One of the leading Nigerian financial institutions, Access Bank, has appointed an interim CEO following the death of Herbert Wigwe, the CEO, in a helicopter accident last Friday, along with five others.
Access Holdings Plc, the parent company, announced that Bolaji Agbede, a senior founding executive director of the bank, will serve as acting CEO. Agbede, who joined Access Bank in 2003, brings nearly 30 years of experience in banking and business consultancy to the role.
She is a seasoned professional with many years of experience in Human Resources management, customer relationship management, and banking operations. She has a track record of successfully integrating people during mergers and acquisitions, leading culture transformations, and executing corporate strategies.
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Beginning her career at Guaranty Trust Bank, Agbede held roles such as Relationship Manager and Vault Custodian, progressing rapidly from Executive Trainee in 1992 to Manager in 2001. Agbede later served as the Chief Executive Officer of JKG Limited, a business consulting firm, in 2003.
Agbede holds a bachelor’s degree in Mathematics and Statistics from the University of Lagos (1990) and earned a Master of Business Administration degree from Cranfield University in 2002, according to Access Bank.
She is a member of the Chartered Institute of Management UK and the Chartered Institute of Personnel Management of Nigeria.
Agbede has 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.
Wigwe lost his life alongside his wife and son in a helicopter accident while en route from Palm Springs to Boulder City in Nevada, approximately 96km (60 miles) from Las Vegas.
The 57-year-old banker was reportedly heading to Las Vegas to attend the Super Bowl on Sunday.
Wigwe, who founded Access Bank in 1989, played a pivotal role in its growth, leading it to become one of Nigeria’s largest banks by 2018, following its acquisition of its main competitor, Diamond Bank.
