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.

GENERAL MANAGER

Nwapa Adobi Stella is a General Manager in Zenith Bank Plc. She is currently the Group Zonal Head, Ikoyi Zone, with management and supervisory responsibilities over branches and business units in the zone and the Group Head, Diaspora Banking.

She holds a Bachelor’s Degree in History from Imo State University, Master’s in Public Administration (MPA) from Strayer University, Houston-Texas, Master’s in Business Administration (MBA) from Jack Welch Management Institute and a Doctorate degree in Business Administration (DBA) from Abia State University.

Adobi Nwapa joined Zenith Bank in 1990 and has over thirty (30) years cognate banking experience, most of which has been in Senior Management positions.

She is a Fellow of several Management Institutes including the Institute of Management Consultants (IMC), the Institute of Credit Administration (ICA), the Institute of Chartered Management Accountants (ICMA) and the Institute of Management Specialists (IMS), United Kingdom. She is also a member of the Nigeria Institute of Management (NIM) and an honorary member of the Chartered Institute of Bankers (HCIB).

Adobi Nwapa has attended several local and international courses and programmes including Leading Change and Organizational Renewal (Harvard Business School), Key Executive Programme (Harvard Business School), World Finance/Wining Negotiation Strategies (HSM Americas), Developing Strategies for Value Creation (London Business School) and the Senior Management Programme (Lagos Business School), amongst others.

She is happily married to Dr. Ernest Nwapa, FNSE, for 34 years and together they have four successful children.

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.