Monday, December 7, 2015
Onasanya, FirstBank GMD Delivers 3rd CIBN Valedictory Lecture
Having had an eventful career at First Bank of Nigeria Limited (FirstBank), Bisi Onasanya is set to retire at the end of the year having completed his tenure as the GMD/CEO of the Bank in an inspiring and enviable career spanning over three decades of diverse management and operational experience, 21 years of which he has spent with FirstBank, serving meritoriously in the last six years as Group Managing Director/CEO. In recognition of his commendable service, the Chartered Institute of Bankers of Nigeria (CIBN) has organised a valedictory lecture in his honour.
The CIBN instituted a valedictory lecture series in 2008 to acknowledge, honour and celebrate the contributions of individuals who have distinguished themselves and reached the pinnacle of their career in banking. This lecture is the third in the series and Mr. Onasanya would be speaking on the topic ‘Banks, Bankers and the Imperatives for Sustainable Banking’. The event which will be chaired by a former Managing Director of the Bank, Chief Joseph. Sanusi, is scheduled for Tuesday, December 8, 2015 at the Shell Hall, Muson Centre, Onikan, Lagos. The first two CIBN valedictory lectures were delivered by Mr. Jacobs Ajekigbe, also a former Managing Director of FirstBank on January 13, 2009 and Professor Adedoyin Soyibo , a pioneer Director of the M.Sc (banking and finance) programme in the department of Economics, University of Ibadan on March 19, 2013.
In Bisi Onasanya, CIBN celebrates a respectable personality who has established a reputation for solid performance and sound judgment in FirstBank and the industry at large. He is widely reputed as the architect of the modern FirstBank, associated with various innovative and creative achievements. He was the Project Coordinator of Century 2 the new frontier, FirstBank’s far-reaching enterprise transformation project at the turn of the century, as well as the Coordinator of the FirstBank Corporate Transformation project which has seen the bank accentuating its foothold on modernisation. Mr. Onasanya also superintended the latest composite Corporate Identity/Brand Refresh of the FirstBank Group, a bold step heralding the international expansion of the FirstBank brand which under his leadership now boasts of subsidiaries with operations across Africa, Europe, the Middle East and Asia.
An articulate and insightful thought leader in the financial services industry, Mr. Onasanya has made meaningful contributions as a member of the Bankers Committee and is the Chairman of the Sub Committee on Ethics and Professionalism. Speaking on the topic ‘Banks, Bankers and the Imperatives for Sustainable Banking’, Mr. Onasanya would expound on the changing financial services industry landscape, the responsibility of bankers and a strong ethical eco system among other subjects. Bisi has also delivered several papers and served on various conferences C-Suite panels across the globe. He is the Editor of a new book, “Perspectives on Banking in Nigeria”, featuring a collection of learned articles by banking and finance professionals including operators, regulators and academics.
About FirstBank
First Bank of Nigeria Limited, a subsidiary of FBN Holdings Plc, is Nigeria’s leading financial services institution by total assets and gross earnings and one of the largest corporate and retail banking financial institutions in sub-Saharan Africa (excluding South Africa). Since its establishment in 1894, the Bank has consistently built relationships with customers focusing on fundamentals of good corporate governance, strong liquidity, risk management and strong capitalization.
FirstBank operates an extensive distribution network with over 750 business locations (623 branches, 61 quick service points and 69 cash centers/agencies), over 2,500 ATM’s and over 10 million customer accounts. The Bank provides a comprehensive range of financial services and has international presence through its subsidiaries, FBN Bank (UK) Limited in London and Paris, FBNBank DR Congo, FBNBank Ghana, FBNBank Gambia, FBNBank Guinea, FBNBank Sierra-Leone and FBNBank Senegal as well as its Representative Offices in Johannesburg, Beijing and Abu Dhabi.
FirstBank is the recipient of many awards. The Bank has been named “The Best Bank Brand in Nigeria” four times in a row – 2011, 2012, 2013, and 2014 – by the globally renowned “The Banker Magazine” of the Financial Times Group. FirstBank’s brand purpose is to always put its stakeholders, customers and partners at the heart of its business, even as it is poised to standardize customer experience and excellence in financial solutions across Sub Saharan Africa, in consonance with its brand vision “To be the partner of first choice in building your future”. The brand promise is to always deliver the ultimate “gold standard” of value and excellence. This commitment is anchored on the FirstBank’s inherent values of passion, partnership and people, to position its customers first in every respect.
For four consecutive years, 2012, 2013, 2014, and 2014 FirstBank was named the “Best Retail Bank in Nigeria” by the Asian Banker International Excellence in Retail Financial Services Awards. Other recent awards include the “Best Bank in Nigeria” in the Euromoney Awards for Excellence, “Best Bank in West Africa” and “Most Innovative Bank in Africa” in the African Banker Awards, “Best Bank in Nigeria” in the EMEA Finance African Banking Awards for the fourth time, “Best Foreign Exchange Services in Africa” in the EMEA Finance Treasury Services Awards, “Best Banking Group in Nigeria” by World Finance Banking Awards, and “Best Financial Reporting Company” by Africa Investor.
Signed
Folake Ani-Mumuney
Head, Marketing & Corporate Communications
