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Tag: Corporate Finance

  • Wema Bank PLC appoints Two new Directors to its Board

    Wema Bank PLC appoints Two new Directors to its Board

    …Yusuf Zubair Kazaure as Non-Executive Director and Segun Opeke as Executive Director

    Wema Bank is pleased to announce the addition of two new Directors to its Board effective February 2, 2024.

    In a statement sent to the Nigerian Exchange Group, the two new Directors are strong leaders in their relevant sectors and will bring a wealth of experience and expertise to the Board of the Bank. The Bank has received approval from the Central Bank of Nigeria to appoint the new directors: Mr. Yusuf Zubair Kazaure as a Non-Executive Director and Mr. Segun Opeke as an Executive Director.

    Mr. Kazaure is a seasoned professional with over thirty-five (35) years cumulative multi sector working experience spanning Architecture, Construction, Banking, as well as Information and Communication Technology (ICT). He is an experienced corporate and technology industry executive, focused on transformative outcomes and motivated by challenges. Mr. Kazaure obtained a BSc and MSc in Architecture from the prestigious Ahmadu Bello University Zaria, Nigeria. He is also an alumnus of Bayero University Kano, Nigeria and Oxford University, United Kingdom where he obtained an MBA and Diploma in Computing respectively. He is currently pursuing a PhD in Cybersecurity at the Nasarawa State University, Keffi, Nigeria.

    He started his career in public service in 1987 as an Architect in the Kano State Ministry of Works and Housing before moving into the banking sector, where he worked for 10 years. He served as the Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Commerce and that of Urban & Regional Planning in Jigawa State and later became a Director General in charge of International and Governmental Affairs in the Executive Governor’s Office of Jigawa State between 1999 and 2002. He was the pioneer Managing Director /CEO of Galaxy Information Technology and Telecommunication Ltd – the Jigawa State-owned ICT company in 2002, and later the CEO of Galaxy Backbone Ltd – a Federal Government owned ICT company in 2014 up until December 2019. He was also the Chairman of the Board of Directors, Nigeria Satellite Communications Ltd between January 2020 to June 2023 and a director of MAG Group Ltd, a multinational conglomerate with about eight (8) subsidiaries/ affiliates in over 20 countries.

    Mr. Kazaure has attended several executive training courses at various universities and institutions across the world including Leading the Effective Sales Team at INSEAD, France; Strategic Alliance at Wharton, University of Pennsylvania, USA; Securitization for Housing Finance, Fannie Mae, USA; the Advance Management Training Program (AMP) of the Lagos Business School; the CIO Institute of Carnegie Mellon University, USA to mention a few. He is a fellow of the Nigeria Computer Society, a
    fellow of the Nigeria Institute of Management Consultants and a fellow of the Nigerian Institute of Architects.

    Mr. Segun Opeke is a result-oriented professional banker with over thirty-five (35) years working experience from leading Nigerian commercial banks. He studied Banking and Finance at the University of Lagos and thereafter obtained an MBA from the same University of Lagos in 1999. He is also an alumnus of the Columbia Business School, New York and the London Business School, United Kingdom.

    Segun started his career at Chartered Bank Limited and played diverse strategic roles in various banking institutions, including leading the consumer banking team at FSB International Bank before proceeding to Prudent Bank as an area manager. Following the consolidation of Skye Bank in 2006, Segun worked as the bank’s Treasurer, Regional Director and later became the Group Head of Corporate Banking, Aviation and Maritime group. Upon Polaris Bank taking over the defunct Skye Bank in 2018, Segun was made an Executive Director in charge of Lagos Business and Corporate Banking directorates until June 2023, when he retired from
    the Bank.

    Segun has attended several professional, management and leadership programs in world-class institutions including INSEAD and Euromoney, London. He is a strong team player, and he is credited with making immense contributions in the areas of business development, corporate finance/restructuring and digital transformation.

