Co-founder of Access Bank Aigboje Aig-Imoukhuede has been named chairman of Access Holdings following the death of CEO Herbert Wigwe.
Wigwe, his wife and his son were among six people who died in a helicopter crash in California, United States last month. Abimbola Ogunbajo, former President of Nigerian Exchange Group Plc, was also aboard the flight on Friday, February 9.
Wigwe was buried in his hometown Isiokpo in Rivers State on Saturday, March 9.
Aig-Imoukhuede, the new non-executive chairman replaces Abubakar Jimoh, the erstwhile chairman, who will continue to serve on the board as an independent non-executive director.
During his tenure as Group Chief Executive Officer of Access Bank from 2002 to 2013, Aig-Imoukhuede, alongside Wigwe, his deputy at the time, played a pivotal role in shaping Access Bank’s trajectory.
Under their stewardship, Access Bank transformed into one of Nigeria’s top five banks, expanded its footprint across nine other African countries and the United Kingdom, and grew its customer base from ten thousand to over six million.
The bank’s asset base surged to $12 billion, establishing itself as a globally recognized financial institution.
In his new role, Aig-Imoukhuede will collaborate with the board to provide strategic guidance to the executive management team, leveraging his extensive experience and industry knowledge.
“Mr. Aig-Imoukhuede’s appointment to the Board and subsequent election as Chairman is a landmark development for Access Holdings. All our board members are excited about our future,” Jimoh, the past Chairman of Access Holdings said in a statement.
Aig-Imoukhuede said he is thrilled to be back in active service to the Access Group ecosystem.
“I am confident that working with our directors, our exceptional team of executives, and our best-in-class banking and finance professionals, we will deliver outstanding value to our esteemed stakeholders. I am determined that our shared vision, which Dr. Wigwe gave everything for, will be realized,” Aig-Imoukhuede said.
