According
to reports from VENTURES AFRICA the under-listed are the topmost chief
execs in Nigeria for the year 2013. According to the reports these CEOs
made outstanding improvements that saw the profits rolling in for their
organisations .
These CEOs have been credited because they have been able to make a
difference in highly competitive markets. They have demonstrated
effective management capabilities through hardwork, resilience,
research, an understanding of the Nigeria business climate, as they
moved their companies forward. In no respective order, here goes
.
Chidi Okoro
GlaxoSmithKline Consumer Nigeria plc
Industry: Drug & Pharmaceutical
Chidi Okoro became the Chief Executive Officer and Managing Director
of GlaxoSmithKline Consumer Nigeria plc in 2012. He is the first
Nigerian managing Director of GlaxoSmithKline Consumer Nigeria plc since
inception in 1971. Prior to that time, he has served as the general
Manager and Director of the company. He is credited for being a member
of the team that helped the company achieved a turnover of N9.9 billion
in 2007 which was driven to an all-time high of N15 billion as at 3rd
December, 2009 while he worked as the company’s Sales Director. Chidi’s
leadership has help transform the fortunes of GSK immensely by elevating
it to remain on the cutting edge as a sector and market leader. He was
recently awarded the prestigious Most Outstanding CEO of the Year Award
at the recently held 2013 PEARL Awards Nigeria while his company won the
Sectoral Leadership Award in the Health Care (pharmaceutical) category
at the event. PEARL Awards recognises individuals and quoted companies
on the floor of the Nigerian Stock Exchange who have contributed
significantly to the growth of the exchange and the Nigerian business
environment in general. Under his leadership, GSK Nigeria bagged the
first Best Workplace in the Fast Moving Consumer Goods (FMCGs) company’s
category on the Great Place to Work Trust Index (large companies) for
Nigeria for year 2013. The company was also ranked fourth Best Workplace
on the overall in Nigeria on the index.
Michael Ikpoki
MTN Nigeria
Industry: Information and Communication Technology
Michael Ikpoki achieved a landmark this year when he was appointed
the CEO of MTN Nigeria, the first Nigerian to achieve this feat in MTN
Group – the country’s largest mobile operator by subscriber. Ikpoki has
been described as “A seasoned business executive, with an academic
profile that includes General Management Programme at Harvard Business
School; Sales, from INSEAD Business School; Finance and Analytics, from
Lagos Business School and LLB from Rivers State University of Science
and Technology.”
A pioneer staff of the company, Ikpoki joined the group as a Regulatory
Advisor in 2001 after a six-year stint in the Legal Department of the
Nigeria Communications Commisssion (NCC). He has formerly served as the
company’s Director and CEO in Ghana after successfully running MTN
Nigeria’s Sales and Distribution channel as its Executive from 2006.
According to US-based technology market research consultancy,
International Data Corporation (IDC), in November, MTN Nigeria hold
competitive edges to further unlock market potentials to remain
profitable for its South African parent company, MTN Group – going by
tariff innovation and other initiatives underway by the mobile phone
network. With over 55 million active connections, MTN Nigeria under
Ikpoki’s leadership continue to deliver a satisfactory performance,
maintaining market share, even in the face of stiffer competition and
regulations.
Funke Opeke
MainOne CEO
Industry: Information and Communication Technology
Ms Funke Opeke is the founder and CEO of Main One Cable Company, a
Nigerian cable and communications service provider that built West
Africa’s first privately owned high capacity cable submarine. An
Electrical Engineering graduate of the Obafemi Awolowo University,
Ile-Ife Nigeria, Ms Opeke has served as the Executive Director of
Verizon Communications Wholesale Division.
Armed with a twenty-year career in the United States as a
telecommunication executive, Opeke returned to Nigeria in 2005 as the
Chief Technical Officer of MTN. She also served as an adviser to
Transcorp on the acquisition of NITEL and briefly served as the interim
Chief Operating Officer, NITEL after which she created Main One as a
result of the dearth of infrastructure which forms a huge information
and knowledge gap between Africa and the rest of the world. She
creatively built Main One as a result of the non-existent internet
services in the country at that time. She built Main One over a 2-year
period, from inception with a total investment of $240 million financed
entirely from African investors (The founding shareholders are called
Main Street Technologies) plus $28 million contingency. Since her
company began operations in 2010, Main One has transformed Nigerian and
African broadband landscape.
Recently, her company began the building of a $25 million Tier III +
data centre in Lagos which would be the largest of its kind in West
Africa at 1,500 square metres with a 600 rack capacity as part of its
growth strategy and vision to enhance infrastructure in its primary
market – West Africa. Her efforts have been recognised over the years.
Last year, she won the 2012 CNBC All Africa Businesswoman of the Year
Award (AABLA) in Midrand, South Africa.
