Zenith Bank Plc has appointed Dr Adaora Umeoji as the Group Managing Director/ Chief Executive of the bank.
Gatekeepers News reports that the Board Directors of the bank made this announcement, which was shared with the Nigerian Exchange Limited and the investment public.
The appointment will be effective from June 1, 2024, subject to Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) approval. Dr Umeoji will take over from Dr. Ebenezer Onyeagwu, who will complete his tenure on May 31, 2024.
Dr Umeoji has been the bank’s Deputy Managing Director since October 28, 2016, and has almost thirty years of banking experience, with 26 of them being with Zenith Bank.
She is an alumnus of Harvard Business School, where she attended the Advanced Management Program (AMP), and Columbia Business School, where she obtained a Certificate in the Global Banking Program.
Additionally, she holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Sociology from the University of Jos, a Bachelor’s Degree in Accounting, and a First-Class Honors in Law from Baze University, Abuja.
She also has a Master of Laws from the University of Salford, a Master in Business Administration (MBA) from the University of Calabar, and a doctorate in Business Administration from Apollos University, USA.
Dr Umeoji has attended various management programs in renowned universities worldwide, including the Strategic Thinking and Management Program at Wharton Business School, USA.
She has a Certificate in Economics for Business from the prestigious MIT Sloan School of Management, USA, a Certificate in Leading Global Business, and has also attended the Executive Program in Strategic Management, all from Harvard Business School, USA.
Dr Umeoji’s professional accolades include being a fellow of notable professional bodies such as the Chartered Banker Institute, UK, Chartered Institute of Bankers of Nigeria, Nigerian Institute of Management, Institute of Credit Administration, Institute of Certified Public Accountants of Nigeria, Institute of Chartered Mediators and Conciliators, and the Institute of Chartered Secretaries and Administrators of Nigeria.
In 2022, the Federal Government of Nigeria recognized Dr. Umeoji’s contributions to nation-building, awarding her the Officer of the Order of the Niger. She is also a Peace Advocate of the United Nations (UN-POLAC).
Dr Umeoji’s philanthropic and humanitarian activities have impacted many lives through her NGOs, Pink Breathe Cancer Foundation and the Adorable Foundation. Her contributions to humanity were recognized by the Sun Newspaper, which recently awarded her the Humanitarian Service Icon Award for 2023.
Dr Adaora Umeoji, OON, founded the Catholic Bankers Association of Nigeria (CBAN) as a platform to promote ethical banking and service to humanity. She is a Lady of the Order of Knights of St. John International (KSJI) and was awarded a Papal Knight of the Order of St. Sylvester by His Holiness Pope Francis.
