WorldStage Newsonline– Fidelity Bank Plc, Nigeria’s leading bank on Monday announced the appointment of Engr. Henry Ikem Obih as an Independent Non-Executive Director and Dr. Kenneth Onyewuchi Opara as an Executive Director, of the Bank with effect from September 21, 2020 and January 1, 2021 respectively. Both appointments have been approved by the Central Bank of Nigeria.
A notice at the Nigerian Stock Exchange on Monday said both appointments had been approved by the Central Bank of Nigeria.
“The Board of Fidelity Bank Plc is pleased with the appointments and looks forward to working with both Directors to achieve the Bank’s strategic objectives in the next phase of its growth trajectory,” the bank said.
About Engr. Obih
Engr. Obih was the Group Executive Director/Chief Operating Officer (GED/COO), Downstream, Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) until his retirement in 2019 and was subsequently appointed to the Board of Nigeria Liquefied Natural Gas Limited (NLNG) in July 2020.
He joins the Board of Fidelity Bank Plc with significant cross-functional work experience and exposure spanning over three (3) decades, across different climes including Africa, Europe, Asia and the Americas.
He has extensive experience in project and performance management, manufacturing and operations management, sales and marketing, strategy and business planning/analysis, business development/ re-engineering, general management, corporate governance a n d r i s k management.
Prior to joining NNPC as GED/COO in 2016, Engr. Obih had a stellar 22-year career at Mobil Oil Nigeria (ExxonMobil Nigeria Downstream) and held several high-profile positions in the company including Executive Director, Retail and Executive Director, Operations, Customer Service and Logistics.
His recent leadership roles include board positions at Nigeria Gas Marketing Company Limited, Pipelines and Products Marketing Company Limited, NNPC Retail Limited, NIDAS Marine Limited (a subsidiary of NNPC in joint venture with Daewoo Industries South Korea), NIKORMA Limited (a subsidiary of NNPC in joint venture with Hyundai Heavy Industries South Korea) and Duke Oil Company Inc.; He also served on the Presidential Inter-Ministerial Committee on Road Haulage Reforms. Engr. Obih holds a Bachelor’s d e g r e e in Mechanical Engineering from the University of Nigeria, Nsukka (UNN) and an MBA in Financial Management from the University of Bradford, Yorkshire, England. His professional affiliations include membership of the Institute of Directors, Society for Corporate Governance and Council for the Regulation of Engineering in Nigeria (COREN). He is a Fellow of the Nigerian Society of Engineers, Nigerian Institution of Mechanical Engineers and Institute of Credit Administration, amongst others. In addition, he has attended executive programs in leadership, strategy, finance, corporate governance, and business management at some of the world’s leading institutions including Columbia Business School, New York, Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), IMD Lausanne, Switzerland, London Business School and Lagos Business School, Nigeria.
About Dr. Opara
Dr. Opara has over 29 years’ experience in banking and worked at various financial institutions including legacy Omega Bank Plc, Equatorial Trust Bank Plc and Manny Bank Plc, before joining Fidelity Bank Plc in 2006, following its merger with Manny Bank Plc.
He has held senior management positions in the industry including Divisional Head, Managed SMEs, Multilateral Agencies & Trade Missions; Division Head, SMEs, Electronic and Consumer Banking; Head, Private and Consumer Banking, Head, Affinity Banking and Corporate Consumer Banking; and Head Consumer and Commercial Banking.
He has core banking experience in diverse areas of banking including Credit, Treasury, Retail, Consumer and Commercial Banking, International Operations and Corporate Banking and currently serves as the General Manager/Regional Bank Head, Ikeja Regional Bank of Fidelity Bank Plc.
Dr. Opara’s appointment is in furtherance of the Bank’s succession plan for Executives and the Central Bank’s earlier approval of the appointment of Mrs. Nneka Onyeali-Ikpe (who currently serves as the Executive Director, Lagos & South West Directorate), as the succeeding Managing Director/ Chief Executive Officer of the Bank, with effect from January 1, 2021, upon the retirement of the incumbent MD/CEO, Mr. Nnamdi Okonkwo, on December 31, 2020.
Dr. Opara will assume office on January 1, 2021 as the Executive Director Lagos & South West Directorate.
He holds a Bachelor of Science (B.Sc.) degree in Finance and Master of Business Administration (MBA) from the University of Nigeria, Nsukka and a Ph.D. in Credit Management from International University of Panama. Dr. Opara has attended executive management programs at Harvard Business School, Kellogg School of Management, Wharton, INSEAD and Lagos Business School amongst others. He is a Fellow of the Chartered Institute of Bankers of Nigeria (CIBN) and an active member of the Institute’s Governing Council, where he currently serves as 1st Vice President, having previously served as 2nd Vice President and National Treasurer of the Institute.
