In a recent announcement, Access Holdings Plc, Access Bank’s parent business, announced that Bolaji Agbede, the bank’s acclaimed senior founding executive director, will serve as CEO on an interim basis.
Following the death of Herbert Wigwe, Co-founder and previous Chief Executive Officer of Access Holding, the Board has appointed Ms Bolaji Agbede as interim CEO. This move is consistent with the bank’s comprehensive succession planning policies, as emphasised by Abubakar Jimoh, Chairman of the Board.
Ms. Agbede joined Access Bank in 2003. She has approximately 30 years of expertise in banking and business consulting.
“We are strongly convinced that Ms Agbede, being the company’s most senior executive with exceptionally rich, professional and leadership experience and the understanding of the Access culture, would provide the much-needed leadership to steer the company towards the attainment of its strategic vision”
According to the company’s secretary, Sunday Ekwochi, Bolaji Agbede’s nomination is subject to Central Bank of Nigeria confirmation.
Following the devastating news of the death of Access Holdings’ former CEO, the company’s share price fell 6.26% on Monday. Access Holding (ACCESSCORP) was the most actively traded stock on the Nigerian Exchange during the last week.
Herbert Wigwe’s death
Wigwe’s hired helicopter crashed while flying from Palm Springs to Boulder City, Nevada, roughly 96 kilometres (60 miles) from Las Vegas.
Local media stated that the 57-year-old businessman was on his way to Las Vegas to attend Sunday’s Super Bowl.
Wigwe established Access Bank in 1989 and grew to become one of Nigeria’s major banks in 2018 after acquiring its primary competitor, Diamond Bank.
Dr. Wigwe’s achievements
Dr. Wigwe served on the board of both Access Bank UK and the Nigerian Business Coalition Against AIDS (NiBUCAA). He has long advocated for the eradication of malaria in Africa, collaborating with the Corporate Alliance on Malaria to achieve this goal.
He also served on the boards of the Nigerian Mortgage Refinance Company and Friends Africa, was an honorary member of the Chartered Institute of Bankers of Nigeria, and a fellow of the Institute of Chartered Accountants of Nigeria and the Institute of Credit Administration.