Michael Arumemi-Ikhide
Arik Air
Industry: Aviation
Young, passionate and an enthusiast – that is what describes Micheal
Arumemi-Ikhide best. The Nigerian-born University of Edinburgh Chemical
Engineering graduate joined Arik’s board in October 2006 as one of its
founding board members to serve in the capacity of “Executive Director
Corporate Strategy” with a broad remit spanning areas such as fleet
evaluation, acquisition and financing; strategic, organisational &
commercial planning and execution as well as government and bilateral
affairs. Today, he serves as the Group CEO and President of Arik Air
Ltd, Nigeria and Arik Air international Ltd, UK.
Under his leadership, Arik has grown to be West Africa and Central
Africa largest commercial airline. Since he became Arik CEO in 2009, the
airline has also become the national carrier of neighboring country,
Sierra Leone and there has also been consideration for it to be Nigerian
national carrier. The Lagos-based airline company which started with a
single Hawker jet aircraft, and later three brand new CRJ 900s now
boasts of a fleet of over 26 aircraft with over 5 million passengers a
year across 19 domestic destinations, eight West and Central African
routes, and three long-haul markets covering South Africa, the United
Kingdom and the USA. Arumemi-Ikhide is a member of the Board of Airline
Representatives (BAR) UK and a member of the Aviation Club UK. He is
also credited to have helped set up and established the airline’s
overseas headquarters, Arik Air International Ltd, in London in April,
2007. Arik airline was founded by Michael’s father -Joseph
Arumemi-Ikhide in 2002.
Florence Seriki
Omatek Ventures Plc
Industry: Information and Communication Technology
Engr. (Mrs.) Florence Seriki (MFR) is the Amazon behind Omatek
Ventures Plc, a Nigerian computer manufacturing company known for its
dedication in promoting, pioneering and manufacturing local content in
the ICT sector of the continent. A graduate of Chemical Engineering from
the University of Ife (now Obafemi Awolowo University), Seriki’s Omatek
company has succeeded in penetrating the Nigerian IT market with local
manufacture of casing, mouse, key board and speakers. She is also
credited with opening the first indigenous Computer Assembly plant in
Nigeria and Ghana. Her company also holds a very enviable position as a
market leader in the production and assembly of computers and related
accessories. Seriki is a Fellow of notable associations both within and
outside the shores of the Country, including the Nigerian Chemical
Engineering Society and the Nigerian Computer Society. She also holds a
master degree in Business Administration from the Lagos Business School.
Olusegun Agbaje
Guaranty Trust Bank
Industry: Banking
Now many would wonder what will be the fate of GTBank after its
co-founder and former CEO Tayo Aderiokun passed away in 2011. But
Olusegun Jimi Agbaje has proved to be a worthy successor by taking the
bank to a greater height. Agbaje has successfully improved GT Bank’s
standing with its impressive year-on-year market share growth while
maintaining the bank’s position as one of the most profitable bank in
Nigeria for the last 3 years. Agbaje, GT Bank’s third CEO joined a
pioneer staff in 1991, after a stint at Ernst & Young, San
Francisco, USA. He subsequently rose through the ranks to become an
Executive Director in January 2000 and was later appointed deputy
managing director in 2002, a position which he held until April 2011,
when he was appointed as Acting Managing Director. With over 21 years of
investment and international banking experience, the Harvard Business
School alumnus has experience in-most aspects of the bank’s business,
including commercial banking, investment banking, treasury, corporate
planning and strategy, settlements and operations.
This year, he was awarded the 2013 Banker of the Year – Africa by the
World Finance Banking Awards- an award conferred on outstanding bankers
who have achieved the most with regards to innovation, profitability
and sustainability of their organization. GT Bank was also favored as
“2013 Best Banking Group – Nigeria” by the same agency. Also
London-based EMEA Finance magazine rated Guaranty Trust Bank Plc as
Africa’s ‘Most Innovative Bank’ 2013 while Segun Agbaje was recognised
as the 2013 pan-Africa CEO of the Year. Many will also agree that the
bank today is one of the most innovative and tech-savvy bank in Nigeria.
Agbaje through his leadership redefined mobile banking in Nigeria this
year with the introduction of “Social Banking” which made it the first
Nigerian bank to allow customers to transfer money and review their
account balances on Facebook.
