Arunma Oteh, former SEC chief, named new chair of Royal African Society

THE ROYAL AFRICAN SOCI ETY (RAS) has elected Arunma Oteh, Nigerian expert in capital markets, economic development and financial technology, as its new chair.

Oteh, a member of the London Stock Exchange Africa advisory group and member of global leadership council of Said Business School (SBS) at the University of Oxford, is succeeding Zeinab Badawi, journalist and broadcaster, who is stepping down after seven years, at the end of her second term.

She was previously treasurer and vice president of the World Bank, director general, Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), Nigeria, and group vice president and treasurer at the African Development Bank (AfDB).

As chair of Royal African Society, Oteh will be responsible for leading the council that sets the Society’s strategic direction for the achievement of its mission. She will serve a renewable term of three years.

The Royal African Society in its 120th anniversary this year, is a membership organisation that provides opportunities for people to connect, celebrate and engage critically with Africa today. Through its events, publications and digital channels it shares insight, instigates debate and facilitates mutual understanding between the UK and Africa. The Society amplifies African voices and interests in academia, business, politics, the arts and education, both in the UK and globally, reaching a worldwide network of nearly three million people.

Oteh said of the appointment: “This is a tremendous opportunity for me to lead such an eminent Council and contribute to the great work that the Royal African Society has been doing for 120 years. The Society offers so many possibilities to learn about Africa, to influence policy, and to showcase the business & cultural opportunities that Africa offers, and thereby help unleash Africa’s enormous potential. Our work will also help strengthen the relationships and partnerships that African countries and the U.K. need, in order to address the im16.48 portant challenges that the world currently faces”.

The Society’s director, Nick Westcott, added: “We are delighted that Arunma has agreed to take on the role of Chair. She is a great champion for Africa and will play a key role in connecting the Society with Africans everywhere and in ensuring their voices are heard. Her extensive experience across business, economic, academic, cultural and political spheres will be invaluable.”

Arunma Oteh is an academic scholar at St. Antony’s College and an executive-in-residence at Saïd Business School (SBS), University of Oxford. She started her career in 1985, at Centre Point Investments Limited, Nigeria. She holds an MBA from Harvard Business School and a BSc, First Class Honours from the University of Nigeria, Nsukka. Oteh has also served on several boards and has received several awards notably Nigeria’s Officer of the Order of Niger (OON) national honour. She was named one of PowerList’s 2020 top 100 people of Black Heritage in the U.K., and one of Africa’s 50 most influential African women by Forbes Africa in March 2020.