Yemisi Izuora
Wema Bank Plc has announced the appointment of four new directors to its Board.
The bank named Mrs. Abolanle Matel-Okoh and Mr. Babatunde Kasali as Non-Executive Directors while Mrs. Folake Sanu and Mr. Wole Akinleye becomes Executive Directors.
This brings to 14, the number of Directors on the Board and reflects an indication of the bank’s continued commitment to the sustenance of good corporate governance and adequate gender representation as well as the bank’s desire to sustain its remarkable growth into the foreseeable future.
Speaking on the appointments, Segun Oloketuyi, Managing Director of the Bank, expressed confidence that the four appointments will bring quality representation to the board as well as support the management of the Bank in its drive to build upon its recent achievements whilst positioning itself for further growth.
He also thanked the outgoing director, Mr. Ramesh Hathiramani for his immense contributions and value he brought to bear during his time on the Board.
The new directors come with over 10 decades of combined experience and have made significant contributions to the banking industry and the growth of the nation’s economy.
Established in 1945, Wema Bank, Nigeria’s oldest surviving indigenous bank, offers financial advisory services and a range of product and services in retail & SME banking, commercial & corporate banking, electronic banking and treasury to its customers.
DIRECTORS PROFILE
WOLE AKINLEYE (EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR)
With over 20 years of Cognate Banking experience, Wole Akinleye was until his appointment, responsible for co-ordinating Business Development Activities in the Lagos Region of Wema Bank.
With a work experience cutting across all major areas of banking operations including Retail Banking, Corporate Banking and Risk Management, Wole Akinleye is a Fellow of the Institute of Chartered Accountants of Nigeria (ICAN)
FOLAKE SANU (EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR)
Folake is an astute finance professional and banker of repute with over 32years working experience in banking, professional accounting and auditing practice. Her experience spans Corporate Strategy, Financial Control, Operations, Technology, Risk management, Audit, Mergers & Acquisitions, Credit and Marketing.
Prior to joining Wema Bank, Folake was Chief Financial Officer and later, Chief Compliance Officer of Sterling Bank where she was instrumental to the successful merger of 5 different banks to form Sterling Bank plc. She also anchored the integration and service reengineering process of the newly formed bank’s operational platform. Folake left Sterling Bank to establish JFSC consulting, now Averti Professional Managers after a successful merger of four consulting firms in October 2013.
A Fellow of the Institute of Chartered Accountants of Nigeria and an honorary senior member of the Chartered Institute of Bankers of Nigeria, Folake is an alumnus of the London Business School and has attended various management courses in reputable institutions including Harvard Business School and INSEAD, France
BABATUNDE KASALI, DIRECTOR
Babatunde is a consummate professional with over 3 decades of experience in Audit, Risk Management and Compliance. Babatunde Kasali was until his appointment, Managing Director of the Resolution and Restructuring Company Limited – a subsidiary of the Asset Management Company of Nigeria.
Babatunde Kasali is a Fellow of the Institute of Chartered Accountants of Nigeria (ICAN)
ABOLANLE MATEL-OKOH, DIRECTOR
An attorney with over 20 years of experience in Nigeria and the United States of America, Bola is a member of the Nigerian Bar and the New York State Appellate Division, Third Department Bar.
With experience in diverse areas of judicial science encompassing legal research, investigation, adjudication amongst others, Bola started her career in United Commercial Bank as a Legal Officer in 1992. Over the next 20 years, Bola gained relevant experience in legal practice and real estate business in various firms based in Nigeria and the USA.
A law graduate of the Ogun State University, Bola holds a Bachelor of Law Degree from the Nigerian Law School, Lagos and is also a Licensed Real Estate Agent from the Weichert Real Estate School, New Jersey, USA.
Abolanle Matel-Okoh is the current CEO of Havilah Ventures Ltd