Zenith Bank’s First Female GMD/CEO Adaora Umeoji Unveiled

That Zenith Bank Plc has appointed Dame (Dr.) Adaora Umeoji as its new Group Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer (GMD/CEO), making her the first female to occupy the position in the bank is an established fact.

Be that as it may, millions of Nigerians don’t know much about her.

However, we can tell you for free 13 things many don’t know about her:

1. Umeoji was the Deputy Managing Director (DMD) of Zenith Bank from October 28, 2016.
2. She has over 30 years of experience in banking of which 26 years has been with Zenith Bank.
3. She is an alumnus of the prestigious Harvard Business School where she attended the Advanced Management Program (AMP) and an alumnus of Columbia Business School with a Certificate in the Global Banking Program.
4. She holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Sociology from the University of Jos, a Bachelor’s Degree in Accounting and a First-Class honors in Law from Baze University, Abuja.
5. She holds a Master of Laws from the University of Salford, United Kingdom, a Master in Business Administration (MBA) from the University of Calabar, and also has a doctorate in business administration from Apollos University, USA.
6. She holds a Certificate in Economics for Business from the prestigious MIT Sloan School of Management, USA, and has attended various management programmes in renowned Universities around the world including the strategic thinking and Management programme at Wharton Business School, USA.
7. She also attended the executive program in Strategic Management, and has a Certificate in Leading Global Business all from Harvard Business School, USA.”
8. Umeoji is also a fellow of notable professional bodies including the Chartered Banker Institute, UK; Chartered Institute of Bankers of Nigeria, and the Nigerian Institute of Management, among others.
9. She is a peace advocate of the United Nations (UN-POLAC).
10. The new CEO is the founder of the Catholic Bankers Association of Nigeria (CBAN), a platform she uses to promote ethical banking and service to humanity.
11. Adaora joined Zenith Bank in early 2000 as a Youth Corper.
12. Adaora is a mother of a set of twins.
13. She is from Aguata, Anambra State.

14. She was recently awarded a Papal Knight of the Order of St. Sylvester by His Holiness Pope Francis.
15. In 2022, the Federal Government honoured her with Officer of the Order of Nigeria (OON)