- Photo caption Zenith Bank PLC, new GMD/CEO ,Adaobi Umeoji
Zenith Bank Plc, one of the leading banks in the country has appointed Adaora Umeoji as its new Group Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer (GMD/CEO), making her the first female CEO of the bank in its 34-years of existence .
The appointment is in accordance with the bank’s tradition and succession strategy of grooming leaders from within.
Her appointment is subject to the approval of the Central Bank of Nigeria,(CBN).
A statement by Zenith Bank at the Nigerian Exchange Limited (NGX) on Tuesday said that Umeoji’s appointment will take effect from June 1, 2024.
The bank further explained that Umeoji will replace Ebenezer Onyeagwu whose five-year tenure as GMD/CEO ends on May 31.
Prior to this development Umeoji was the Deputy Managing Director (DMD) of Zenith Bank from October 28, 2016.
She has over 30 years of experience in banking of which 26 years has been with Zenith Bank.
According to a statement by Zenith bank at the NGX,
“She is an alumnus of the prestigious Harvard Business School where she attended the Advanced Management Programme (AMP) and an alumnus of Columbia Business School with a Certificate in the Global Banking Programme,”
“She holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Sociology from the University of Jos, a Bachelor’s Degree in Accounting and a First-Class honors in Law from Baze University, Abuja.
She holds a Master of Laws from the University of Salford, United Kingdom, a Master in Business Administration (MBA) from the University of Calabar, and also has a doctorate in business administration from Apollos University, USA.
“She holds a Certificate in Economics for Business from the prestigious MIT Sloan School of Management, USA, and has attended various management programmes in renowned Universities around the world including the strategic thinking and Management programme at Wharton Business School, USA”.
The bank further informed that she also attended the executive programme in Strategic Management, and has a Certificate in Leading Global Business all from Harvard Business School, USA.
Umeoji is also a fellow of notable professional bodies including the Chartered Banker Institute, UK; Chartered Institute of Bankers of Nigeria, and the Nigerian Institute of Management, among others.
The banker is a peace advocate of the United Nations (UN-POLAC).
The new CEO is the founder of the Catholic Bankers Association of Nigeria (CBAN), a platform she uses to promote ethical banking and service to humanity.
The statement further revealed that in 2022, the Federal Government of Nigeria honoured Umeoji with a national honour; the Officer of the order of Nigeria (OON) in recognition of her contributions to nation-building.
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