Fidelity Bank Plc has appointed Nneka Onyeali-Ikpe as the incoming managing director/chief executive officer, effective January 1, 2021.
The bank informed the Nigerian Stock Exchange (NSE) on Monday in a notice signed by company secretary Ezinwa Unuigboje.
The notice said the appointment followed the impending retirement of its MD/CEO Nnamdi Okonkwo from the board of directors of the bank, with effect from December 31 upon completion of his contract tenure.
“In compliance with the succession policy of the bank, the board has approved the appointment of Onyeali-Ikpe, the current Executive Director, Lagos and South West Directorate as the MD/CEO designate of the bank, to assume office with effect from January 1, 2021.
“The approval of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) has been obtained for the appointment,” said the statement.
It said the board had also approved the appointment of Kevin Ugwuoke, the current chief risk officer of the bank, as executive director, chief risk officer, subject to the approval of the CBN.
The statement said that Mr Okonkwo was appointed to the board of the bank in April 2012 as an executive director and was subsequently appointed the MD/CEO on January 1, 2014.
The statement said the bank under his leadership successfully accessed the local and international markets through the issuance of N30 billion corporate bonds in 2015 and $400million Eurobonds in 2017.
It said Mrs Onyeali-Ikpe was appointed to the board in 2015 as an executive director and currently oversees the Lagos and Southwest Directorate.
“Onyeali-Ikpe has over 30 years of experience across various banks including Standard Chartered Bank Plc, Zenith Bank Plc and Citizens International Bank Limited, where she held several management positions in legal, treasury, investment banking, retail/commercial banking and corporate banking.
“She holds Bachelor of Laws (LLB) and Master of Laws (LLM) degrees from the University of Nigeria, Nsukka and Kings College, London, respectively,” it said.
Onyeali-Ikpe, the bank further said, is currently undergoing a Diploma programme in Organisational Leadership at Said Business School, Oxford University, UK.