Leo-Stan Ekeh
Zinox Group
Industry: Information and Communication Technology
Dr. Leonard Stanley Nnamdi Ekeh is the Chairman and CEO of the
Nigerian ICT solutions giant, Zinox Group. He is recognized for playing
a pivotal role in Information and Communication Technology (ICT)
development in the continent, but most especially, for his intuitive
leadership and capacity to define market trends in the technology
terrain. An Economics graduate from the Punjab University, India, the
Imo state born industrialist pioneered IT distribution in West Africa
through Technology Distributions Limited, TD, which has emerged the
Number 1 ICT distribution company and the most decorated ICT Distributor
in West Africa. Leo Stan Ekeh has a record of incisive entrepreneurship
and his vision to Computerise Nigeria has rewritten the history of
Information Technology in Africa. His first company, Task Systems
Limited changed the face of media and multimedia houses in West Africa
as it helped computerise 95 prcent of the Print Media, Publishing Houses
and Advertising Agencies in Nigeria. Mr. Leo Stan Ekeh also pioneered
IT Solutions in West Africa through his company ITEC Solutions Limited
through which he has delivered the largest IT Solutions ever, from an
indigenous firm, to the Nigerian Corporate Market. Through his company,
Leo Stan has been able to introduce Nigeria’s First Internationally
Certified computers which include innovative features like the Naira
sign and a power supply designed to contain the erratic nature of power
in Nigeria.
In October 2013, the company announced the production of its computer
tablet line named Zipad. Ekeh was recently named Africa’s first
Microsoft Global Partner Adviser, a position he said he would use to
advance the objectives of the Digital Knowledge Democracy and create
technology value for Africans. The Microsoft Global Advisor Committee is
a committee of distinguished IT icons around the world who serve as
feedback channel to Microsoft for business models and strategy for
product rollout and meets two times every year. They also act as an
advocacy group for customers and channel partners.
A Fellow of the Nigeria Computer Society (NCS), Ekeh was also
honoured as an icon of Hope by (erstwhile) President Olusegun Obasanjo,
for his sustained entrepreneurial efforts in Information Technology. He
was also recognised as the IT Personality of the Year 2011 among other
accolades.
Aliko Dangote
Dangote Group
Industry: Manufacturing
No list will be complete without Africa’s richest man, Alhaji Aliko
Dangote who is arguably the most popular and successful CEO on the
continent. He is unarguably the king of Nigeria manufacturing industry,
and perhaps Africa. His company Dangote group, which he started with a
business loan from his maternal uncle has grown to be one of the
continent’s leading diversified business empires with interests in
cement, sugar, flour, salt, pasta, beverages and real estate, and new
projects in the oil and Natural gas sector, telecommunications,
fertilizer and steel with annual earnings averaging $2 billion. Today,
Dangote Group is worth more than $11 billion, comprising a third of
Nigeria’s Stock Exchange.
The company cement business (Dangote Cement) which spans about 24
African countries is the company’s greatest asset and it has helped to
push Nigeria to the fore-front in cement manufacturing, establishing it
as the largest cement manufacturer in sub-Saharan Africa as well as the
third-largest cement maker in the broader Middle East. According to
Renaissance Capital research, Dangote Cement, owned by Africa’s richest
man Aliko Dangote, was the major force behind the country’s cement
success story. Also, his company was listed among Africa’s top 10 most
valuable brands in 2013 by African Business Magazine. Dangote group was
also named the most valuable brand in the consumer goods sector with an
African brand value and overall 8th most valuable brand when placed
against brands from other sectors.
In the coming year, Dangote Group plan to invest $16 billion in
infrastructural projects in the energy, agriculture and construction
sectors in what is likely to be the largest private investment ever in
the continent. Dangote plans to double its cement output in Africa to 55
million metric tons by 2015 and to double its sugar refining capacity
to 2.75 million tons by 2017. Industry watchers have predicted that
Dangote Group will grow by about 30 percent next year if the investment
goes according to its plan.
Mosunmola Abudu
Chairwoman and Chief Executive, EbonyLife TV
Industry: Media
The queen of talk shows and Nigeria’s Oprah, Mosunmola “Mo” Abudu is
a media mogul and self-taught TV host. In 2013, Abudu launched
EbonyLife TV, Africa’s first continent-wide black entertainment network,
targeting Africa’s growing and aspiring middle class with programming
that celebrates style and success while motivating its audiences to
dream and dream big. The Nigerian TV personality has arguably
revolutionised pay TV in Africa since she launched the continent’s first
syndicated talk show, Moments With Mo, in 2006, and with EbonyLife TV,
she is definitely one of the CEOs to look out for in the coming year.
A visionary, Mo in a statement announcing her company this year said:
“The Western media has sold us the best of the West, even Asia has
joined that race; it is time to not only sell Africa to the world but to
ourselves. And we are now in a position to take indigenous African
brands to the rest of the world, giving everyone the best of both worlds
– it doesn’t get any better.” Simply put, Mo is a go-getter and an
inspiration to African women the world over.
