Gbenga Shobo Appointed First Bank MD

Gbenga Shobo has been appointed as First Bank MD.

NewsOne Nigeria reports that the Board of First Bank rising from its meeting on Wednesday, approved the appointment of Mr Gbenga Shobo, as Managing Director-designate of the bank, subject to all regulatory approvals.

This online news platform understands that prior to his appointment as First Bank MD, Shobo was Deputy Managing Director of the bank.

Shobo succeeds Sola Adeduntan, who will be leaving the bank in accordance with the bank’s term limit for its Chief Executives, after successfully leading the bank since January, 2016. These decisions take effect from Wednesday, April 28.

Announcing the appointment, Mrs Ibukun Awosika, chairman, First Bank of Nigeria Limited, explained, “We are proud to announce Gbenga Shobo, as our new MD/CEO. His appointment has proven the resilience of our succession planning mechanisms and the value we place on our long-standing governance practices, which underpin the institution’s enduring sustainability and 127-year legacy.

“Gbenga has had a successful career in the bank and elsewhere, culminating in his appointment as Deputy Managing Director (DMD), IN 2016. PRIOR TO his appointment as DMD, he was the Executive Director overseeing the Retail Banking/Public sector businesses in the Lagos & West Directorate and was hitherto the Executive Director overseeing the Retail Businesses in the South Directorate.

“As part of his responsibility for Retail Banking, he has been instrumental in developing and growing the bank’s Agency banking business, which today, is the market leader in Agency Banking, leveraging partnerships and best in class technology and bringing banking services to millions of unbanked and underbanked customers in Nigeria and across various countries where we operate through our African subsidiaries.”

Like Shobo, Abdullahi Ibrahim has been appointed as Deputy Managing Director, while Mr Ini Ebong, Mr Segun Alebiosu, Mr Seyi Oyefeso and Mrs Bashirat Odunewo are also appointed as Executive Directors, subject to regulatory approvals.

“I would like to thank Sola for his dedication and efforts during his helm at the bank, and before as CFO. The Board and I are grateful for his leadership of the Bank over the last 5 and a half years and believe that the strong foundations created during his term will provide an excellent basis for our continued success. We wish him well in his future endeavours outside the FirstBank Group,” Awosika added.