GROUP MANAGING DIRECTOR / CEO

Mr. Ebenezer Onyeagwu is a vastly experienced Chartered Accountant, a knowledgeable and astute financial expert, trained in reputable institutions of learning in Nigeria, the United Kingdom and the United States of America.

Mr. Onyeagwu is a graduate in accounting from Auchi Polytechnic, widely recognized as an institution that has produced some of Nigeria’s most renowned Chartered Accountants. He obtained the Higher National Diploma in Accounting from that institution in 1987.

He qualified as a Chartered Accountant (ACA) of the Institute of Chartered Accountants of Nigeria (ICAN) in 1989, almost immediately after graduation. He subsequently became a Fellow (FCA) of the Institute of Chartered Accountants of Nigeria (ICAN), in 2003.

He has over 29 years of experience in the banking industry in Nigeria, out of which he spent 17 in Zenith Bank Plc.

Before joining Zenith Bank Plc, he worked at Citizens International Bank Limited between 1991 and 2002. He was one of the most outstanding branch managers in the bank, winning multiple awards and recognitions for his brilliant, excellent and highly professional performance on the job.

He joined Zenith Bank Plc in 2002 as a Senior Manager, in the Internal Control and Audit Group of the bank. His professionalism, competence, integrity and commitment to the objectives of the bank saw him rise swiftly between 2003 and 2005, first, as Assistant General Manager, then Deputy General Manager, and eventually, General Manager of the bank. In these capacities, he handled strategies for new business and branch development, management of risk assets portfolios, treasury functions, strategic top level corporate, multinationals and public institutional relationships, among others.

He was appointed Executive Director of the bank in 2013, and put in charge of Lagos and South-South Zones as well as strategic groups/business units of the bank, including Financial Control & Strategic Planning, Treasury and Correspondent Groups, Human Resources Group, Oil and Gas Group, and Credit Risk Management Group, etc.

Mr. Onyeagwu was named Deputy Managing Director of the bank in 2016. In that capacity, he deputized for the Group Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of the bank. He also had direct oversight of the bank’s Financial Control and Strategic Planning, Risk Management, Retail Banking, Institutional and Corporate banking business portfolios, IT Group, Credit Administration, Treasury and Foreign Exchange Trading.

Mr. Onyeagwu is an alumnus of the prestigious University of Oxford, England, from where he obtained a Postgraduate Diploma in Financial Strategy, and a certificate in Macroeconomics. He also undertook extensive executive level education in Wharton Business School of the University of Pennsylvania, Columbia Business School of Columbia University, the Harvard Business School of Harvard University, in the United States.  

At Wharton Business School, Mr. Onyeagwu undertook the CEO academy and leadership training programmes. His strategic skills were further nurtured and honed at Columbia Business School strategy training programme. At the Harvard Business School, he acquired capabilities in negotiations and critical decision-making.

In the last six years, Mr. Onyeagwu has been on the board of Zenith Bank Ghana, Zenith Pensions Custodian Limited, Zenith Nominees Limited and African Finance Corporation (AFC). In AFC, he serves on the Board Risk & Investment Committee (BRIC), and Board Audit & Compliance Committee (BAAC).  At Zenith Bank Ghana, he chairs the Board Credit and Governance Committees.  

He is very well noted for his tenacity, entrepreneurial spirit, high sense of innovation and creativity and very inspirational leadership skills. Within the market, he is highly respected for his consistent and impeccable character, brilliance, deep knowledge and insight of the market, as well as for his strong professional and ethical principles, which have continued to endear him to all stakeholders.  

Mr. Onyeagwu is married and has children.

EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR

Mr. Umar Shuaib Ahmed comes to the board with over 23 years experience in banking. He graduated in 1990 from Ahmadu Bello University Zaria with a Bachelor’s Degree in Accounting and thereafter obtained an M.Sc in Banking and Finance from Bayero University Kano in 1998.

He started his banking career in 1993 with Nigeria International Bank (Citibank) and left in 2001.  between 2001 and 2006, he worked with Liberty Bank and Broad Bank before joining Zenith Bank Plc in June 2006.

Prior to his appointment as an Executive Director in Zenith Bank, he was a General Manager responsible for private sector businesses in the Abuja region as well as supervising some branches in the northwest and northeastern regions of the bank.

