First Bank Appoints Seasoned Banker, Okonkwo Group MD/CEO

By Fola James

FBN Holdings Plc, the holding company of First Bank of Nigeria has announced Nnamdi Okonkwo as its new Group Managing Director.

This appointment takes effect from January 1, 2022, subject to the approval of the Central Bank of Nigeria, CBN and the shareholders at the next Annual General Meeting of the Company.

This comes after the board of directors accepted the voluntary retirement of Group Managing Director Mr. U.K. Eke, MFR with effect from December 31, 2021, having served for two terms.

According to a notification Thursday, on the Nigerian stock exchange, the newly appointed managing director, has a robust experience in the financial sector spanning decades as a seasoned banker and administrator.

First, he served as the Executive Director for Southern Nigeria in Fidelity Bank. He was later appointed managing Director of UBA Ghana; Director, UBA Liberia and a Director of the Ghana National Banking College.

He has served in various leadership positions across other financial institutions including Broad Bank of Nigeria Ltd; Citizens International Bank, Nigeria; FSB International Bank Plc, Nigeria; Guaranty Trust Bank Plc, Nigeria; and Merchant Bank of Africa, Nigeria.

Okonkwo recorded sterling achievements in many companies  including UBA Ghana, UBA Liberia, Nigeria e-government Strategy (Negst), Nigeria Interbank Settlement System Plc, Unified Payment System Ltd and as Chairman, Shareholders Audit Committee FMDQ, amongst others.

He was appointed managing director and chief executive officer, Fidelity Bank Plc on January 2, 2014, the position he held until December 31, 2020 when he retired from the new generation bank.