By Uche Usim
June 1, 2024 would remain memorable in the history of Zenith Bank Plc.
It is a day its first woman and young amazon, Dr Adaora Umeoji, who youths adore and look up to for mentorship and guidance, would mount the saddle as the Group Managing Director of the bank.
Her appointment, announced in March in acting capacity, was greeted with wild jubilation.
The news resonated across the finance industry, especially being the first woman to head the financial behemoth since its inception in May 1990.
She succeeds Dr Ebenezer Onyeagwu, who completed his successful five-year term on May 31, 2024.
Umeoji, a proud recipient of the prestigious Officer of the Order of the Niger award, is expected to take navigate the tempestuous banking sector terrain to grow the fortunes of the financial giant and take it to the next level.
According to its audited financial results for the 2023 financial year presented to the Nigerian Exchange (NGX), it made a triple-digit growth in gross earnings resulted in a Year-on-Year (YoY) increase of 180% in Profit Before Tax (PBT) from NGN284. 7 billion in 2022 to NGN796 billion in 2023.
Shareholders and depositors alike are expectant of better days ahead as Umeoji is an insider with robust grasp of the challenges facing the bank and as such knows how to captain the ship.
She possesses shimmering academic credentials and has chalked up an impressive 30 years of unblemished banking record.
26 of those years were at Zenith Bank where she rose through the ranks to become the Deputy Managing Director on October 28, 2016; a position she held dutifully till her current elevation.
Umeoji graduated from the Harvard Business School, completing the Advanced Management Programme (AMP), and from Columbia Business School with a Certificate in the Global Banking Program. Additionally, she holds a bachelor’s degree in Sociology from the University of Jos, a bachelor’s degree in accounting and graduated with First-Class honors in Law from Baze University, Abuja. Furthermore, she obtained a Master of Laws from the University of Salford, United Kingdom, an MBA from the University of Calabar, and holds a doctorate in business administration from Apollos University in the USA.
More so, she received a Certificate in Economics for Business from the renowned MIT Sloan School of Management in the USA and has participated in various management programs at prestigious universities worldwide. These include the strategic thinking and Management programme at Wharton Business School, USA. She also completed the executive program in Strategic Management and obtained a Certificate in Leading Global Business, all from Harvard Business School, USA.
She is a member of respected professional organizations such as the Chartered Banker Institute, UK, Chartered Institute of Bankers of Nigeria, Nigerian Institute of Management, Institute of Credit Administration, Institute of Certified Public Accountants of Nigeria, Institute of Chartered Mediators and Conciliators, and the Institute of Chartered Secretaries and Administrators of Nigeria, among others.
She has made a significant impact on numerous lives through her philanthropic and humanitarian endeavors with her NGOs, the Pink Breathe Cancer Foundation, and the Adorable Foundation. These organizations focus on educating and supporting cancer patients and underprivileged children, particularly girls. Her dedication to humanity was acknowledged by the Sun Newspaper, which recently honored her with the Humanitarian Service Icon Award for 2023.
Driven by her commitment to enhancing professionalism in the banking sector and uplifting the less fortunate, Dr Adaora Umeoji, established the Catholic Bankers Association of Nigeria (CBAN). Through this platform, she advocates for ethical banking practices and serves humanity.
With a remarkable history of excellence and a commitment to innovation, Dame Adaora Umeoji is set to steer Zenith Bank towards a new era of growth and success. Her extensive experience in the financial sector, combined with her visionary leadership approach, positions her perfectly for this role.
This famous banker has provided and continues to provide scholarships to numerous deserving children, giving them the opportunity to pursue education in Nigeria and abroad.
Alongside her siblings, she has used the late Hon. Andy and Chief Lady Ngozi Umeoji Foundation to undertake various charitable and humanitarian activities, including scholarships for intelligent and indigent students, support for young entrepreneurs, skill acquisition training, and relief materials for widows, the elderly, and those in need.
For her uncommon philanthropy, she not only received a commendation from Pope Francis in 2020 but also honoured with a distinguished PAPAL DAME OF SAINT SYLVESTER THE POPE.
Lady Adaora Umeoji is passionate about making life better for the needy and uplifting the society through charity works. She was recently celebrated as The Sun Humanitarian Service Icon 2023.
