Kennedy Uzoka starts work as UBA CEO
Kennedy Uzoka has assumed as the Group Managing Director (GMD) and CEO of pan-African banking group, United Bank for Africa (UBA) Plc.
This follows the retirement of Phillips Oduoza as Group Managing Director and CEO of UBA Plc on July 31, after completing two terms of three years each.
A statement signed by Kathrine Woode, Head of Marketing and Communication, UBA and copied to the Ghana News Agency said Mr Uzoka, the new GMD/CEO of UBA Plc, was until his appointment, the Deputy Managing Director, a position he has held in the last six years, working closely with the former GMD/CEO.
It said his appointment as the new GMD is seen as a testimony to the strength of the bank’s succession planning process.
“Kennedy Uzoka’s is not only very hard working, but he is also a man of impeccable integrity. He is passionate and committed to UBA. The board is confident that he will take the bank to the next level,” said Tony Elumelu, Chairman, UBA Plc.
The statement said Mr Kennedy Uzoka comes well prepared for his new position. He has been leading the transformation agenda of the Bank, after returning from completing the Advanced Management Programme of Harvard Business School.
Uzoka has more than two and a half decades of experience in commercial banking, strategy and business transformation.
Prior to his sabbatical at Harvard, Uzoka served as Deputy Managing Director, UBA Group and was also the CEO of UBA Africa, responsible for the Group’s operations in 18 countries across Africa as well as business in New York and London.
“Uzoka brings an extremely strong skill set and a breadth of financial services experience that will help the bank execute the next phase of its growth strategy,” said Elumelu.
It said speaking to staff in a video podcast after resuming on August 1, the new GMD/CEO, Uzoka who described UBA as a strong, recognisable and trusted brand across Africa, promised to build a bank based on a strong foundation of customer service.
“We will stay close to our customers and do everything possible to serve them properly. Our customers will be the beginning, the middle and the end of our strategy” he stated.
UBA Plc is one of Africa’s leading banking groups with operations in 19 African countries and offices in three global financial centres: London, Paris and New York.
It is a publicly quoted company listed on the Nigerian Stock Exchange (NSE) and has a well diversified shareholder base. For more information visit www.ubagroups.com
UBA Ghana pioneered the entry of a new generation of foreign banks into the country in January 2005.
The presence of UBA in the banking industry in Ghana over the last 10 years has galvanised banking onto a higher performance level; where competition and innovation in responding to the needs of the customer have become the driving force of the industry.
UBA’s world class customer driven innovations have earned it the confidence of the Ghanaian public; as it continues to provide banking services to a wide variety of customers.
Source: GNA