TheCable

The United Bank for Africa (UBA) has appointed Oliver Alawuba (pictured) as its chief executive officer to oversee its operations in 20 African countries excluding Nigeria.

Alawuba succeeds Victor Osadolor, who is retiring from the bank’s board after nine years of service.

According to a statement released by the bank, the new CEO has close to three decades of banking industry experience and was the former regional CEO, UBA Africa before returning to Nigeria to run UBA’s East Bank division.

Abdoul-Aziz Dia, a Senegalese, was also appointed as executive director for treasury and international banking, subject to the approval of the Central Bank of Nigeria.

Dia, who is the first non-Nigerian group executive director of the bank, will be responsible for UBA’s network of operations in New York, London and Paris, together with group treasury.

Chukwuma Nweke, the current executive director operations, has been made the group executive director for retail and payments.

The bank’s board also appointed  Chiugo Ndubisi as the group chief operating officer, subject to the approval of the Central Bank of Nigeria.

Ndubisi is said to have almost three decades of banking experience that includes the role of chief finance officer(CFO).

Speaking on the appointments, Tony Elumelu, the group chairman, said: “These appointments emphasise the group’s commitment to our pan-African and global network, our huge retail client base and our operational infrastructure.

“We are focused on improving our efficiency and further strengthening our pan-African mission, using the extraordinary pool of talent and experience available in the group.”

Elumelu thanked Osadolor, the outgoing deputy managing director/CEO, and Emeke Iweriebor, the former regional CEO for UBA in east and southern Africa, who just retired from the board, for their contributions to the bank.

“Victor and Emeke were key players during the merger of Standard Trust Bank and UBA and have been valuable contributors to the growth of the bank. We wish them well.”

The bank recently reformed its grade structure and technology teams, reducing its grade structure from 16 to 12 levels, at the end of 2019.