  • IFC Appoints Dahlia Khalifa as Regional Director for Central Africa, Liberia, Nigeria, and Sierra Leone

    IFC Appoints Dahlia Khalifa as Regional Director for Central Africa, Liberia, Nigeria, and Sierra Leone

    IFC today announced the appointment of Dahlia Khalifa as its Regional Director for Central Africa, Liberia, Nigeria, and Sierra Leone. In her new role, Khalifa will drive IFC’s strategy to create a more resilient and sustainable private sector to support the development and job creation in the region.

    Khalifa will lead IFC’s investment and advisory teams in Cameroon, Central African Republic, Chad, Republic of Congo, Equatorial Guinea, Gabon, Liberia, Nigeria, Sao Tome and Principe, and Sierra Leone. While these countries face challenges such as rising inflation and the effects of climate change, a young, vibrant, and entrepreneurial population presents opportunities for a more dynamic private sector.

    Khalifa will be based in Lagos, Nigeria.

    “I welcome Dahlia to her new role and know her leadership and experience generating impactful investments in the region will further deepen IFC’s work in Africa and enable our partners to meet the challenges of the moment, from rising food insecurity to the effects of climate change. I look forward to working with Dahlia and her team to deliver on new opportunities in the years to come, such as empowering more of the region’s entrepreneurs,” said Sérgio Pimenta, IFC Vice President for Africa.

    “We are stepping up our work to empower the private sector and to work jointly with government and development partners to deliver greener, more inclusive and sustainable growth in the region. I  commit to further strengthening IFC’s work so that together we can build the strong foundations for private and public sector partnerships,” said Khalifa.

    Khalifa, an Egyptian and American national, was most recently the Senior Manager for IFC’s Creating Markets Advisory program in the Middle East, Central Asia, Türkiye, Pakistan, and Afghanistan region, where she and her team supported the removal of barriers to investment to strengthen the private sector and boost economic development.

    Before joining the World Bank Group, Khalifa founded and managed financial services companies providing brokerage, corporate finance, private equity investing, and management consulting services in the Middle East and Africa.

    As of September 30, IFC had an investment and advisory portfolio in Central Africa and Nigeria of more than $2.53 billion across financial services, infrastructure, and agribusiness and is continuing to grow its portfolio in health, manufacturing, and value chain development.

  • Wema Bank Appoints Chukwuemeka Obiagwu As Executive Director

    Wema Bank Appoints Chukwuemeka Obiagwu As Executive Director

    Wema Bank Plc has announced the appointment of Chukwuemeka Obiagwu as an Executive Director of the Bank effective from 1st of April 2021.

    Emeka is a multi-disciplinary professional with a background in Accounting, Insurance, Corporate Finance, Stockbroking, and Public Finance. He has over three (3) decades of experience in banking, financial services, and public service.

    Early in his career at Fidelity Bank Plc, Emeka successfully repositioned and grew a
    subsidiary which he eventually led as the Group Managing Director & CEO. At different times, he creditably led the Human Resources, Corporate Services.

    Transaction Support Services, Corporate Finance, Regional Banking as well as the
    Retail and Commercial Banking arms of the bank. He was a Non-Executive Director
    of Fidelity Pension Managers where he also served as Chairman of the Board, Audit
    Committee.

    He left Fidelity Bank Plc. in 2015 after 20 years of meritorious service and in January
    2016, joined the Federal Inland Revenue Service as a Director with responsibility for
    Enforcement. He was also a Member of the Technical Committee of the Board and
    Chairman of the Budget Committee of FIRS, among many other roles.

    Emeka is an alumnus of the Lagos Business School (SMP 16) as well as Harvard
    Kennedy School of Government Boston, Massachusetts USA, where he obtained an
    Executive Certificate in Economic Development. He has had the privilege of studying
    at some of the world’s leading institutions for Executive Business Education, such as,
    INSEAD Business School, Fontainebleau, France; Kellogg School of Management to
    mention a few.

    Mr. Obiagwu is a Fellow of the Institute of Chartered Accountants of Nigeria (ICAN);
    Fellow, Chartered Institute of Stockbrokers; Honorary Senior Member, Chartered Institute of Bankers of Nigeria; Fellow, Chartered Institute of Taxation; and Associate, Chartered Insurance Institute (London).