Zenith Bank Plc has appointed Dame (Dr.) Adaora Umeoji, OON, as its new Group Managing Director/Chief Executive Officer effective June 1, 2024. She becomes the first female to hold this position since the bank’s inception, following the end of Dr. Ebenezer Onyeagwu’s successful five-year term on May 31, 2024. Her appointment aligns with the bank’s tradition of internal leadership development.
Dr. Umeoji has served as the Deputy Managing Director of Zenith Bank since October 2016, bringing nearly 30 years of banking experience, with 26 of those years at Zenith Bank. She is an alumnus of Harvard Business School and Columbia Business School and holds multiple degrees in sociology, accounting, law, and business administration from prestigious institutions.
Recognized for her contributions to banking and philanthropy, Dr. Umeoji was honored as an Officer of the Order of the Niger in 2022 and has received numerous accolades for her humanitarian work. She founded the Catholic Bankers Association of Nigeria to promote ethical banking and service to humanity, and she actively supports cancer patients and education for underprivileged children through her foundations.
