Sterling HoldCo Appoints New Chairman, CEO, Non-Executive Directors

Sterling Financial Holdings Company Plc has announced the appointment of new Chairman, CEO, and Non-Executive Directors. 

This was disclosed in an official statement to Nigeria Exchange Limited which was obtained by Nairametrics.  

The Central Bank of Nigeria approved the appointment of the following directors: 

• Yemi Adeola as the new Chairman,  
• Yemi Odubiyi as the new GMD/CEO, 
• Abubakar Suleiman and Shola Adekoya as Non-Executive Directors,  
• Ms. Aisha Bashir and Mrs Eniye Ambakederemo as Independent Non-Executive Directors 
• Mr. Olayinka Oni as Executive Director. 

Profile of Yemi Adeola 

Mr. Yemi Adeola has over 35 years of experience in banking, finance, law, and corporate consultancy.  

He worked at PricewaterhouseCoopers as a Consultant, Legal and Corporate Advisory Services at Citibank, Nigeria where he rose to the position of Executive Director, Public Sector, and Infrastructure Banking.  

Mr. Adeola was the former Managing Director/Chief Executive Officer of Sterling Bank from 2007 – 2018. He also served as the Deputy Managing Director in Trust Bank of Africa Ltd from 2003 – 2005.  

He is currently the Chairman of Lennox & Blair Group and a partner at Adeyemi Adeola & Co. Commercial Arbitrators and Legal Consultants.  

Mr. Adeola holds a bachelor’s degree in Law from Obafemi Awolowo University, is a fellow of the Chartered Institute of Bankers of Nigeria, Member Chartered Institute of Arbitration (CIARB) and Member, Board of Trustees, Association of Banks’ Legal Advisers and Company Secretaries (ABLACS).  

He is an alumnus of Harvard Business School, Stanford Business School, the University of Oxford, and the Wharton Business School of the University of Pennsylvania. He is also a John F. Kennedy Scholar.

Profile of Yemi Odubiyi 

Mr. Odubiyi started his banking career with the Nigeria unit of Citibank as an Operations & Technology Generalist serving across all its Operations and Technology functions and was thereafter enrolled in its Management Associate program undertaking stints across all key units of the Bank.  

He left Citibank to join the turnaround team of the then Trust Bank of Africa in 2003 as Head of Operations & Technology. Upon the consolidation of Trust Bank into Sterling Bank Plc, Yemi served as the pioneer Group Head, Trade Services.  

In 2008, he was mandated to build the Structured Finance Group and also assumed oversight for corporate strategy serving as Chief Strategy Officer.  

Mr. Yemi Odubiyi served as the Executive Director, Corporate and Investment Banking at Sterling Bank Limited from February 2015 to June 2023. He holds a bachelor’s degree in Estate Management and a master’s in international law from the University of Lagos.  

He has undertaken senior PUBLIC management/executive education programs in Risk Management, Finance, and General Management at leading international educational institutions including the London and Harvard Business Schools. 

July 05, 2023