Access Corporation, the parent company of Access Bank, Nigeria’s largest bank by assets, has appointed Bolaji Agbede as interim CEO, just two days after the tragic death of Herbert Wigwe, the founding Group CEO. The announcement was made by Access Holdings on Tuesday morning, with Abubakar Jimoh, the chairman of Access Holdings, stating that Agbede’s appointment aligns with their robust succession planning practices.
The sudden demise of Herbert Wigwe, along with his wife, son, and three others in a helicopter crash bound for Las Vegas, led to a 6.26% decline in the share price of Access Holdings on Monday. Access Bank’s Group CEO position is crucial, and the appointment of Agbede is seen as a strategic move to provide the much-needed leadership during this challenging time.
Agbede, an executive director at Access Corporation, has been with Access Bank for 21 years, previously serving as the bank’s most senior founding Executive Director in Business Support. She brings a wealth of experience, holding a bachelor’s degree in Mathematics and Statistics from the University of Lagos (1990) and a Master of Business Administration degree from Cranfield University in 2002. Additionally, Agbede is a member of the Chartered Institute of Management UK and the Chartered Institute of Personnel Management of Nigeria.
Her appointment as Acting Group CEO is subject to regulatory approvals by the Central Bank of Nigeria. Agbede’s diverse professional background includes over 27 years of experience in Human Resources management, customer relationship management, and banking operations. She has a successful track record in people integration during mergers and acquisitions, culture transformation, and executing corporate strategies.
Before her latest role, Agbede served as the bank’s head of Group Human Resources for 12 years, showcasing her leadership skills and expertise in managing the human capital of Access Bank.
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