The Board of Directors of Access Bank Plc has approved the appointment of Mr. Herbert Wigwe to succeed Aigboje Aig-Imoukhuede as the new Group Managing Director/Chief Executive Officer of the bank while the current occupier of the office, Aigboje Aig-Imoukhede prepares to leave.
Aig-Imoukhuede, 46, will retire this year after more than 11 years with the bank. Already, there are reports that he is scheming to take over as the Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria since Lamido Sanusi, the current governor, has declared that he will not seek reappointment when his current term expires.
In a statement signed by the bank’s spokesman, Olusegun Fafore, Access said the board had granted the approval for Wigwe to replace Aig-Imoukhuede The statement quoted Chairman of the bank, Mr. Gbenga Oyebode as having appreciated Aigboje Aig-Imoukhede’s efforts on behalf of the management and staff of the bank.
“On behalf of the Board of Directors and our employees, I would like to appreciate Aigboje’s unwavering commitment to excellence and sustainable business practices, which have propelled us to a position of leadership in Nigeria and the sub-region. His vision, integrity and enterprise have earned him local and international recognition,” he wrote.
“Having received the necessary regulatory approvals, I am pleased to announce that Mr. Herbert Wigwe, currently Group Deputy Managing Director, has been appointed CEO designate and will succeed Aigboje Aig-Imoukhuede at the end of 2013.
“In line with the Bank’s robust succession planning policies, Aigboje and Herbert will spend the next six months to implement a seamless handover,” the statement said.
Confirming his retirement at the end of this year, Aig-Imoukhuede said: “The first chapter of Access Bank’s remarkable transformation story has been completed and I will retire satisfied and giving God all the glory for the successes recorded during my tenure.
“I thank the Chairman, Mr. Oyebode, other members of our Board and all my colleagues in the bank for their wonderful support.
Early in 2012, I disclosed to our Board of Directors about my desire to retire at the end of 2013, pursuant to which the Board of Directors unanimously decided that Herbert Wigwe would be the next CEO of Access Bank. He has been an outstanding deputy to me and has a complete understanding of our strategies, culture, technology and competitive environment.
“Importantly, he has strong relationships with our entire management team and customers. We believe that Herbert’s background and skills make him a perfect fit to lead Access Bank as we enter the next chapter of our transformation.
In his acceptance, Wigwe said he was excited to take on the new role.
“Access Bank has incredibly talented employees and is in a strong position to further its leadership in the industry. I look forward to leading Access Bank in years ahead and helping to make it even stronger than it is today.
“I would like to thank the Board for their strong endorsement and the opportunity to lead this great institution. I look forward to meeting our employees, customers, and shareholders across our various markets in the weeks and months ahead.”
Herbert Wigwe had worked as Executive Director responsible for Corporate Banking in Guaranty Trust Bank Plc. It was from there he resigned in 2002 and joined in transforming Access Bank Plc as Group Deputy Managing Director.
Herbert is an alumnus of Harvard Business School, a Fellow of the Institute of Chartered Accountants of Nigeria (ICAN) and holds a Masters Degree in Banking and International Finance from the University College of North Wales and Financial Economics from the University of London respectively.
