August 11, 2016 By Hassan G. Koroma
Board Chairman of the United Bank for Africa, Tony Elumelu, has commended the new Group Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer (GMD/CEO) of the Bank, Kennedy Uzoka, as not only very hard working, but also a man of impeccable integrity who is passionate and committed to the bank.
He said the Board was confident that the new CEO would take the bank to the next level in the banking sector.
“Kennedy Uzoka comes well prepared for his new position. He has been leading the transformation agenda of the Bank, after returning from completing the Advanced Management Programme of Harvard Business School,” Mr. Elumelu noted.
He said Mr. Uzoka has over two-and-half decades of experience in commercial banking, strategy and business transformation.
He added that prior to his sabbatical at Harvard, Mr. Uzoka had served as Deputy Managing Director, UBA Group, as well as CEO of UBA Africa, responsible for the Group’s operations in 18 countries across Africa, as well as business in New York and London.
“Uzoka brings an extremely strong skill set and a breadth of financial services experience that will help the bank execute the next phase of its growth strategy,” said Elumelu.
The new GMD and CEO of the United Bank for Africa(UBA), Kennedy Uzoka, on 1stAugust, 2016 assumed office, taking over from Phillips Oduoza, who on 31 July, 2016 completed his two terms in office of three years each.
Mr. Uzoka was until his appointment the Deputy Managing Director, a position he had held in the last six years, working closely with the former GMD/CEO. His appointment as the new Group Managing Director is seen as a testament of the strength of the bank’s succession planning process.
Speaking to staff in a video podcast after resuming duty on 1st August, the new GMD/CEO described UBA as a strong, recognisable and trusted brand across Africa, promised to build a bank based on a strong foundation of customer service.
“We will stay close to our customers and do everything possible to serve them properly. Our customers will be the beginning, the middle and the end of our strategy,” he stated.
UBA Plc is one of Africa’s leading banks, with operations in 19 African countries and offices in three global financial centres: London, Paris and New York.