Zenith Bank has selected Adaora Umeoji as its new group managing director and CEO.
The bank declared this on Tuesday in a corporate filing with the Nigerian Exchange Group (NGX) signed by its secretary, Michael Osilima.
According to the financial institution, Umeoji’s appointment will take effect from June 1, 2024.
Zenith Bank announced Umeoji’s appointment, making her the first female to hold the role.
The financial institution said that she will succeed Ebenezer Onyeagwu, whose five-year stint as GMD/CEO ends on May 31 this year.
Umeoji previously served as Zenith’s deputy managing director from October 28, 2016, as per the bank’s corporate filing.
The bank stated that Umeoji has over 30 years of banking expertise, 26 of which have been with Zenith Bank.
“She is an alumnus of the prestigious Harvard Business School where she attended the Advanced Management Program (AMP) and an alumnus of Columbia Business School with a Certificate in the Global Banking Program,” Zenith said in a statement.
“She has 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 in Abuja.
“She has a Master of Laws from the University of Salford, United Kingdom, a Master of Business Administration (MBA) from the University of Calabar, and a PhD in business administration from Apollos University, USA.
“She has a Certificate in Economics for Business from the prestigious MIT Sloan School of Management in the United States and has completed different management programs at notable universities across the world, including the strategic thinking and management program at Wharton Business School in the United States.
“She also attended the executive program in Strategic Management, and has a Certificate in Leading Global Business all from Harvard Business School, USA.”
Umeoji is a member of several professional associations, including the Chartered Banker Institute (UK), the Chartered Institute of Bankers of Nigeria, and the Nigerian Institute of Management.
According to the release, Umeoji was awarded the title of officer of the Order of Nigeria (OON) by the Nigerian federal government in 2022 in recognition of her efforts to nation-building.
The banker is believed to be a UN peace advocate (UN-POLAC).
Zenith Bank also stated that the new CEO founded the Catholic Bankers Association of Nigeria (CBAN), a platform that promotes ethical banking and humanitarian assistance.
