Tinubu appoints Akinde, Uz’Okpala as Bank of Industry executive directors

Ifeoma Uz’Okpala (L) and Rotimi Akinde (R)

President Bola Tinubu has appointed Rotimi Akinde and Ifeoma Uz’Okpala as Executive Director, Corporate Finance & Risk Management and Executive Director of, Large Enterprises Directorate respectively to the Bank of Industry (BOI).

In a statement on Tuesday, a spokesman for the bank, Theodora Amechi, said the appointments take immediate effect.

Akinde is a finance professional with over 20 years of Investment and Corporate Banking experience and an extensive track record covering capital raising (Debt, Equities and Hybrids) as well as Corporate Finance (Mergers & Acquisitions, Privatization Advisory and Project Finance).

Before joining the Bank of Industry, he was an Associate Partner, Project & Corporate Finance at the Infrastructure Delivery International (IDI), where he worked on the UKNIAF programme and promoted green finance as well as structured debt solutions for sub-nationals.

He also worked previously as the Corporate Finance Advisor at the Nigeria Infrastructure Advisory Facility (‘NIAF’), providing financing initiatives, modelling and funding structures on infrastructure.

He served within Corporate Banking as the Group Head & Assistant General Manager of multinationals at UBA Plc, before which he was Vice President of Corporate Finance & Advisory at UBA Global Markets (‘now United Capital’).

He was an Assistant Manager at Leadbank Plc, within both the Investment and Corporate Banking Groups.

Uz’Okpala joined BOI in September 2014 as Group Head, of Large Enterprises Credit and later served as the Chief Risk Officer of the Bank before her appointment.

As Chief Risk Officer of the Bank, she played a crucial role in managing and mitigating risks associated with the bank’s operations, while also providing Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) risk support.

She offered invaluable ESG support within transactions and provided the roadmap for attracting impact investments.

Uz’Okpala is a seasoned Credit and Risk Management Professional, with a career spanning over 30 years in the financial sector.

She commenced her career at the International Merchant Bank and progressed through key roles at MBC International, First Bank, Stanbic Bank, and UBA. Her versatile expertise includes Internal Audit, Corporate Finance, Credit Evaluation and Origination, Foreign Operations, and Risk Management.