Wema Bank Plc has announced the appointment of Ademola Adebise as its new Managing Director/CEO. Adebise, who was previously the Deputy Managing Director of the bank, replaces Segun Oloketuyi effective July 1, 2018.
Adebise’s appointment is subject to the approval of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN).
The bank also yesterday announced the retirement of Oloketuyi, following almost a decade of being at the helm of the bank.
“On behalf of the Board and Management of the Bank, I want to thank Oloketuyi for his service and wish him the best in his future endeavours,” Wema Bank’s Company Secretary and Legal Adviser, Oluwole Ajimisinmi said.
Oloketuyi was named Managing Director/Chief Executive Officer of Wema Bank Plc in June 2009, with the task of returning the Bank to profitability following the 2008 banking crisis which saw the collapse of many banks.
At the time, Wema Bank had negative retained earnings in excess of N45 billion and was declared a bank in grave financial situation by the regulatory authority.
However, under his leadership, the fortunes of the Bank was completely turned around, leading to the recapitalization of the Bank and its return to profitability.
The Bank is now positioned to deliver dividends to shareholders.
As part of a turnaround plan which Oloketuyi led, the Bank also regained its national banking license from the Central Bank of Nigeria, which has allowed it to expand to the Northern and Eastern parts of the country, significantly increasing its market share and customer base in the process.
The outgoing Wema Bank MD prioritized the use of technology to deliver improved service to customers, culminating into the launch of ALAT, which offers branchless banking services.
Adebise has been part of the bank’s Executive management team since 2009 and has played a pivotal role in the execution of the Strategic turnaround plan of the Bank. He has over 28 years’ experience in the banking industry (inclusive of four years in management consulting), and has worked in various capacities in Information Technology, Financial Control & Strategic Planning, Treasury, Corporate Banking, Risk Management and Performance Management.
Before joining Wema Bank, Adebise was Head, Finance & Performance Management Practice at Accenture (Lagos Office) where he led various projects for banks in Business Process Re-engineering, Information Technology and Risk Management.
He is an alumnus of the Advanced Management Program (AMP) of the Harvard Business School and a holder of a Bachelor’s degree in Computer Science from the University of Lagos. He also holds a Master’s degree in Business Administration (MBA) from the Lagos Business School.
Adebise is a Fellow of the Institute of Chartered Accountants of Nigeria (ICAN). He is also an Associate of the Chartered Institute of Taxation and Computer Professionals (Registration Council of Nigeria). He is an honorary Member of the Chartered Institute of Bankers of Nigeria (HCIB) and a member of the Institute of Directors.
The Board of the bank expressed confidence that Adebise’s appointment will lead to the continued transformation and growth of the bank as it positions itself as a market leader in Nigeria’s retail banking segment through technology and innovation.
