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Meet New Access Holding Interim CEO, Bolaji Agbede
By Oluchukwu Ikemefuna
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Access Holdings has appointed a new acting CEO, Bolaji Agbede. This was decided on Sunday, this February, but before she can officially take on the role, her appointment needs to be approved by the Central Bank of Nigeria, as stated by Sunday Ekwochi, the company’s secretary.
Unfortunately, the reason for this change in leadership is quite tragic. The former Group Chief Executive Officer of Access Holdings, Wigwe, along with his wife, son, and a former Group Chairman of the Nigerian Exchange Group, Abimbola Ogunbanjo, were involved in a helicopter crash in the US over the weekend. It’s truly heartbreaking to hear about such a devastating loss.
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Effect of Former CEO’s Death On Access Holdings
Following this tragic news, the share price of Access Holdings experienced a decline of 6.26% on Monday. Access Holdings, also known as ACCESSCORP, had been the highest traded stock on the Nigerian Exchange in the past week, but this unfortunate incident had a significant impact on its performance.
These circumstances played a role in the decision to appoint Bolaji Agbede as the acting CEO. With enough experience in her arsenal, she is likely the best fit for the position. In 1992, she joined Guaranty Trust Bank. Over the years, she took on various roles within the commercial banking and operations sectors and eventually earned a promotion to the position of manager in 2001. Then, in 2003, she made the move to Access Bank.
At Access Bank, she served as the most senior founding executive director in business support for two years. She had an impressive tenure of 21 years at Access Bank, initially joining as the Assistant General Manager, where she oversaw the organization’s chemical trading companies.
During her time at Access Bank, from 2010 to 2022, she held the role of Head of HR for the Access Holdings Group, focusing on the development of human capital. In 2022, she took on the position of the founding executive director for business support, which she held until her recent appointment as the interim CEO.
It’s clear that she has had a remarkable career within the organization, starting from her early days overseeing chemical trading companies to her current role as the interim CEO. She has made a positive and great impact on Access Bank.
A detailed overview of her educational background and professional experience
She obtained a bachelor’s degree in mathematics and statistics from the University of Lagos in 1990. Later, in 2002, she earned a Master of Business Administration degree from Cranfield University. She’s also a member of the Chartered Institute of Management UK and the Chartered Institute of Personnel Management of Nigeria.
Ms. Agbede has actively participated in prestigious leadership and professional development programs, including the High-Performance Leadership Programme by IMD and the Strategic Talent Management Programme by the London Business School. These programs have helped enhance her skills and knowledge in leadership and talent management.
Her Effect on Access Holding Group from Years Back
With over 27 years of experience, she has a diverse professional background in human resources management, customer relationship management, and banking operations. She has successfully led people integration during mergers and acquisitions, facilitated culture transformation, and executed corporate strategies.
Previously, she served as the head of Group Human Resources at the bank for 12 years, from 2010 to 2022. Her extensive experience and understanding of the Access culture made her the ideal choice for the role of acting CEO. The decision to appoint her aligns with the bank’s robust succession planning practices, as emphasized by Abubakar Jimoh, the chairman of the company. However, the appointment is still subject to the approval of the Central Bank of Nigeria.
It’s clear that Ms. Agbede brings a wealth of experience, leadership, and understanding to her new role as acting CEO. We’ll be anticipating to see how she will lead the company towards its strategic vision.
