Access Holdings appoints Ms. Bolaji Agbede as Acting CEO, following death of Herbert Wigwe Access Holdings Plc has made a decisive move in leadership continuity by appointing Ms. Bolaji Agbede as the Acting Group Chief Executive Officer. This is in a swift response to the unexpected passing of its former Group Chief Executive Officer, Dr. Herbert Wigwe.
Ms Bolaji Agbede is the new Acting CEO of Access Holdings Plc, following the passing of Hebert Wigwe. This appointment made by the Board of Directors on February 12, 2024 comes as a decisive move to continue the leadership trajectory of the company.
Ms. Agbede, who stands as the most senior founding Executive Director in charge of Business Support within the company, is set to helm the affairs of Access Holdings Plc subject to the approval of the Central Bank of Nigeria. This change marks a significant point in the company’s history as it navigates through the challenges of sudden leadership change.
With an impressive professional background that spans nearly 30 years, Ms. Agbede’s career operations in banking and business consultancy services has equipped her with a rich blend of expertise and strategic acumen. Agbede has played a pivotal role in several successful integrations, including those involving Marina International Bank, Capital Bank, Intercontinental Bank Plc, and the merger between Access Bank Plc and Diamond Bank Plc.
She began her professional career in 1992 at Guaranty Trust Bank, steadily climbed the ranks to managerial positions by 2001 and before becoming the CEO at JKG Limited, a business consulting firm, in 2003. She moved to Access Bank Plc in 2003 as an Assistant General Manager responsible for managing the bank’s portfolio of chemical trading companies.
Her leadership qualities and strategic insight led her to the position of the Bank’s Head, Group Human Resources between 2010 and 2022. She moved upwards to the role of Access Holdings Plc’s founding Executive Director, Business Support, where she played a pivotal role in the successfully integrating business units and the transformation of the company’s culture.
She holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Mathematics and Statistics from the University of Lagos (1990) and a Master of Business Administration Degree from Cranfield University UK in 2002. She is a member of the Chartered Institute of Management UK and the Chartered Institute of Personnel Management of Nigeria.
Agbede champions gender equality and equity, introducing progressive initiatives such as paternity leave, six months’ maternity leave, the Bank’s Crèche, and the Access Women Network. She lends her expertise to non-governmental organizations focused on women’s empowerment, capacity building, and leadership.
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