Adaora Umeoji Becomes First Female CEO Of Zenith Bank.
Zenith Bank Plc has appointed Dr. Adaora Umeoji, a renowned banker, to the positions of Group Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer.
Michael Otu, the company secretary, announced the appointment in a statement filed with the Nigerian Exchange Limited on Tuesday.
The present GMD, Dr. Ebenezer Onyeagwu, will step down from his position on May 31, 2024, and Umeoji will replace him starting June 1, 2024.
“Dame (Dr) Adaora Umeoji is the first female GMDCEO since the inception of the bank, and her appointment is consistent with the bank’s executive transition tradition, succession plan, and strategy of grooming leaders from within,” the statement read.
Having served as the bank's Deputy Managing Director since October 28, 2016, Umeoji brings approximately 30 years of banking expertise, 26 of which have been with Zenith Bank, to her new role.
She graduated from the Advanced Management Programme at Harvard Business School. Along with her MBA, Umeoji has a Certificate from Columbia Business School's Global Banking Program.
She has a BA in Sociology from Jos University, an AB in accounting, and an LLB with first class honours from Abuja's Baze University.
Her academic credentials include an MA in law from the UK's University of Salford, an MBA from Nigeria's University of Calabar, and an MBA from the USA's Apollos University.
Umeoji has completed a number of management programs at esteemed universities throughout the world, including the strategic thinking and management program at Wharton Business School in the United States, and she has a Certificate in Economics for Business from the famed MIT Sloan School of Management in the United States.