CHAIR OF THE BOARD
Dame (Dr.) Adaora Umeoji, OON
Dame (Dr.) Adaora Umeoji OON, is the Group Managing Director/CEO of Zenith Bank Plc.
With nearly three decades of cognate banking experience and over 20 years of extensive executive management expertise in Zenith Bank, Dame (Dr.) Adaora Umeoji, OON has established herself as one of the leading figures within the banking sector. She is the Chairperson of Zenith Nominees Limited and She sits on the board of Zenith Bank (Ghana) Plc as a non-executive director.
Dame (Dr.) Adaora Umeoji is an alumna of the prestigious Harvard Business School, where she completed the Advanced Management Program (AMP) and Columbia Business School with a Certificate in the Global Banking Program. She holds 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, Abuja. Additionally, she obtained a Master of Laws from the University of Salford, United Kingdom, and a Master of Business Administration (MBA) from the University of Calabar. Her academic and professional pursuits culminated in a Doctorate in Business Administration from Apollos University, USA, with research focused on inspirational leadership which has been recognized for its significant contribution to leadership and people management.
Her commitment to continuous learning and professional excellence is demonstrated by her participation in executive management programs at esteemed institutions worldwide, including the MIT Sloan School of Management, USA, where she acquired a certificate in Economics for Business, Harvard Business School, USA with certificates in Leading Global businesses and the executive program in Strategic Management, and Wharton Business School with a Certificate in the Strategic Thinking and Management for competitive advantage program. Dame (Dr.) Adaora Umeoji is a Certificated Professional Banker of the Chartered Banker Institute, and a distinguished fellow of numerous professional bodies, including the Chartered Bankers Institute of London, the Chartered Institute of Bankers of Nigeria, the Institute of Credit Administration, the Institute of Certified Public Accountants of Nigeria, the Institute of Chartered Meditators & Conciliators, and the Institute of Chartered Secretaries & Administrators of Nigeria among others.
Throughout her career, Dame (Dr.) Adaora Umeoji has delivered keynote speeches and lead papers at prestigious academic conferences and symposia, influencing discussions on financial growth drivers and inspirational leadership. She has actively contributed to high-level bankers’ meetings, driving impactful strategies for the advancement of the banking industry and national economic growth. Passionate about mentoring and youth empowerment, she has delivered motivational speeches aimed at nurturing future banking professionals and leaders.
Beyond her corporate responsibilities, Dame (Dr.) Adaora Umeoji is deeply committed to philanthropy and service to humanity. She founded the Pink Breath Cancer Care Foundation which educates, supports cancer patients, and promotes healthcare programs across Nigeria, and established the Adorable Foundation with a focus on educating and providing for indigent children, particularly the Girl-Child. Her humanitarian efforts have garnered recognition from esteemed organizations, including the Nigerian Red Cross and the Sun Newspaper which recently honored her with the Humanitarian Service Icon Award for 2023.
Dame (Dr.) Adaora Umeoji’s commitment to ethical banking led her to institute the Catholic Bankers Association of Nigeria (CBAN). She is also recognized as a Peace Advocate of the United Nations (UNPOLAC) and a Lady of the Order of Knights of St. John International (KSJI). Her advocacy efforts were further acknowledged by His Holiness Pope Francis, who conferred on her the Papal Knight of the Order of St. Sylvester.
In 2022, the Federal Government of Nigeria honored Dr. Umeoji with Officer of the Order of the Niger, as a recognition of her contributions to nation building which highlights her dedication to the sustainable development of the country.
NON-EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR
Dokun Omidiora
Dokun Omidiora’s professional career extends over 30 years with major institutions in London such as PwC, S.G. Warburg (now UBS) and Citibank N.A. His senior roles covered external and internal auditing, financial controlling, money markets dealing, risk treasury management and foreign exchange dealing management.
Dokun’s career covered most financial asset classes, in vanilla and derivative products. Although Dokun’s career has been based mostly in the City of London, he has spent substantial periods working in other financial centres such as New York, Hong Kong and across several countries in the developing markets of Sub-Saharan Africa.
Dokun is the founder and Managing Director of IntroAfrica Group which helps foster new trade links into Sub-Saharan Africa. He is an alumnus of University of Ibadan, Nigeria, and a Fellow of the Institute of Chartered Accountants in England and Wales.
NON-EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR
Andy Gregson
Andy is the Chair of the Audit and Compliance Committee (ACC). Andy has had an extensive career as a Senior Executive and Consulting Partner working with global Financial Services institutions covering Banking, Capital Markets, e-Money and Payments, and Insurance.
He is currently a Board Advisor at Vitesse, a UK-based Fintech, advising them on major regulatory change and expansion into new geographical markets. Prior to this, he was their Chief Risk & Compliance Officer and continues to lead their ESG strategy, partnering with the Insurance Industry Charitable Foundation.
Andy has a deep understanding of Finance, Risk, Regulation, Compliance, and Assurance, and has helped organisations to set and execute business strategy, establish effective governance and risk control frameworks, and shape and deliver significant change programs. He also brings experience having held several non-executive positions within the not-for-profit sector.
Andy is a Chartered Accountant and began his professional career with PwC.
NON-EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR
Alex Shapland
Alex was a former Partner at PwC and Senior Regulator with experience in UK and overseas with a wide range of Banks, Insurance companies and Financial Services regulatory bodies.
