Access Bank appoints new deputy managing director, executive director

Access Bank Plc has appointed Oluseyi Kumapayi as Deputy Managing Director, African Subsidiaries, and Olanrewaju Bamisebi as Executive Director, Information Technology and Digitalisation, as the lender moves to strengthen its operations, profitability and technology-driven services.

The appointments, which took effect on 27 and 28 October, respectively, followed the approval of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), according to a regulatory filing by Sunday Ekwochi, the Group Company Secretary.

Commenting on the appointments, the Group Chairman of Access Holdings, Aigboje Aig-Imoukhuede, said the decisions reflected the group’s strategic priority of translating its extensive banking presence across Africa and beyond into improved performance, operational efficiency and stronger shareholder returns.

“Access Holdings has built a substantial banking franchise across Africa and beyond. Our strategic priority is now to translate that scale into superior performance, greater efficiency, stronger returns on capital and sustainable value for shareholders,” Mr Aig-Imoukhuede said.

He said Mr Kumapayi’s elevation would strengthen the group’s efforts to improve the performance of its African subsidiaries, while Mr Bamisebi’s appointment would bring technology leadership closer to the bank’s operations, customers and commercial priorities.

The Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of Access Bank, Roosevelt Ogbonna, said the lender was focused on building a more productive, efficient and profitable institution through better utilisation of its capital, technology and established market presence.

He said the bank would prioritise improving returns across its African subsidiaries, simplifying technology platforms, strengthening operational reliability and accelerating innovation to improve customer experience at a lower cost.

Access Holdings said the appointments were part of its transition from a strategy focused on scale to one centred on value creation, profitability, capital efficiency and sustainable shareholder returns.

The group said its priority, having established a significant banking presence across Africa and selected international markets, was to maximise the value of its existing operations through improved subsidiary performance, disciplined capital allocation and technology-driven productivity.

It added that transferring executive responsibility for Information Technology and Digitalisation from the holding company to Access Bank was intended to integrate technology transformation more closely with banking operations, customer service, revenue generation and cost management.

The group said the move would accelerate digital transformation, simplify operating platforms, strengthen resilience and improve execution across its banking operations.

Mr Kumapayi was elevated from his previous position as Executive Director, African Subsidiaries, which he had held since November 2020.

He has over 25 years of banking experience spanning financial management, strategy, risk management, treasury and business development.

He joined Access Bank in 2002 and served as Group Chief Financial Officer between 2007 and 2020, where he contributed to strengthening the bank’s financial management and supporting its strategic development.

In his new role, he will retain responsibility for the bank’s African subsidiaries, with an expanded mandate to improve profitability, capital productivity, operational performance and cross-border business integration.

He will also support the Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer in the broader leadership and strategic management of the bank.

Mr Kumapayi is a Fellow of the Institute of Chartered Accountants of Nigeria. He holds an Executive MBA from IMD, Lausanne, and an Executive Master’s degree in Digital Transformation and Innovation Leadership from IE University, Madrid. He also holds degrees from the Universities of Lagos and Ibadan.

Meanwhile, Mr Bamisebi joined the board of Access Bank from Access Holdings, where he previously served as Executive Director, Information Technology and Digitalisation.

He has over 20 years of experience in technology transformation, digital banking, enterprise systems and operational management across the financial services industry and other sectors.

Before joining Access Holdings, he held senior positions at Equity Group Holdings Limited, including Group Director, Information Technology and Operations, and Managing Director of Finserve Africa.

He also served as Group Chief Information Officer at Diamond Bank, alongside other technology leadership positions at major Nigerian institutions.

In his new role, Mr Bamisebi will lead Access Bank’s technology and digitalisation strategy, focusing on improving operational efficiency, modernising technology platforms, strengthening cybersecurity and accelerating digital solutions to improve customer experience.

He holds a bachelor’s degree in Computing and Information Technology from the University of Derby and an MBA from Durham Business School. He is also an alumnus of the Cambridge Judge Business Senior Management Programme.