- Following the demise of Access Holdings Plc's co-founder, Herbert Wigwe, the company has appointed Bolaji Agbede as Acting Group CEO.
- Wigwe, who took over as CEO of Access Holdings Group on March 28, 2022, previously worked for Access Bank in several capacities.
- According to the lender, his growth legacy and operational excellence will continue to shape the Access Group's future endeavours.
Per a filing with the Nigerian Stock Exchange, Agbede previously served as Access Bank's most senior founding Executive Director in charge of business support. It is worth noting that her appointment is subject to the central bank's approval.
On Sunday, February 11, 2024, the company issued a press statement signed by the Group Company Secretary, Sunday Ekwochi, confirming the unfortunate death of Wigwe, the previous CEO.
Tragically, he, along with his wife and son, lost their lives in a helicopter crash that occurred in the United States on Friday, February 9, 2024. The former Chairman of Nigeria Exchange Group, Abimbola Ogunbajo, was also among the occupants of the ill-fated chopper, alongside three others.
A National Transportation Safety Board representative said at a press conference on Sunday that early findings point to unfavourable wintry conditions and precipitation as possible causes of the tragic collision.
On March 28, 2022, Wigwe assumed the Group Chief Executive Officer (GCEO) of Access Holdings. He had previously held several roles at Access Bank, including Deputy Managing Director from 2012 to 2014. Subsequently, he ascended to the position of Group Managing Director and CEO.
Wigwe had a long and illustrious career. He chaired Access Bank (Ghana), Access Investment & Securities Limited, and Central Securities and Clearing System, among other notable positions. He also served as the Chairman of Access Bank Limited and Unified Payments Services Limited.
Meanwhile, Agbede, the newly appointed CEO, has nearly 30 years of professional experience in banking and business consulting services.
Her career commenced in 1992 at Guaranty Trust Bank, where she assumed various roles within the Commercial Banking and Operations sectors, culminating in her promotion to the position of Manager in 2001.
In 2003, she became Chief Executive Officer of JKG Limited, a business consulting firm. Agbede joined Access Bank in 2003 as an Assistant General Manager, overseeing the bank's portfolio of chemical trading companies.
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She became the Head of Group Human Resources from 2010 to 2022. Her performance and leadership led to her appointment as the Company's Founding Executive Director of Business Support in 2022.
Throughout her career, Agbede has demonstrated a proven track record in facilitating successful people integration in business amalgamations and driving culture transformation initiatives.
