Atedo Peterside: Good Reputation Personified
ne of the most refreshing good news coming from the Nigerian Chartered Institute of Stockbrokers (CIS) is the investiture of Atedo Peterside CON as Honorary Fellow of the professional body of City Gentlemen in Nigeria. He is the sixth person to be so honored. General Yakubu Gowon, Chief Olusegun Obasanjo and Aliko Dangote made the list. This recognition is not only well earned, it was long due and thank God it happened on February 27th, 2020 at Oriental Hotel, Victoria-Island, Lagos.
Atedo N. A. Peterside (ANAP) founded Stanbic IBTC Bank PLC in 1989 at the age of 33 years. He is also the founder of ANAP Business Jets Limited while he is the Founder and President of ANAP Foundation, a nonprofit organization committed to promoting good governance. Mr Peterside is currently serving as a Director of Standard Bank of South Africa Limited and Standard Bank Group Limited.
ANAP is the Chairman of Cadbury PLC from April 2010 till date and Art X Collective Limited, January 2019 till date. He sits on the Board of Directors of Flour Mills of Nigeria from March 2010 till present, Nigerian Breweries PLC (Heineken Subsidiary) from August 2018 till present and Unilever Nigeria PLC, January 2008 till date.
He served as the Chairman of the Committee on Corporate Governance of Public Companies in Nigeria; in 2011 to 2015, he was a member of the National Council for Privatization (NCP)and Chairman of NCP Technical Committee; he was a member of the National Economic Management Team in 2007 to 2010 and a Federal Government Delegate at the 2014 National Conference.
ANAP was appointed the Alternative Private Sector Vice-Chairman of the Nigerian Industrial Policy and Competitiveness Advisory Council. The Rivers-State of Nigeria indigene has passion for boating, polo, reading and travel.
Chief Emeka Anyaoku, The Chief Guest of Honour acknowledged the fact that Atedo Peterside is a man of good reputation. For this reason and the fact that Mr Gamaliel Onosode who was his Best Man when he got married, was the 1st President of CIS, he was delighted to be the Guest of Honour at the Investiture ceremony.
On behalf of the Body of Fellows, oga Tola Mobolurin, the 2nd President of CIS spoke very well about oga Atedo Peterside and said that it is a privilege having him on board as one of the distinguished honorary Fellows of CIS.
In his response to the honour CIS has done him, Atedo Peterside spoke briefly to say it all on the economy, financial market, best practices and contemporary ethical issues. His speech was long enough to be refreshing, value adding and candid in his usual character of saying things the way they are.
He asked the memorable gathering to observe a minute silence in memory of “Mr Integrity”, Baba Onosode who gave him the first job opportunity to work under him at the age of 22 years. Learning under such a distinguished master was a rare privilege indeed.
Takeaway from the response of the vintage ANAP includes giving whatever he might have achieved to teamwork while he focused on timing and business direction. For instance he didn’t venture into stockbroking business until mid 1990s because before then the whole market value was too small and it was not worth the trouble. Also when the “bubble burst” in the Nigerian capital market happened in 2007 IBTC was not affected. They didn’t get into trouble because all the pressure from his colleagues for IBTC to join others in proprietary trading, he turned them down. He challenged them to focus on clients mandates and grow their portfolio and business generally.
His recollection of when he critiqued policies, political decisions and told clients candid truth and the consequences of such action in a competitive market characterized with intrigues, is quite instructive. He said that while one or two people may not give you job for disciplined disposition and tough professional inclination, three, four other people may approach you to give you business transaction for who you are as a principled player. He recalled his encounter with Sir Rufus Foluso Giwa who gave him a Capital Market Issue mandate because he was the only one who was bold enough to say the truth in the keenly sought after mandate. That was vintage Chief RFG, my unforgettable Chairman.
I first knew oga Atedo by reputation as a remarkable professional, one of the few who inspired my passion for investment banking and capital market generally. I later wrote him a commendation letter in early 1990s when I saw and read his progressive inclinations in the newspaper during the difficult military era days when it took a lot of guts to criticize the despots not to talk of placing full page advert in the national newspaper. He replied my letter appreciating my initiative and disposition too.
It is not difficult to know genuine and sincere people, they are responsive without pretenses and acknowledge mails or messages sent to them. His crusade then later gave birth to the Concerned Professionals Group that was birthed in the 1990s in Nigeria.
After convening the Capital Market Roundtable in August 2008, I contacted him and he joined us in the preeminent all-inclusive forum for capital market operators and practitioners in Nigeria. He has been part of us till date and when it comes to sharing ideas and perspectives on national, economic and capital market matters, he will do justice to the subject matter clinically.
What else can I say about the distinguished economist, financial market guru and investment banker of repute than to ask for good health and long life with peace of mind for the husband of Mrs Abiodun Peterside. God will continue to bless his marriage that has been endowed with children who are doing the family proud.
It was a beautiful evening and it was refreshing for me joining my fellow colleagues in the capital market to sing our song in his honor, “For he is a jolly good fellow...” Yes, Atedo Peterside is a good man. You are welcome on board sir.
rAdetunmbi