PZ Cussons Appoints Ex-FIRS Boss as Board Chair

Ifueko Omoigui Okauru, a former chair of the Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS), has been appointed to lead PZ Cussons Nigeria Plc’s board.

PZ Cussons Nigeria Plc has appointed a former chair of the Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS), Ifueko Omoigui Okauru, as chair of the company’s board.

The company also said Friday it approved key appointments in its board following the exit of two persons in its top hierarchy on account of retirement and resignation.

In a note to the Nigerian Exchange, the consumer goods manufacturer disclosed that Gbenga Oyebode retired as the chair of its board and a non-executive director with effect from 25 January.

Mr Oyebode currently chairs Okomu Oil and is an independent non-executive director at Nestle Nigeria.

He has been replaced by Mrs Okauru, whose tenure took effect on 25 January, following approval of her appointment at a board meeting held after the company’s annual general meeting (AGM) on the same date.

Mrs Okauru is the first female chair of the company, having joined the board in April 2021 as an independent non-executive director.

She trained as a chartered accountant and is a strategy and change management consultant with experience in both the private and public sectors. She headed strategy practice at Arthur Andersen and Co, where she spent more than ten years.

“She emerged as the first female Executive Chairman of the Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS),” the document said.

“She currently serves on the boards of MTN Nigeria Plc and Nigerian Breweries Plc. as non-executive Director and on the Boards of AfyaCare Ltd and ReStraL Ltd. as chair.”

Before her latest appointment, Mrs Okauru was the chairperson of the Audit and Risk Committee as well as the chair of the Statutory Audit Committee and member of the Governance and People Committee of PZ Cussons.

She holds a Master’s of Public Administration from the Harvard Kennedy School, an MSc in Management Science from Imperial College London as well as a BSc in Accounting (First Class) from the University of Lagos.

Mrs Okauru is a Fellow, Chartered Institute of Taxation of Nigeria, Fellow, Compliance Institute of Nigeria and Fellow, Institute of Chartered Accountants of Nigeria.

January 28, 2023