Zenith Bank Plc has appointed Dame (Dr.) Adaora Umeoji, OON, as the Group Managing Director/Chief Executive Officer, effective June 1, 2024.
Dr. Umeoji will succeed Dr. Ebenezer Onyeagwu, whose successful tenure ends on May 31, 2024, after five years.
With this appointment, Dr. Umeoji becomes the first female GMD/CEO in the bank’s history.
Dr. Umeoji brings nearly thirty years of extensive banking experience to her new role, with a remarkable twenty-six-year tenure at Zenith Bank.
She has been Deputy Managing Director since October 28, 2016, and has played a pivotal role in the bank’s growth and success during her tenure.
Her academic credentials include qualifications from prestigious institutions such as Harvard Business School, Columbia Business School, University of Salford, and Apollos University.
She is a fellow of several professional bodies. She has been recognized for her outstanding contributions to nation-building, including being honoured with the Officer of the Order of the Niger (OON) by the Federal Government of Nigeria in 2022.
Dr. Umeoji is also a Peace Advocate of the United Nations (UN-POLAC). She has made significant contributions to society through her NGOs, the Pink Breathe Cancer Foundation and the Adorable Foundation.
”Her exemplary leadership qualities, coupled with her unwavering commitment to ethical banking and humanitarian causes, make her a fitting choice to lead Zenith Bank into its next phase of growth and innovation.
”Dr. Adaora Umeoji’s appointment symbolizes a new era of diversity and inclusivity at the highest levels of leadership within the banking industry,” the bank said in a statement.