Access Holdings Plc has named the former Managing Director of the Nigerian Sovereign Investment Authority (NSIA), Uche Orji, as an Independent Non-Executive Director of its subsidiary, Access Bank PLC.
The appointment, which will become effective from January 7, 2025, followed the approval of the apex financial sector regulator, the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN).
In announcing the appointment, Access Holdings said bringing Orji on board was a reflection of its commitment to enhancing the bank’s corporate governance practices and ensuring a diverse and experienced board.
Mr. Orji, a renowned investment banking professional, information technology entrepreneur, and finance expert with over three decades of professional and board experience, is the Co-founder and Partner of Titangate Capital Management, an equity firm that invests in deep-tech, enterprise software, semi-conductors, hardware, and artificial intelligence companies.
Also, he is the Founder and Director of Vitesse Africa Limited, an investment advisory firm focused on African energy, technology and infrastructure sectors; an Executive Board member and investor in Ultrasafe AI, an artificial intelligence/IT development firm that maintains strategic collaborations with leading technology companies as well as sits on the Board of Private Infrastructure Development Group, London, in addition to chairingh the Risk Committee.
Prior to serving as the founding Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of NSIA, Orji was the Managing Director and Senior Analyst at UBS Securities Limited New York and Managing Director and Head of European Technology/Semiconductor Equity Research at JP Morgan Securities, London as well as the Executive Director/Portfolio Manager at Goldman Sachs Asset Management, London.
Earlier in his career, Orji served as Acting Financial Controller at Diamond Bank Limited and an Audit Trainee at Arthur Andersen & Co.
A holder of a Bachelor of Engineering Degree in Chemical Engineering from the University of Port-Harcourt, Orji also holds a Master of Business Administration from Harvard Business School.
The Chairman of Access Bank PLC, Paul Usoro, a senior advocate of Nigeria (SAN), said Orji was appointed based on his exceptionally rich professional, academic, and corporate board experience, which he said would be invaluable to the Bank as it continues to pursue its strategic objectives, including the goal of becoming one of the top five African Banks in the shortest possible time.
“We are confident that his addition to the Board would further enrich the quality of our decision-making process, enabling us to deliver even greater value to our customers and stakeholders,” Usoro said.
“His appointment has been made in accordance with the Bank’s internal policies and has been notified to all relevant regulatory authorities underscoring our commitment to upholding the highest standards of corporate governance,” he added.
