Victor EzejaAccess Holdings Plc has announced the appointment of Mr. Aigboje Aig-Imoukhuede as its non-executive chairman.
This comes 10 years after he retired from Access Bank as Group Chief Executive Officer/Managing Director.
His rerturn follows the tragic death of Dr Herbert Wigwe, who was the GCEO of the HoldCo.
Mr Aig-Imoukhuede was the pioneer MD head between 2002 and 2013, while Dr Wigwe was the deputy.
The announcement is contained in a statement titled “Access Holdings Plc Announces the Return of Mr. Aigboje Aig-Imoukhuede (Pioneer Access Bank Group Managing Director/CEO as Holdco Chairman After 10 Years,” which was signed by the Company Secretary, Mr. Sunday Ekwochi.
The statement said Aig-Imoukhuede would replace Mr. Abubakar Jimoh, the erstwhile chairman of the HoldCo, who would continue on the board as an independent non-executive director.
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It said that following the untimely death of Dr Wigwe, the HoldCo Board, after extensive consultations with key stakeholders, unanimously decided to invite Mr. Aig-Imoukhuede to return and help stir the ship of the financial institution as Non-executive Chairman.
“This visionary and accomplished leader is bringing an outstanding record of accomplishments, wealth of expertise and leadership to guide the Group into a new era of success,” the statement said.
It noted that with an illustrious career spanning several decades in the banking and finance sector, Mr. Aig-Imoukhuede has proven to be an exceptional and influential leader, “having admirably laid a solid foundation for Access Bank’s success as Group Chief Executive
Officer between 2002 and 2013 ably supported by his partner and deputy, the late Dr. Herbert Wigwe, CFR who later succeeded him.”
It listed Mr Aig-Imoukhuede’s achievements when he headed the Bank such as seeing it transform from a minor player into one of Nigeria’s top five banks with presence in nine other African countries and the United Kingdom; growing its customer base from 10,000 to over 6 million with more than 5,000 employees and an asset base of USD $12 billion.
“His strategic vision, innovative thinking, and deep market insight were instrumental to shaping the Bank’s success,” it added.
It further explained that the decision to bring back Mr. Aig-Imoukhuede as the Group’s Non-Executive Chairman “reflects the Board’s commitment to our core values and determination to build upon the strong foundation, he jointly established with Dr. Wigwe. “With his return, Access Holdings aims to leverage his extensive experience, industry knowledge, and exceptional leadership skills to consolidate on the growth and accomplishments recorded under Dr. Wigwe’s leadership.
“In his new role as Non-Executive Chairman, Mr. Aig-Imoukhuede will collaborate with the Board of Directors to oversee strategy and provide guidance to the executive management team. His return is not only a testament to his unwavering dedication to Access Group but also a clear demonstration of the Board’s confidence in his ability to lead the Group to new heights.”
Speaking about his return, Mr. Abubakar Jimoh past Chairman, Access Holdings expressed his excitement, stating: “Mr. Aig-Imoukhuede’s appointment to the Board and subsequent election as Chairman is a landmark development for Access Holdings. All our board members are excited about our future.”
Commenting on his appointment, Mr. Aig-Imoukhuede, said: “l am thrilled to be back in active service to the Access Group ecosystem. I am confident that working with our directors, our exceptional team of executives and our best-in-class banking and finance professionals, we will deliver outstanding value to our esteemed stakeholders. I am determined that our shared vision which Dr. Wigwe gave everything for, will be realized.”
Victor Ezeja is a passionate journalist with six years of experience writing on economy, politics and energy. He holds a Masters degree in Mass Communication.
