The Board of Directors of Zenith Bank Plc (NGX: ZENITHBANK) has appointed Dr. Adaora Remy Umeoji, OON as Group Managing Director/Chief Executive of the banking Group. The appointment is subject to the approval of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN).
Her appointment which takes effect from June 1, 2024 was confirmed in a regulatory filing on Tuesday. Dr. Adaora Umeoji will take over from Dr. Ebenezer Onyeagwu, whose tenure expires on May 31, 2024.
Prior to this appointment, Dr. Umeoji has been the Deputy Managing Director of the Bank. She assumed office as the Deputy Managing Director on October 28, 2016.
She has close to thirty years cognate banking experience of which twenty-six years has been with Zenith Bank.
As at 31 December, 2022, Dr. Umeoji directly held 68.87 million shares of Zenith Bank Plc and indirectly held 1.71 million shares.
Dr. Umeoji holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Sociology from the University of Jos. She also holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Accounting and a First-Class honors in Law from Baze University, Abuja.
She holds a Master of Laws from the University of Salford, United Kingdom and a Master in Business Administration (MBA) from the University of Calabar. Furthermore, She has a doctorate in Business Administration from Apollos University, USA.
In addition to holding a Certificate in Economics for Business from MIT Sloan School of Management, USA, she has attended various management programmes in renowned Universities around the world including the strategic thinking Management programme at Wharton Business Business School, USA.
She also attended the executive program in Strategic Management, and has a Certificate in Leading Global Business all from Harvard Business School, USA.
She is alumnus of Harvard Business School and Columbia Business School. At Harvard, she attended the Advanced Management Program (AMP) and at Columbia Business School, she got a certificate in the Global Banking Program.
Dr. Umeoji is a fellow of notable professional bodies including:
- Chartered Banker Institute, UK
- Chartered Institute of Bankers of Nigeria
- Nigerian Institute of Management
- Institute of Credit Administration
- Institute of Certified Public Accountants of Nigeria
- Institute of Chartered Mediators and Conciliators, and
- the Institute of Chartered Secretaries and Administrators of Nigeria among others.
The Federal Government of Nigeria in 2022, honored Dr. Umeoji with Officer of the Order of the Niger. The honor was in recognition of her contributions to nation building.
As a philanthropist, Dr. Umeoji impacts many lives through her Non-Government Organisations. She founded the Pink Breathe Cancer Foundation and the Adorable Foundation that educates, caters for Cancer patients and indigent children education especially the Girl-Child.
In recognition of he contribution to humanity, the Sun Newspaper bestowed on her the Humanitarian Service Icon Award for 2023.
Dr. Umeoji founded the Catholic Bankers Association of Nigeria (CBAN), a platform she uses to promote ethical banking and service to humanity.
She is a Lady of the Order of Knights of St. John International (KSJ), and was awarded a Papal Knight of the Order of St. Sylvester by His Holiness Pope Francis.
Nnamdi Maduakor is a Writer, Investor and Entrepreneur