He has worked in the Financial Services Industry for over 40 years as a Banker, Regulator, Chief Operating Officer, Regulatory and Risk partner. During this time, his principal activities included providing advisory services to start up teams seeking authorisation from UK and overseas regulators as well as Corporate governance, Regulatory and Risk consultancy services. More recently, he has developed his career as an Independent Non-Executive Director of a number of banks and financial services institutions and Chair of Audit & Risk committees.
Alex possesses extensive Chair and Board Advisory experience having served on the Board of various type of entities such as Publicly quoted companies, Privately held companies, Private Equity Backed companies, Fast Growth companies, Foreign owned UK subsidiary and mutual operating models.
Alex is an Associate member of the Chartered Banker Institute, UK.
NON-EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR
Isla MacLeod
With more than 20 years’ experience working for global news publishers including the Financial Times and BBC Global News, Isla is a trilingual executive with a proven track record of delivering results through clear strategic vision and strong commercial acumen. She has extensive experience of change management and building and leading teams across Western and Central Europe and Central Asia and more recently, was responsible for expanding the commercial footprint across Sub-Saharan Africa.
With experience of advising business leaders and key decision makers in both public and private sector corporations, Isla has led in the crafting and executing of global media and communications strategies. She has worked across a broad range of sectors - from Government, DTI, Nation Branding, Financial services, Travel and Tourism, Luxury, Petrochemical and Mining. She has advanced skills in strategy development to underpin investment, marketing and business development and has a robust understanding of digitisation of news services based on user consumption habits. Isla holds a BA(Hons) French and German from Royal Holloway, University of London and she speaks both languages.
NON-EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR
Akin Ogunranti
Mr. Akindele Ogunranti is a consummate professional banker with over thirty years banking experience, spanning Banking Operations, Corporate, Commercial, Retail and Branch Banking, Multilateral Institutions/Export Credit agencies, Power & Infrastructure sector, Oil & Gas, Structured Trade & Project Finance, Public Sector, as well as General Management. He currently oversees Corporate Banking, Oil and Gas, Apapa Zone, Lagos Public Sector, South-West and South-South Regions. He also serves as the Director in charge of the Bank’s Technology Group, responsible for the Bank’s Digital transformation.
He holds a B.Sc. (Hons) in International Relations from the Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife, an MBA in Marketing, and M.Sc. (Hons) Banking and Finance, University of Ibadan. He has attended the Moody’s Credit Academy, UK, the Executive Development Program (EDP), Wharton Business School, USA and the Leading Change and Organizational Renewal Program (LCOR) at Harvard Business School, USA.
Mr. Ogunranti joined Zenith Bank Plc in 2004 as a Senior Manager and has held various leadership positions in the bank. Prior to his appointment as Executive Director, he served as the MD/CEO, Zenith Bank Ghana Limited, where he led the Bank to achieve outstanding results. Under his leadership, the bank received several laurels and awards, notable among which were the Bank of the Year 2020 and the Best Bank in Ghana 2021. He was also a two-time winner of the CEO of The Year Award (Banking Category) in Ghana.
He was until his appointment a Member of the Executive Committee of the Ghana Association of Bankers (GAB) and a Member of the Governing Council, of the National Banking College, Ghana. He was also conferred with the Distinguished Alumnus Award 2021, by the Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife. Mr. Ogunranti currently sits on the Boards of Zenith Bank UK Limited, Zenith Nominees Ltd, Africa Finance Corporation and Mastercard Africa Leadership Council.
He is also an Honorary Senior Member of Chartered Institute of Bankers of Nigeria (HCIB), Honorary Fellow Chartered Institute of Credit Management, Ghana (FCICM) and a Member Nigeria Institute of Management (MNIM).
CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER
Udu Ovbiagele
Udu holds a Bachelor's degree in Economics and International Relations from the University of Reading, England, and an MBA in International Business from The Birmingham Business School, University of Birmingham, England. He also holds a Post Graduate Certification in The Mechanics of International Trade & Finance (CITF) jointly awarded by the London Institute of Banking & Finance (LIBF) and Middlesex University, London, England. He is a certified Commercial Banking and Credit Analyst (CBCA), awarded by the Corporate Finance Institute (CFI) of Vancouver, Canada. He is also a Fellow of the Chartered Institute of Bankers. (FCIB), and well as a Fellow of the National Institute of Credit Administrators. (FICA) He is an alumnus of the London Business School where he has undertaken executive level leadership training.
Udu commenced his banking career in Zenith Bank Plc’s Domestic Operations Group which offered him a firm grounding of the various aspects of the Bank's operations, prior to him venturing into the wide spectrum of Corporate Banking at the Group’s Head Office. His vast banking experience spans over two decades and cuts across various sectors including manufacturing, trading, hospitality, non-bank financial institutions, commercial real estate & Infrastructure, Project finance, Investment Banking, Development Finance, Telecomms, Agency Banking, Financial Technology and International Trade and finance. He has served in various supervisory capacities over the years, and as such has been actively involved in business development, corporate strategy, facility structuring, loan syndication and income optimisation. Prior to his appointment as CEO, Udu was the Zenith Bank (UK) Ltd Executive Director overseeing the Trade Finance Group, Correspondent Banking Group, the Dubai Branch, the Multinational Corporates Group, the Institutional Banking Group as well as the Digital Marketing Group.
Udu has been exposed to various training and management programmes, some of which include Treasury, Correspondent Banking, Bond and FX trading, Trade Services, Financial Control, Advanced Credit analysis, Risk Management, Internal Control, and Compliance. He has also played key roles in several development projects in the Group including, but not limited to, electronic business, Investment Banking and Credit Risk Management.
