MrsEdun as a 35 years work experience, she holds a bachelor’s degree in chemistry from University of Ife, Ile Ife and a Master’s degree in International Accounting and Finance from the University of Liverpool, UK. She is a Fellow of the Institute of Chartered Accountants of Nigeria (ICAN) and a Certified Financial Analyst, Charter holder. She is also an Associate Member of the Chartered Institute Of Stockbrokers; an Associate Member of the Institute of Taxation of Nigeria; a member of Information Systems Audit and Control, USA; and a Certified Information System Auditor. Mr. Mauricio Alarcon (Mexican) is the Managing Director / Chief Executive Officer of the Company. Mr. Mauricio Alarcon is an Engineer and a Member of the Nigerian Institute of Management. He joined Nestlé Mexico in 1999. Following a number of Sales and Marketing assignments in the Ice Cream business, including Marketing Advisor at the Ice Cream Strategic Business Unit, he was appointed as the Marketing Manager for the Ice Cream business in Australia. In 2010, he joined Nestlé Egypt as BusinessExecutive Manager, Ice Cream where his dynamism played a key role in transforming the business. Under his leadership, the Ice Cream business turnover in Nestlé Egypt more than doubled and the profitability improved in a challenging environment. He was the Managing Director of Nestlé Côte d’Ivoire from 2014 to September 2016 before his current appointment on 1 October 2016 as the Managing Director / Chief Executive of the Company. MrOlusegunAgbaje is the Managing Director of Guaranty Trust Bank Plc. With over 26 years investment and international banking experience, MrAgbaje is involved in the general management of the bank’s day-to-day operations and has earned a reputation as a truly accomplished and highly respected professional within the West Africa sub-region, given his diverse experience in the financial services industry. Prior to joining Guaranty Trust Bank, he worked with Ernst & Young, San Francisco, USA. He subsequently joined Guaranty Trust Bank as a pioneer staff in 1991 and rose through the ranks to become an Executive Director in January 2000 and Deputy Managing Director in August 2002, in light of his diverse background and experience in almost all areas of the bank’s activities including commercial banking, investment banking, treasury, corporate planning and strategy, settlements and operations. MrAgbaje possesses a deep understanding of the Nigerian business environment having initiated and led the execution of large, innovative and complex transactions in financial advisory, structured and project finance, balance sheet restructuring and debt and equity capital raising in several sectors of the Nigerian economy notably Oil and Gas, Energy, Telecommunications, Financial Services and Manufacturing industries. In addition, he helped in developing the Interbank Derivatives market amongst dealers in the Nigerian banking industry and introduced the Balance Sheet Management Efficiency system. He was also very instrumental in putting together Guaranty Trust Bank’s landmark US$350million Eurobond offering in 2006 and later that year, the listing of its US$750 million Global Depository Receipts (GDR) in an unprecedented concurrent global offering in the domestic and international capital markets – which made Guaranty Trust Bank the first Nigerian company and first African bank to be listed on the Main Market of the London Stock Exchange. In 2011, he further led GTBank to launch the first Sub-Saharan Africa financial sector benchmark Eurobond when the Bank launched its US$500million Eurobond without a sovereign guarantee or credit enhancement from any international financial institution. MrAgbaje serves on the boards of other business concerns including Guaranty Trust Bank in Kenya, Rwanda, Uganda, Ghana and the United Kingdom. He is an alumnus of the Harvard Business School and holds a B.Sc and MBA from the University of San Francisco, USA. MrAgbaje was appointed Managing Director of Guaranty Trust Bank plc in July 2011. Dr. DemolaSogunle NON-EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR DrDemolaSogunle previously served as Chief Executive of Stanbic IBTC Bank PLC, Chief Executive of Stanbic IBTC Pension Managers and as the Head of Treasury amongst other roles in the Stanbic IBTC Group. DrSogunle holds a First-Class Honours degree in Agricultural Science and a PhD in Land Resource Evaluation and Management, both from the University of Ibadan, Nigeria. He is an alumnus of Harvard Business School, AMP. He also holds an MBA in Banking and Finance from ESUT Business School, Nigeria and a Treasury Dealership Certificate from the Chartered Institute of Bankers of Nigeria (CIBN). He is a member of the Global Association of Risk Professionals. DrSogunle has a wealth of banking experience spanning over 25 years in credit and marketing, project finance, global markets, risk management and compliance. Prior to his appointment as Deputy Chief Executive of Stanbic IBTC Bank PLC in December 2015, he was the Chief Executive of Stanbic IBTC Pension Managers Limited, a role which he performed with diligence from 2011 – 2015. He had also served as the Group Head of Risk and Chief Compliance Officer of Stanbic IBTC Bank PLC and prior to this, he served as the Treasurer of Stanbic IBTC Bank PLC, a position he held between February 2000 and November 2007. He is currently the Chief Executive of Stanbic IBTC Holdings PLC. Dr. Adesola (“Sola”) KazeemAdeduntan ( FCA) is the Managing Director/Chief Executive Officer of First Bank of Nigeria Limited.Prior to this appointment, he was an Executive Director and the Bank’s Chief Financial Officer. Before coming to FirstBank, Sola was a Director and the pioneer Chief Financial Officer/Business Manager of Africa Finance Corporation. He has served as a Senior Vice-President & Chief Financial Officer at Citibank Nigeria Limited, a Senior Manager in the Financial Services Group of KPMG Professional Services and a Manager at Arthur Andersen Nigeria. Sola also had a brief stint at the defunct Afribank Nigeria Plc (now Mainstreet Bank) as a graduate trainee where he worked mainly in banking operations. Over the course of his sterling career, he has garnered diverse expertise in Treasury and Financial Management, Risk Management, Accounting and Internal Controls, Corporate Governance, Corporate Strategy Development and Implementation, Corporate Finance, Business Performance Management, Financial Advisory, Investors, Regulators and Rating Agencies Relationship Management, Deployment and Management of Information Technology, and Compliance. Sola attended the University of Ibadan, where he obtained a Doctor of Veterinary Medicine (DVM) degree. He also holds a Master’s Degree in Business Administration (MBA) from Cranfield University Business School, United Kingdom which he attended as a distinguished “British Chevening Scholar.” In addition to his MBA, he has attended executive/leadership programmes at Harvard, Cambridge, Oxford and INSEAD. Sola is a member of Sigma Educational Foundation, which is focused on enhancing the quality of tertiary education system in Nigeria and a member of the prestigious Metropolitan Club. He is happily married with children. Mrs. NnekaOnyeali-Ikpe assumed office as Managing Director/CEO, Fidelity Bank on January 1, 2021. Mrs. Onyeali-Ikpe has been an integral part of the transformation team at Fidelity Bank in the last six years. She was formerly Executive Director, Lagos and South West, overseeing the bank’s business in the six states that make up the South West region of the bank. She led the transformation of the Directorate to profitability and sustained its impressive year-on-year growth, across key performance metrics, including contributing over 28% of the Bank’s PBT, Deposits and Loans. She is a consummate professional of over 30 years’ experience across various banks including Standard Chartered Bank Plc, Zenith Bank Plc and Citizens International Bank Limited, where she held several management positions in Legal, Treasury, Investment Banking, Retail/Commercial Banking, Corporate Banking. She has been involved in the structuring of transactions in various sectors including oil & gas, manufacturing, aviation, real estate and exports. As an Executive Director at Enterprise Bank Plc, she received formal commendation from the Asset Management Corporation of Nigeria (AMCON) as a member of the management team that successfully turned around Enterprise Bank Plc. Mrs. Onyeali-Ikpe holds Bachelor of Laws (LLB) and Master of Laws (LLM) degrees from the University of Nigeria, Nsukka and Kings College, London, respectively. She has attended executive training programs at Harvard Business School, The Wharton School University of Pennsylvania, INSEAD School of Business, Chicago Booth School of Business, London Business School and IMD amongst others. She is also an Honorary Senior Member (HCIB) of The Chartered Institute of Bankers of Nigeria (CIBN).