His banking experience cuts across different geographies and several areas of operations including Domestic Operations, Treasury, Trade and Transaction Services, Branch and Regional Management and Group Head.

He has attended several local and international courses at renowned institutions including London Business School and Harvard.  He is a Fellow of the Nigerian Institute of Management; Fellow, Chartered Institute of Loan and Risk Management; Senior Honorary Member, Chartered Institute of Bankers; and Member, Association of National Accountants of Nigeria.

EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR

Mr. Olisa is a Chartered Accountant and holds an MBA.

He is a Fellow of the Institute of Chartered Accounts of Nigeria (FCA), Fellow of the Chartered Institute of Bankers of Nigeria (FCIB) and an Associate, Chartered Institute of Taxation (ACIT).

He has attended several international courses including INSEAD Business School, Fontainebleau, France; Havard Business School, Boston, Massachusetts, USA; Booth School of Business, University of Chicago, USA; London School of Economics (LSE) UK, and Oxford Princeton Programme, Oxford, United Kingdom.

Mr. Olisa has spent over twenty seven (27) years in the Nigerian Banking Industry. He joined the services of the bank in 1998. His experience covers Treasury, Banking Operations, Credit Risk Management, Telecommunication, Oil and Gas, Internal Control as well as Branch Management and Zonal Management.

Prior to his appointment, he was a General Manager and Chief Inspector of the bank, overseeing the Internal Audit and Inspection of the Group.

Non-Executive Director

He is a Professor, Provost and Senior Vice President for Academic Affairs at San Diego State University, California, United States of America. Prior to this appointment, he was the Professor and Dean, College of Health Sciences, University of Wisconsin, Milwaukee, United States of America. He was also Professor and Dean, School of Health Professions, New York Institute of Technology, Old Westbury, New York, United States of America and Professor/Chairman, University of Kansas (Medical Center), Kansas City, United States of America as well as Associate Professor of Orthopaedics and Rehabilitation, University of Miami, School of Medicine, Miami, Florida, United States of America.

He graduated and obtained his first degree in 1978 from the University of Ibadan, Ibadan, Oyo State, Nigeria. He obtained his Master's degree in 1983 from the University of Southern California, Los Angeles, United States of America and thereafter proceeded to the New York University, New York, United States of America where he bagged his Ph.D. in 1985.

Professor Enwemeka is a distinguished scholar who has authored several books and has provided administrative oversight and academic leadership for various degree programs and in various prestigious Universities.

NON-EXECUTIVE BOARD MEMBER

Mr. Ukpeh is an internationally acclaimed consultant in business strategy, risk management, process re-engineering and financial services, who was, until recently, a Senior Partner and Risk Quality Leader for Africa at PricewaterhouseCoopers (PwC).

He is a fellow of the Institute of Chartered Accountants of Nigeria with over thirty five (35) years experience in Financial Audit and Reporting, as well as a member of the Institute of Taxation of Nigeria.

A graduate of accounting, he holds Graduate Diploma in Business Administration from the University of Warwick, Coventry, United Kingdom.

He obtained a Master of Science (M.Sc) Degree in Contemporary Accounting from the Leeds Metropolitan University, UK in 2009.

He worked with PwC, an International Business auditing and consulting firm for over thirty five (35) years, and as a Partner for over 20 years led, directed, planned and managed the audit, accounting, and consulting assignments for numerous financial institutions, multinationals and local companies, including most major banks in Nigeria.

NON-EXECUTIVE BOARD MEMBER

Dr. Al-Mujtaba Abubakar is currently the Managing Director of Apt Pensions Funds Managers Limited.

He is a graduate of the Leeds Polytechnic, UK. He is a renowned Chartered Accountant and a Fellow of the Institute of Chartered Accountants of Nigeria.

Dr. Abubakar has extensive and tremendous experience in the financial services industry, audit and consulting. He worked with the firm of Akintola Williams Deloitte between January 2000 and November 2008, and rose to become the Partner and Board Member of West Africa sub-region. Prior to this, he had served on the Board of several financial institutions in Nigeria.

He has attended several management and leadership training programmes and conferences both within and outside the country.

He brings to the Board of the bank tremendous track record in Risk Management, Credit & Marketing, Auditing and very outstanding leadership skills.