By Eric Elezuo
“I am grateful for the opportunity to lead this great institution and would like to thank the UBA Group chairman and the members of the board of directors for the confidence they have put in me to deliver the mandate”
If there is a fact that is visible to all and sundry in the banking industry, it is the fact the one of Nigeria’s biggest banks, the United Bank of Africa (UBA), a multinational pan-African financial services group, is versed with the churning out of great talents, who are able to hold their own wherever they found themselves. One of such individuals, who has distinguished himself in the field is the new helmsman of the banking conglomerate, Mr. Oliver Alawuba
Oliver Alawuba was appointed as group Managing Director effective August 1, 2022, subject to approval by the Central Bank of Nigeria, and was officially unveiled on August 2, 2022.
Alawuba, who joined UBA in 1997 and has held a series of senior positions, including as the CEO of UBA Ghana, the CEO of UBA, Africa and, most recently, as group deputy managing director, will in the new role Alawuba oversee all the group’s banking operations across its 20 African country network and globally in the United Kingdom, the United States of America, France, and the United Arab Emirates.
Alawuba is not a run off the mill financial expert, as he has duly paid his dues in the sector, rising steady across positions and hierarchy. No wonder the Chairman of the Group, Tony Elumelu, expressed his absolute pleasure and confidence at his choice as the new helmsman of the Group.
He said: “Oliver has extensive experience in Nigeria and our African network and is well equipped to advance our pan-African and global strategy. I have no doubt that Oliver will build on the legacy of Kennedy Uzoka, who has exemplified transformational leadership by championing a customer-first philosophy; launching our 20th operation in Africa, UBA Mali; acquiring a wholesale banking licence for UBA UK in the United Kingdom; and opening our fourth global operation, UBA Dubai, in the United Arab Emirates.”
Alawuba’s rise in the conglomerate has been legendary since January 2014, when he became the Chief Executive Officer, UBA West Africa; a position he held till December of the same year, when he was elevated as a result pure efficiency, to Directorate Head, Public Sector and Personal Banking in January 2015. Like the previous position, he distinguished himself, and was further elevated to the post of Regional CEO, UBA Anglophone Africa in January 2016. This time, his speed of delivery was turbocharged as he proved himself within seven months.
In August 2016, he became the Executive Director, UBA Anglophone Africa, and held sway in the position till February 2018 before assuming the position of Executive Director, East Bank Nigeria in March 2018 till June 2020 when he became the Deputy Managing Director/CEO UBA Rest of Africa. It was in this position that Alawuba was found worthy to assume the prestigious post of the Managing Director/CEO of the UBA group on August 1, 2022.
It is worthy knowing that under his leadership, UBA’s Nigerian East Bank division became the fastest growing regional bank in the Group.
Alawuba will be assisted in the capacity of the deputy managing director by Muyiwa Akinyemi, who joined the group in 1998, and a host of other executive directors.
Alawuba is not new to the operations of banking across Africa as well as the Tony Elumelu’s UBA. He has close to three decades of banking industry experience.
A seasoned banking professional, Oliver had supervised the Bank’s Public Sector and Personal Banking businesses over the years, and directed the development and execution of the leading financial services group’s long-term pan-African and global strategy in its 20 African countries, as well as the United Kingdom, the United States of America, France, and the United Arab Emirates.
Alawuba is versed in Commercial Banking, Retail Banking, Investment Banking, Public Sector Financial Management, Corporate Finance Business Strategy, and Project Management Business Transformation.
He is a member of the Association of Bank Directors in Nigeria and also a Catholic Knight. He is also a member of the Chartered Institute of Bankers of Nigeria as well as the Nigeria Institute of Directors and Nigeria Institute of Management.
United Bank for Africa is one of the largest employers in the financial sector on the African continent, with 25,000 employees group wide and serving over 35 million customers globally. Operating in twenty African countries and in the United Kingdom, the United States of America, France and the United Arab Emirates, UBA provides retail, commercial and institutional banking services, leading financial inclusion and implementing cutting edge technology.
Oliver speaks Igbo and English languages fluently, and is happily married with a thriving family, We, at the Boss congratulate you for achieving milestone achievement in your chosen banking industry.
Congratulations sir!
