Access Holdings Plc has appointed Innocent Ike as its substantive group managing director and chief executive officer, effective 29 August, after securing regulatory approval.
The company announced the change in a notice to the Nigerian Exchange on Wednesday, signed by Company Secretary Sunday Ekwochi.
Mr Ike takes over from Bolaji Agbede, who has led the company in an acting capacity for the past 18 months following the death of former group CEO Herbert Wigwe in a helicopter crash in February 2024.
Ms Agbede will return to her position as executive director for business support, in line with regulatory requirements on the experience needed for the role of a financial holding company’s chief executive.
Under her leadership, Access Holdings executed a N351 billion rights issue, hosted two annual general meetings and ensured stability across the workforce during a period of transition.
Chairman Aigboje Aig-Imoukhuede commended her “outstanding contributions,” saying she provided a strong foundation for the group’s future.
Mr Ike, a fellow of the Chartered Institute of Bankers of Nigeria and the Institute of Chartered Accountants of Nigeria, has more than three decades of banking experience.
He spent 10 years at Access Bank, rising to general manager, and later served as chief executive of Polaris Bank from 2020 to 2022, where he introduced its award-winning digital platform, VULTe.
He holds a degree in accounting from the University of Lagos, where he graduated as best student in 1988.
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“I am honoured to take on the role of Group Managing Director /Chief Executive Officer and excited to work alongside the talented team at Access Holdings. I look forward to building on the strong legacy established by Herbert Wigwe and Bolaji Agbede, and driving our vision forward, ensuring we continue to deliver exceptional value to our shareholders and stakeholders,” Mr Ike said in a statement.
Access Holdings, the parent company of Access Bank and other financial services subsidiaries, said it remains committed to becoming the world’s most respected African financial services group.
