First Bank of Nigeria Limited has announced the appointment of Dr. Remi Oni to its Board of Directors as Executive Director(ED), Corporate Banking from April 15, 2016. The bank also announced the retirement of Mr. Abiodun Odubola as ED, effective June 30, 2016.
Odubola’s retirement is to enable him pursue his personal interests. Until this appointment, Oni was ED, Corporate and Institutional Banking, Nigeria and West Africa at Standard Chartered Bank. He also had concurrent primary responsibilities for the international corporates client segment business for Standard Chartered Bank(SCB) in West Africa.
Prior to his appointment as ED in Nigeria and West Africa, Oni held a variety of senior management roles including Executive Director/Head of Origination & Client Coverage at SCB in Uganda and concurrently Regional Head, Network Clients business for SCB in Africa and Head of Local Corporates in SCB Nigeria.
“A seasoned banker with over 24 years experience in Corporate Banking, Corporate Finance, Commercial Banking and Retail Banking, Remi brings to bear on the Board of FirstBank practical skills set in the areas of deals origination and structuring, relationship management, business management and strategy,” according to a statement from the bank.
Oni holds an MBA in Finance from the University of Ilorin, a Doctor of Veterinary Medicine (DVM), as well as Master of Science in Public Health and Preventive Medicine from Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria. He is an honorary member of the Chartered Institute of Bankers of Nigeria (CIBN), a member of the Equipment Leasing Association of Nigeria (ELAN) and the Nigerian Veterinary Medical Association (NVMA). He has also attended trainings in many renowned international institutions, including the prestigious Oxford University and INSEAD, Singapore campus.
On the other hand, Odubola joined the board of First Bank in 2014, after being appointed Chief Risk Officer in 2013. He had previously been Head, Credit Analysis and Processing Department in First Bank and Chief Risk Officer at Ecobank Nigeria Plc. Odubola started his banking career with Citibank over 20 years ago and garnered diverse experience covering relationship management, credit underwriting, credit risk management, country risk management and credit audit within and outside of Nigeria. He brought his varied experience to bear in performing his functions in FirstBank.
While commenting on the developments, the Managing Director/CEO, First Bank of Nigeria Limited and its Subsidiaries, Dr. Adesola Adeduntan, thanked Odubola for his contributions to the development of FirstBank over the years and wished him the best in his future activities.
In welcoming Oni to the Board, Adeduntan said, “Remi’s cognate experience is a perfect fit for our Bank’s expanded corporate banking directorate. I believe he will deliver to our desire to remain at the vanguard of innovation, creativity, enterprise, and service excellence.”