Kennedy UZOKA is a renowned African business executive, with vast experience in banking, business development, financial and business advisory, strategic planning and execution as well as human resource management. He is an advocate of disruptive technology and has led many game changing innovations in the African banking industry over the past two decades of his career. As Group Managing Director/CEO, Kennedy is responsible for the development and execution of UBA Group’s business strategy, championing the vision to be the leading and dominant financial services institution in Africa. He has previously served as the Group Deputy Managing Director/CEO UBA Africa, with responsibility over the Group’s subsidiaries in eighteen countries whilst also providing supervisory oversight on the Group’s information technology and digital banking suites as well as the personal banking business. A multiple award-winning student and professional, with strong customer service orientation, Kennedy sits on the Boards of reputable local and global institutions. He won the prestigious Zik Prize for Professional Leadership, chosen as a result of his outstanding contributions to the development and growth of the Banking and Financial Services Industry and unblemished record of service as a banker of international repute. He has consistently led the Bank to set a year-on-year track record of profitability, wealth creation and innovative financial products across its operations in the African continent despite global economic challenges. Under his leadership, UBA changed the face of e-banking on the African continent for the first time with the introduction of Leo – UBA’s Chat Banker. The idea of Leo, which was birthed in 2018, was to enable customers make use of their social media accounts to carry out key banking transactions with ease. This is the first time ever that a financial institution in Africa evolved a one- stop solution to simplify the way customers transact, a key essential in today’s fast- paced world with demands for quick-time transactions and response. Kennedy holds a BSc. in Mechanical Engineering from the University of Benin and an MBA from the University of Lagos. He is an alumnus of the Advanced Management Program (AMP) of the Harvard Business School, Boston USA, the International Institute of Management Development (IMS) in Lausanne, Switzerland, and the London Business School, United Kingdom. Kennedy is also a Fellow of the Chartered Institute of Bankers of Nigeria (CIBN).


