Access Bank, Nigeria’s largest asset-holding bank, has named Bolaji Agbede as interim CEO following the death of co-founder and former CEO, Herbert Wigwe. Wigwe tragically passed away in a helicopter crash on February 9, 2024.
The appointment of Ms. Agbede aligns with our strong succening practices.
Abubakar Jimoh, the company’s chairman, stated, “The appointment of Ms. Agbede aligns with our strong succession planning practices. We are confident that Ms. Agbede, with her extensive professional, leadership experience, and deep understanding of Access culture, will effectively lead the company towards achieving its strategic goals.”
This interim appointment awaits approval from the Central Bank of Nigeria, as announced by Sunday Ekwochi, the company’s secretary.
Ms. Agbede joined Access Bank in 2003 as an Assistant General Manager, managing the bank’s chemical trading companies. She was the Head of HR for Access Holdings Group from 2010 to 2022, focusing on human capital development. In 2022, she was appointed as the founding executive director for business support, a role she held until her current appointment.
Ms. Agbede completed her undergraduate studies in Mathematics and Statistics at the University of Lagos in 1990 and went on to earn a Master of Business Administration from Cranfield University in 2002. She holds memberships in the Chartered Institute of Management UK and the Chartered Institute of Personnel Management of Nigeria. Furthermore, she has enhanced her leadership and professional skills through prestigious programs such as the High-Performance Leadership Programme at IMD and the Strategic Talent Management Programme at the London Business School.
