UBA gets five new directors, expresses resolve on expansion strategy

The United Bank for Africa Plc which reported a strong financial results in 2015, in what all recognised was a challenging macro environment has announced five new Executive Directors, subject to the approval of the Central Bank of Nigeria.

According to a statement from the bank, the five new Executive Directors are: Ayo Liadi, Oliver Alawuba, Ibrahim Puri, Uche Ike and Chuks Nweke.

Congratulating the newly appointed Directors, the Group Chairman, Tony Elumelu said the appointments would greatly assist to transform the UBA Group into a truly customer led bank and a foremost financial institution in Africa.

“These are exciting times for UBA”, he continued. “And with this leadership, I have no doubt that the Bank will continue on its strong growth trajectory “.

He also commended outgoing Directors saying “I take this opportunity to inform you that two of our Executive Directors, Femi Olaloku and Obi Ibekwe will be retiring from the Board effective June 30 and May 31, 2016 respectively. I would like to thank them for the enormous contributions they have made during their time of service”.

The newly appointed Executive Directors join Kennedy Uzoka, who was appointed as the incoming Group CEO in March 2016. Kennedy will assume his role on the 1st of August, on the retirement of Phillips Oduoza.

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Mr Uzoka said today “I am extremely optimistic about the future of the Bank, these appointments show the strength of the talent available within UBA and demonstrate our commitment to institutionalisation. We could not have put together a better executive leadership team”.

Ayo Liadi, a Chartered Accoutant and graduate of Business management from the University of Nigeria, Nsukka has over 20 years’ banking experience, having worked in Tier 1 banks in Nigeria and in West Africa, before joining UBA in January 2014 as the Director for Lagos and West Bank, overseeing over 200 branches of UBA.

Uche Ike, the Group Chief Risk Officer, is a Chartered Accountant, with an MBA from the University of Benin. He has been with the Group since 2006 and has served in a number of prominent roles, first as Group Head of Operations in South and South East Banks and then for a period of five years, as General Manager at the Bank’s New York branch. Uche has over 27 years of banking experience.

Chuks Nweke, currently the Head of Operations and Information Technology, is an accounting graduate of the University of Nigeria at Nsukka (best graduating student) and holds an MBA from the same university. Chuks is also a qualified Chartered Accountant. He has over 25 years of banking experience.