GROUP MANAGING DIRECTOR / CEO

Dr. Ebenezer Onyeagwu was appointed Group Managing Director/CEO of Zenith Bank Plc on the 1st of June 2019. He is a seasoned banker and an astute financial strategist with over three decades of banking experience. He is an alumnus of Auchi Polytechnic, Delta State University Nigeria, the University of Oxford, England and Salford Business School, University of Salford, Manchester, United Kingdom. At the University of Oxford, he obtained a Postgraduate Diploma in Financial Strategy and a certificate in Macroeconomics while he received a Masters Degree in Financial Services Management from the University of Salford. He also holds an MBA from Delta State University, Abraka. He 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. In March 2023, the University of Nigeria, Nsukka – Nigeria’s first indigenous university, honoured him with the Doctor of Business Administration degree during the 50th convocation ceremony of the university.

Before joining Zenith Bank Plc, he worked at Citizens International Bank Limited between 1991 and 2002. 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, responsible for Lagos and South-South Zones as well as strategic groups/business units of the bank, including Financial Control & Strategic Planning, Treasury & Correspondent Groups, Human Resources Group, Oil & Gas Group, and Credit Risk Management Group.

Dr. Onyeagwu was named Deputy Managing Director of the bank in 2016. In that capacity, he deputised for the Group Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer with direct oversight of the bank’s Financial Control and Strategic Planning, Risk Management, Retail Banking, Institutional and Corporate Banking Portfolios, Information Technology Group, Credit Administration, and Treasury & Foreign Exchange Trading. Dr Onyeagwu is the Chairman of Zenith Pensions Custodian Limited and Zenith Nominees Limited. He is also on the Board of Zenith Bank (UK) Limited, FMDQ Holdings Plc and Lagos State Security Trust Fund (LSSTF). Dr. Onyeagwu is a member of the International Monetary Conference (IMC), Wall Street Journal CEO Council, and member of the African Trade Gateway Advisory Council of the Africa Export-Import Bank (Afreximbank). He also served on the board of Zenith Bank Ghana Limited, Zenith General Insurance, Zenith Securities Limited, Zenith Assets Management Company, Zenith Medicare Limited, and Africa Finance Corporation (AFC).

Dr. Onyeagwu is a Fellow (FCA) of the Institute of Chartered Accountants of Nigeria (ICAN), a Fellow of Nigerian Institute of Management (NIM), The Chartered Institute of Bankers of Nigeria (CIBN), Institute of Credit Administrators (ICA) and Senior Associate Member, Risk Management Institute of Nigeria (RIMAN).

EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR

Henry Oroh holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Accounting from the University of Benin, Edo State and an MBA from the Lagos State University as well as an LLB Degree from the University of London. He is a Fellow of the Institute of Chartered Accountants of Nigeria (ICAN) and an honorary member of the Chartered Institute of Bankers (CIBN), Nigeria.

He has over two decades of banking experience. He began his banking career in 1992 at Citibank where he served for seven (7) years in Operations, Treasury and Marketing.

He joined Zenith Bank in February 1999 and has worked in various Groups and Departments within the Zenith Group Office. His expertise spans Operations, Information Technology, Treasury, Marketing, including the Manufacturing, Food and Beverages, Pharmaceuticals, Oil and Gas, Public Sector, Consumer, as well as Corporate Banking and Business Development.

In April 2012, he was seconded to Zenith Bank Ghana Limited as an Executive Director and became the Managing Director/ Chief Executive in February 2016, where he successfully spearheaded the phenomenal growth of the Zenith Brand both within the Ghana market and the West African sub-region.

Henry has attended several Leadership Programmes and Executive Management Courses at the Harvard Business School, Columbia Business School, New York, University of Chicago, University of Pennsylvania, HEC Paris, JP Morgan Chase, UK and the Lagos Business School.

He comes to the Board of Zenith Bank Plc with strong competencies in Credit & Marketing, Operations, Information Technology, Treasury and impressive Leadership skills.

EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR

Mr. Ogunranti Akindele is a consummate professional banker with expertise across Banking Operations, Corporate, Commercial, Retail and Branch Banking, Multilaterals, Power & Infrastructure, Oil & Gas, Public Sector, Structured Trade & Project Finance, as well as General Management.

He holds a B.Sc. (Hons) in International Relations from the Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife, an MBA in Marketing, and M.Sc. in Banking and Finance, University of Ibadan. He has attended the Moody’s Credit Academy, UK, the Executive Development Program (EDP), Wharton Business School, USA and the Leading Change and Organizational Renewal Program (LCOR) at Harvard Business School, USA.

Mr. Ogunranti joined Zenith Bank Plc in 2004 as a Senior Manager and has held various leadership positions in the bank. Prior to his appointment as Executive Director, he served as the MD/CEO, Zenith Bank Ghana Limited, where he led the Bank to achieve outstanding results. Under his leadership, the bank received several laurels and awards, notable among which was the Bank of the Year 2020 and the Best Bank in Ghana 2021. He was also a two-time winner of the CEO of The Year Award (Banking Category) in Ghana. 

He was until his appointment a Member of the Executive Committee of the Ghana Association of Bankers (GAB) and a Member of the Governing Council, of the National Banking College, Ghana.  He was also conferred with the Distinguished Alumnus Award 2021, by the Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife.

He is an Honorary Senior Member of Chartered Institute of Bankers of Nigeria (HCIB), Honorary Fellow Chartered Institute of Credit Management, Ghana (FCICM) and a Member Nigeria Institute of Management (MNIM).

COMPANY SECRETARY/LEGAL ADVISER

Michael Osilama Otu is the Company Secretary/Legal Adviser of Zenith Bank Plc. He joined the bank on July 14, 1997 and became the Company Secretary/Legal Adviser in February, 2002.

He graduated Second Class Honours (Upper Division) in Law in 1992 from the then Bendel (Edo) State and Ambrose Alli University, Ekpoma, and attended the Nigerian Law School, Lagos State between 1992 and 1993. He was called to the Nigerian Bar in 1993 with Second Class Honours (Upper Division). He obtained a Master’s Degree in Law (LL.M) from the University of Lagos, Akoka, Lagos State in 1996.

While at the University and the Nigerian Law School, he won several awards including – the Best Graduating Student in Banking, Insurance and Negotiable Instrument, Sir. Darnley Alexander’s Prize for Best Student in Legal Drafting and Conveyancing, Chief Ernest Shonekan’s Prize for Best Student in Legal Drafting and Conveyancing, Chief F.R.A. Williams Prize for Best Student in Legal Drafting and Conveyancing.

His professional Banking experience spans over two decades beginning in 1993 when he was employed as a Legal Officer in Crystal Bank of Africa Limited (now UBA Plc). He also worked as a General Counsel and was Deputy Head of Chambers in Vincent Omegba & Co. (Legal Practitioners).

He is a member of various professional bodies including the Nigeria Bar Association (N.B.A); Nigerian Society of International Law and the International Bar Association; Honourary, Senior member, Chartered Institute of Bankers of Nigeria (HCIB) and Fellow of the Chartered Institute of Arbitrators (FCIArb). He is a Resource Person for the Financial Institutions Training Centre (FITC) and the Chartered Institute of Bankers of Nigeria (CIBN) amongst others.