Nigerian Breweries Plc has confirmed the resumption of duty of its new managing director and chief executive officer, Hans Essaadi. According to a statement signed by Corporate Affairs Director, Sade Morgan, Essaadi who was appointed CEO designate in May replaces JordiBorrutBel, who now assumes the position of Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer, Heineken South Africa. MD, Nigerian Breweries Plc, Hans was expected to bring his rich and robust experience to bear on the company to unlock fresh opportunities, sustain and improve the category leadership position of the company in the Nigeria market and deliver improved value for its shareholders. Until his appointment, Essaadi was the Managing Director, AlHaram Beverages, the Heineken operating company in Egypt. He began his working career in the Heineken Group as a sales representative in 1991, rising through the ranks and assuming senior roles within the group in different units such as sales, export and marketing. An industry veteran with 30 years of experience, Hans commenced his international career with Heineken Puerto Rico as the country manager and thereafter moved to Austria as General Manager, Brau Union International. He then served as the Managing Director, Heineken Malaysia Berhad, from 2013 to 2018 before his last role in Egypt.


Mrs. YemisiEdun, the Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of its largest subsidiary, First City Monument Bank (FCMB) Limited effective May 1, 2021 follow approval of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN). MrsEdun as a 35 years work experience, she holds a bachelor’s degree in chemistry from University of Ife, Ile Ife and a Master’s degree in International Accounting and Finance from the University of Liverpool, UK. She is a Fellow of the Institute of Chartered Accountants of Nigeria (ICAN) and a Certified Financial Analyst, Charter holder. She is also an Associate Member of the Chartered Institute Of Stockbrokers; an Associate Member of the Institute of Taxation of Nigeria; a member of Information Systems Audit and Control, USA; and a Certified Information System Auditor. Mr. Mauricio Alarcon (Mexican) is the Managing Director / Chief Executive Officer of the Company.

