Zenith Bank has named Adaora Umeoji as its first female Group Managing Director/Chief Executive.

Her appointment, subject to the approval of the Central Bank of Nigeria, takes effect from June 1, 2024, according to the bank.

“She takes over from Dr. Ebenezer Onyeagwu, whose five-year term expires on May 31, 2024, after a very successful tenure. Dame (Dr.) Adaora Umeoji is the first female GMD/CEO since the inception of the bank, and her appointment is consistent with the bank’s executive transition tradition, succession plan, and strategy of grooming leaders from within,” Zenith Bank said in a Tuesday statement.

Before her latest appointment, Umeoji had been serving as the bank’s Deputy Managing Director since October 28, 2016. She has about 30 years of cognate banking experience with 26 of them spent working with Zenith Bank.

“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,” the bank statement further read.

“She holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Sociology from the University of Jos, a Bachelor’s Degree in Accounting, and a First-Class Honours in Law from Baze University, Abuja. 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.”