Netizens celebrate Dr Adaora Umeoji, Zenith Bank’s first female GMD/CEO

‘Adaora Umeoji’ has been among the top 10 trending topics on Nigerian X (Twitter) for the greater part of today following the announcement of Dr. Adaora Umeoji as the first female Group Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer (GMD/CEO) by the bank’s board.

A statement issued by the bank’s secretary, Michael Otu, said her appointment is in tune with the bank’s tradition and succession strategy of grooming leaders from within.

Zenith Bank in a statement at the Nigerian Exchange Limited (NGX) on Tuesday said Umeoji’s appointment will take effect from June 1, 2024.

The bank said Adaora Umeoji will replace Ebenezer Onyeagwu whose five-year tenure as GMD/CEO ends on May 31.

Nigerians online cannot seem to have enough of the news. They have been celebrating the news and posting the lady’s achievements to underscore the fact that she has spent the last few years preparing for the role.

Among those who have greeted her online is a presidential aspirant at the last general elections, Mr. Peter Obi.

He wrote on Twitter:

“I sincerely congratulate my very Dear Sister, Adaora Umeoji, on her elevation as the new Group Managing Director/Chief Executive Officer of Zenith Bank Plc. Her appointment by the board, to this high profile position is a bold testament to her hardwork commitment to duty and her innovative leadership ability. The well deserved appointment also attests to her merit, through years of knowledge and experience. She stands as a beacon of inspiration to young girls and women, a proof that success is not gender based.

There is no doubt that she will leverage on her knowledge and experience to continue to contribute to the growth of the banking and finance sector in the country, and our economy in general.

I wish her well on her new position and I pray God to give her the strength, wisdom and grace to lead Zenith Bank to greater heights. –PO”

Here are 10 few things to know about Adaora Umeoji:

1. Umeoji was the Deputy Managing Director (DMD) of Zenith Bank from October 28, 2016.
2. She has over 30 years of experience in banking of which 26 years has been with Zenith Bank.
3. She is an alumnus of the prestigious Harvard Business School where she attended the Advanced Management Program (AMP) and an alumnus of Columbia Business School with a Certificate in the Global Banking Program.
4. She holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Sociology from the University of Jos, a Bachelor’s Degree in Accounting and a First-Class honors in Law from Baze University, Abuja.
5. She holds a Master of Laws from the University of Salford, United Kingdom, a Master in Business Administration (MBA) from the University of Calabar, and also has a doctorate in business administration from Apollos University, USA.
6. She holds a Certificate in Economics for Business from the prestigious MIT Sloan School of Management, USA, and has attended various management programmes in renowned Universities around the world including the strategic thinking and Management programme at Wharton Business School, USA.
7. She also attended the executive program in Strategic Management, and has a Certificate in Leading Global Business all from Harvard Business School, USA.”
8. Umeoji is also a fellow of notable professional bodies including the Chartered Banker Institute, UK; Chartered Institute of Bankers of Nigeria, and the Nigerian Institute of Management, among others.
9. She is a peace advocate of the United Nations (UN-POLAC).
10. The new CEO is the founder of the Catholic Bankers Association of Nigeria (CBAN), a platform she uses to promote ethical banking and service to humanity.