Mr. Mauricio Alarcon is an Engineer and a Member of the Nigerian Institute of Management. He joined Nestlé Mexico in 1999. Following a number of Sales and Marketing assignments in the Ice Cream business, including Marketing Advisor at the Ice Cream Strategic Business Unit, he was appointed as the Marketing Manager for the Ice Cream business in Australia. In 2010, he joined Nestlé Egypt as BusinessExecutive Manager, Ice Cream where his dynamism played a key role in transforming the business. Under his leadership, the Ice Cream business turnover in Nestlé Egypt more than doubled and the profitability improved in a challenging environment. He was the Managing Director of Nestlé Côte d’Ivoire from 2014 to September 2016 before his current appointment on 1 October 2016 as the Managing Director / Chief Executive of the Company.


MrOlusegunAgbaje is the Managing Director of Guaranty Trust Bank Plc. With over 26 years investment and international banking experience, MrAgbaje is involved in the general management of the bank’s day-to-day operations and has earned a reputation as a truly accomplished and highly respected professional within the West Africa sub-region, given his diverse experience in the financial services industry. Prior to joining Guaranty Trust Bank, he worked with Ernst & Young, San Francisco, USA. He subsequently joined Guaranty Trust Bank as a pioneer staff in 1991 and rose through the ranks to become an Executive Director in January 2000 and Deputy Managing Director in August 2002, in light of his diverse background and experience in almost all areas of the bank’s activities including commercial banking, investment banking, treasury, corporate planning and strategy, settlements and operations. MrAgbaje possesses a deep understanding of the Nigerian business environment having initiated and led the execution of large, innovative and complex transactions in financial advisory, structured and project finance, balance sheet restructuring and debt and equity capital raising in several sectors of the Nigerian economy notably Oil and Gas, Energy, Telecommunications, Financial Services and Manufacturing industries. In addition, he helped in developing the Interbank Derivatives market amongst dealers in the Nigerian banking industry and introduced the Balance Sheet Management Efficiency system. He was also very instrumental in putting together Guaranty Trust Bank’s landmark US$350million Eurobond offering in 2006 and later that year, the listing of its US$750 million Global Depository Receipts (GDR) in an unprecedented concurrent global offering in the domestic and international capital markets – which made Guaranty Trust Bank the first Nigerian company and first African bank to be listed on the Main Market of the London Stock Exchange. In 2011, he further led GTBank to launch the first Sub-Saharan Africa financial sector benchmark Eurobond when the Bank launched its US$500million Eurobond without a sovereign guarantee or credit enhancement from any international financial institution. MrAgbaje serves on the boards of other business concerns including Guaranty Trust Bank in Kenya, Rwanda, Uganda, Ghana and the United Kingdom. He is an alumnus of the Harvard Business School and holds a B.Sc and MBA from the University of San Francisco, USA. MrAgbaje was appointed Managing Director of Guaranty Trust Bank plc in July 2011.


Dr. DemolaSogunle NON-EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR DrDemolaSogunle previously served as Chief Executive of Stanbic IBTC Bank PLC, Chief Executive of Stanbic IBTC Pension Managers and as the Head of Treasury amongst other roles in the Stanbic IBTC Group. DrSogunle holds a First-Class Honours degree in Agricultural Science and a PhD in Land Resource Evaluation and Management, both from the University of Ibadan, Nigeria. He is an alumnus of Harvard Business School, AMP. He also holds an MBA in Banking and Finance from ESUT Business School, Nigeria and a Treasury Dealership Certificate from the Chartered Institute of Bankers of Nigeria (CIBN). He is a member of the Global Association of Risk Professionals. DrSogunle has a wealth of banking experience spanning over 25 years in credit and marketing, project finance, global markets, risk management and compliance. Prior to his appointment as Deputy Chief Executive of Stanbic IBTC Bank PLC in December 2015, he was the Chief Executive of Stanbic IBTC Pension Managers Limited, a role which he performed with diligence from 2011 – 2015. He had also served as the Group Head of Risk and Chief Compliance Officer of Stanbic IBTC Bank PLC and prior to this, he served as the Treasurer of Stanbic IBTC Bank PLC, a position he held between February 2000 and November 2007. He is currently the Chief Executive of Stanbic IBTC Holdings PLC.

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