Awori Named New Ecobank Group CEO As Adeyemi Retires

Ecobank Transnational Incorporated (ETI) has appointed Jeremy Awori as the new group chief executive officer following the retirement of the group CEO, ETI, Ade Ayeyemi.

This as Heritage Bank Plc appointed Akinola George-Taylor as its acting managing director.

Following the receipt of the approval of the board of directors of Heritage Bank and the Central Bank of Nigeria(CBN), the bank is poised for its next phase of transformation.

The new acting managing director will be overseeing all Heritage’s banking operations across Nigeria. The bank said, George-Taylor will take over from Dr. Ifie Sekibo who served his 10 years tenure at the bank.

As an experienced banker with over two decades working in the banking and financial services sector, Akinola George-Taylor has a proven track record in managing multi-billion Naira operations.

He started his banking career in 1993 with GTBank where George-Taylor rose to the position of Executive Director in charge of Public Sector Group, Abuja & North Central. Whilst at the Bank, he has held various positions in different business sectors. He was also the managing director of GTBank in Sierra Leone between 2005 to 2009.

In addition to George-Taylor’s appointment as acting managing director of Heritage Bank, Osepiribo Ben-Willie and George Oko-Oboh were also announced executive directors.

Osepiribo Ben-Willie is an accomplished banker with over two decades experience of which she has been leading business transformation initiatives at various levels within the financial service space. Ben-Willie is currently the Directorate Head, South-South, South-East & Private Wealth Management Team in Heritage Bank Plc. She has worked in Credite Bank Nigeria Limited, Diamond Bank, Zenith Bank and Stanbic IBTC.

George Oko-Oboh currently heads the Abuja and North Directorate Business of Heritage Bank Plc where he plays a pivotal role in the business growth and daily operations of all businesses and transactions as it relates to his area of supervision.

Meanwhile, LEADERSHIP checks indicated that Ayeyemi’s retirement was based on his attainment of 60 years, in accordance with ETI policy. The board of directors selected Awori as the new group CEO noting that the relevant effective dates will be communicated in due course.

The group chairman of ETI, Alain Nkontchou, thanked Ayeyemi for his immense contribution during his seven years at the helm of the Ecobank Group as Group CEO.

He added that, “Ayeyemi can be rightly proud of his success in leading the implementation of the Roadmap to Leadership strategy, navigating Ecobank through challenges, seizing opportunities, and positioning Ecobank for sustainable long-term growth.

“His deep knowledge, unrivaled vision, commitment and infinite passion made all the difference. It has been a real pleasure working with him. I count on his continuous support to ensure a smooth transition as we onboard Jeremy Awori as the new Group CEO.”

He stated that “Awori is a highly respected leader in the banking industry with significant achievements in his previous capacities. The board of directors strongly believes that his drive and strong focus on results will be vital in steering the Group in its next phase.”

Ayeyemi expressed his deep gratitude for the opportunity to lead the Ecobank Group, saying “it is a privilege to lead an amazing team of Ecobankers in bringing the Ecobank Group back to growth and continuing to realise our commendable pan-African mandate.”

He also expressed his commitment to a smooth transition and onboarding of his successor. The incoming Group CEO, Jeremy Awori, said: “it is a great honour to be appointed Ecobank group’s chief executive officer. I look forward to consolidating the transformation of Ecobank, a truly pan-African institution full of talented people, while innovating to create value for all Ecobank’s stakeholders. I am humbled by the opportunity to contribute to the continent’s economic development and financial integration with Ecobank Group.”

Awori is joining Ecobank Group following a 25 years long career in the banking industry, with almost a decade leading Absa Bank Kenya Plc as the CEO & managing director.