Oscar Onyema
Nigerian Stock Exchange (NSE)
Industry: Finance
Oscar Onyema has been the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Nigeria’s
trade stable – the Nigerian Stock Exchange (NSE) since 2011. Since he
became the bourse head, he has turned it around for good. A former Chief
Administrative Officer of the American Stock Exchange (AMEX), Onyema
introduced Market Making and security lending to the NSE in 2012 as part
of his move to introduce initiatives that would help to deepen the
Nigerian stock market and make it the gateway to Africa capital markets.
The introduction of this programme has paid off as the volume and value
of trade has lifted the market by 41 per cent or N3.338 rillion in
2013.
Before the introduction of Market Making, the All-Share Index (ASI)
posted a growth of 20 percent, rising 21,106.67 to c lose at 25,373.83.
Market capitalisation also added N1.346 trillion, growing from
N6.731trillion to N8.077 trillion as at September, 2013. Also, at the
end of last week, market capitalisation appreciated by 1.88 per cent to
close at N12.661 trillion while the NSE All-Share Index increased by
1.88 per cent to close on Friday (Dec 20) at 39,562.75. Onyema has
delivered as the exchange is now one of the most respected globally. The
NSE was one of the two bourses that made the top 10 best performing Stock Exchange
of UK’s Telegraph this year. Under his management, the Nigerian Stock
Exchange joined the United Nations Sustainable Stock Exchanges (SSE)
Initiative, making it the third African nation to join the clique. The
SSE initiative is co-organized by UNCTAD, the United Nations Global
Compact, the United Nations Environment Programme’s Finance Initiative,
and the UN-supported Principles for Responsible Investment.
Udeme Ufot
SO&U Advertising Agency
Industry: Media
Ufot Udeme, the co-founder and Group Managing Director of Nigeria’s
foremost advertising agency – SO&U is unarguably one of the most
respected voice in the Nigerian marketing communications terrain. A
graduate of Industrial design at the Ahmadu Bello University, Udeme
started his advertising career as an art director with Desmark
Advertising but later moved on to Insight Communications where he rose
to the post of Deputy creative director after 5 years of working with
the organization.
It was after this stint that he took an agency attachment course with
German Saatchi and Saatchi affiliate – Scholz and Friends and then came
back to Nigeria with a burning desire to establish his company with a
vision of making it the most creative agency in Nigeria within two
years. That was in 1990. True to his vision, within 18 months, the
agency was named the most creative in the country. Several accolades
have followed suit over the years. His company won the Fate Model
Entrepreneur Award 2012. He has served as the President of both the
Advertising Agencies Association of Nigeria and the Lagos Business
School Alumni Association. He is also a board member of the Nigerian
Economic Summit Group. He is also the brain behind the popular Nigerian
Guinness Advert, “My friend Udeme is a great man.”
Stephen Olabisi Onasanya
First Bank Plc
Industry: Banking
Stephen Olabisi Onasanya is the powerhouse behind Nigeria’s oldest
and biggest financial institutions – First bank Nigeria PLC. A seasoned
banker, Onasanya took over First bank’s helm of Affairs from the present
Nigeria CBN Governor, Sanusi Lamido Sanusi. Prior to his appointment,
he served as the bank’s Executive Director, Banking Operations &
Services. Since he joined First Bank in 1985, Onasanya has held several
management and operational positions. Under Onansanya’s management,
Great Place To Work Nigeria (GPTWN), an affiliate of Great Place to
Work, San Francisco, US, a global research, consulting and training
institute which analyses, selects and publishes best workplace lists in
the country named the Bank as one of “the best place to work” and the
‘Company with the Best Human Resources Structure in Nigeria’ in 2013.
The bank also emerged the winner of the Most Innovative Ai SRI50 Company
award for outstanding performance, beating other contenders, such as
Mobil, Kenya Airways, BHP Billiton, Nation Media Group, Stanbic and
Uganda Sasol. This year, it succeeded in strengthening its operational
processes to suit international best practices. This includes its
migration to the world class Finacle 10, a core banking software
application.
Sola David Borha
Stanbic IBTC Holdings PLC
Industry: Banking
A powerful voice in Nigeria’s corporate corridor Sola joined IBTC as
an Executive Director of Investment Banking & Trust Company Plc
(IBTC) in 1994. She rose to the post of its Deputy Managing Director and
Acting Managing Director, IBTC Chartered Bank PLC (from 2005 to 2007),
as well as Executive Director for Corporate and Investment Banking and
then Deputy Managing Director, Stanbic IBTC in 2008 before she was
officially appointed as the company CEO. With her extensive experience
in the corporate and business world, Mrs David-Borha has been able to
steer Stanbic IBTC to greater heights.
A woman of many paths, Mrs David-Borha is also a devout Christian and
a pastor in the Redeemed Christian Church of God (RCCG). She was
recently named the highest paid CEO in Nigeria.