CIBN Reconstitutes Governing Council, Olowu Now President

The Chartered Institute of Bankers of Nigeria (CIBN) has elected new national officers to steer its affairs for the next two years.

At the head of the newly constituted Governing Council as President/Chairman of Council, is Dr. Uche Olowu.

Other officers elected to assist Olowu in the task of running the affairs of the Institute are, Mr. Bayo Olugbemi, who emerged as the first vice-president; Mr. Kenneth Opara, second Vice-President and Prof. Pius Olanrewaju as National Treasurer.

A statement from the institute disclosed that Olowu’s inauguration had been slated for Saturday, May 19, 2018, at an Investiture ceremony in Lagos.

Before his election as President, Olowu was the institute’s first Vice President and Chairman, Board of Fellows/Practice Licenses of the Institute.

He is a seasoned professional banker and astute scholar with over 30 years cognate experience. He has a Masters degree in Business Administration (MBA) in Management from Rivers State University of Science & Technology (RUST), Port Harcourt, where he traditionally capped it with a Doctorate of Philosophy degree (Ph.D) in management-Organisational Behaviour.

He started his professional banking career in 1985 with United Bank for Africa Plc, where he rose to become the Manager, Corporate Banking (Energy South) in 1999. He joined Equitorial Trust Bank Ltd in 2000 as Senior Relationship Manager before crossing over to Fountain Trust Bank in the same year as Senior Relationship Manager and was promoted to Assistant General Manager (South) in 2005, a position he held until he pitched his tent once again with UBA Plc in 2006 as Head, Upstream & Oil Services South.

Again, in 2008, he left the service of UBA for Union Bank of Nigeria Plc and is currently a Deputy General Manager.

Also, prior to Olugbemi’s election, he had served as a member of the Governing Council of the Institute (20162018) and a facilitator of several CIBN programmes including the 2016 & 2017 Annual Bankers’ Dinner where he anchored the occasion as Chairman of the planning committee.

A professional to the core, he holds a Masters degree in Corporate Governance and Ethics (M.Sc) from Leeds Metropolitan University, UK, Masters in International Business Management (MBA) from Lagos State University, Ojo, Lagos and B.Sc. Accounting from the University of Lagos, Akoka, Lagos. He is an Alumnus of many prestigious Business Schools across the globe such as Harvard Business School (AMP 179); Whaton Business School, USA; Stanford Business School, USA; Institute of Management Development, Switzerland; INSEAD (Institut Européen d’Administration des Affaires) Singapore; Euro Money Capital Market Training and Lagos Business School amongst others.

On his part, Opara who was elected the second Vice President of the institute, had at various times been a member of one committee or group that sees to the welfare of the institute. He was the ChairmanFinance and General Purpose Committee and also the Chairman of CIBN Fidelity Bank Chapter during which the bank won several awards under his leadership and among which are: most supportive bank in 2014; best supportive bank by CIBN Lagos Branch 2014 and others.

A second class upper graduate of the department of Finance and Banking and MBA in Finance & Banking, all from the University of Nigeria. Mr. Kenneth Opara is also an Associate of the Institute of Certified Pension of Nigeria as well as Chartered Institute of Credit Administration.

He is currently the General Manager & Head, Ikeja Region, Fidelity Bank Plc.

Olanrewaju, the National Treasurer is a thorough bred professional and a seasoned academic. Olanrewaju belongs to many professional bodies among which are the Chartered Institute of Bankers of Nigeria (CIBN), Institute of Capital Market Registrars, Institute of Management and administrative Technology and a member, Enterprise Risk Management Professionals.

Other elected officers to occupy some elective positions of the Governing Council under the two years regime are four newly elected members: Mrs. Yvonne Isitchei, Mr. Abdulrahman Yinusa, Mr. Adewunmi Olusola Adeniyi, and Mrs. Mercy Toyin Ojo.