Wigwe’s successor: Why we chose Agbede – Access Holdings

Access Holdings Plc has said the choice of Ms. Bolaji Agbede as the Acting Group Chief Executive Officer of the company was in alignment with its succession planning practice.

Commenting on the appointment, the Chairman of the company, Abubakar Jimoh, in a filing to Nigerian Exchange Group, NGX, noted that Ms. Agbede is the company’s most Senior Executive with exceptionally rich, professional and leadership experience and understanding of the Access culture.

He said the acting GCEO will provide the leadership to steer the company towards the attainment of its strategic vision of building a globally connected community and ecosystem.

“The appointment of Ms. Agbede is in alignment with our robust succession planning practices. We are strongly convinced that Ms. Agbede, being the company’s most Senior Executive with exceptionally rich, professional and leadership experience and understanding of the Access culture, would provide the much-needed leadership to steer the company towards the attainment of its strategic vision of building a globally connected community and ecosystem, inspired by Africa for the world,” he said.

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Daily Trust reports that Agbede was appointed following the demise of the former Group Chief Executive Officer, Dr. Herbert Wigwe, in a helicopter crash alongside his wife, Doreen; son, Chizi; and a former chairman of the Nigeria Exchange Group, Abimboloa Ogunbanjo on Friday in California, United States.

A statement made by the company’s Board of Directors and dated February 12, 2024, stated that the appointment was subject to the approval of the Central Bank of Nigeria.

“Further to its announcement dated February 11, 2024, the Board of Directors of Access Holdings Plc (‘the Company’) has today announced the appointment of Ms Bolaji Agbede as the Acting Group Chief Executive Officer of the Company following the unfortunate demise of its former Group Chief Executive Officer, Dr Herbert Wigwe, on February 9, 2024.

“The appointment is subject to the approval of the Central Bank of Nigeria,” the statement signed by the Group Company Secretary, Sunday Ekwochi, read in part.

Until her recent appointment, Ms Agbede was the company’s most senior founding Executive Director in charge of business support.

She has nearly three decades of professional experience cutting across banking and business consultancy services.

She commenced her professional career in 1992 at Guaranty Trust Bank and served in various capacities within the commercial banking and operations functions rising to the position of manager in 2001.

Agbede joined Access Bank in 2003 as an assistant general manager and was responsible for managing the Bank’s portfolio of chemical trading companies.

She became the head of human resources for the Access Bank Group in 2010, overseeing the human capital development of the Group. She held the position until June 2022 when she was appointed the executive director of Access Holdings after the bank transitioned to a holding company.

Ms. Agbede formerly served as the Chief Executive Officer of JKG Limited, a business consulting outfit, in 2003.