This means that Nigerians can expect a more customer-friendly Ecobank as well as continued market-leading banking innovation that will make their banking easier, more convenient and an overall better experience. The Ecobank Group aims to be serving 100 million customers by the end of 2020 and intends for many millions of them to be in Nigeria.
Patrick Akinwuntan explains; “My mandate is to deliver the brand promise of Ecobank as a leading financial institution in Nigeria in the hearts of our customers by ensuring that we treat our customers well when they choose to open a bank account with us or do their payments, collections, savings and financing through us. In this manner, we will realize the vision of our founders, which is that Ecobank is the pan-African financial institution that empowers every African to realize their ambitions through convenient, accessible and affordable banking products and services delivered at a price point that is affordable to all and gives quality returns to shareholders.
The foundations that will ensure we serve the needs of our consumer, commercial and corporate clients through our digital solutions such as the Ecobank Mobile app, EcobankPay, Rapidtransfer, XpressAccount, Xpress Point agents, Ecobank OMNI and Bank Collect, have been laid. Ecobank has built an unrivalled banking platform in Africa and we have earned several accolades within and outside Africa in the past decade which is a testimony of the transformational role we play in various markets in Africa.
We will therefore continue to leverage the deep market knowledge of Nigeria that we have, our unrivalled panAfrican reach, digital platforms, Ecobank branches and Ecobank agencies (EcobankXpress) to empower our customers, drive commerce, financial inclusion and support Nigeria’s renewed focus on becoming the trade hub of Africa.”
The new Managing Director and Regional Executive says he is a thorough-bred Ecobanker and has the requisite skills, experience and background to enable a seamless transition as he takes up his new role. “My combined and diverse Group and country experience built over 20 years and covering virtually all key aspects of banking and the track record and trust built amongst my colleagues and customers of the bank will serve me well in this new role.” he explains. I am indeed privileged for the opportunity to serve in the noble mission of Ecobank, bringing financial integration to our continent and it is a particular pleasure to be able to now do so in Nigeria.”
About Patrick Akin Akinwuntan:
Prior to this appointment, Patrick was the Group Executive, Consumer Banking at Ecobank where he was responsible for leading the Consumer Banking business across Ecobank’s global network of 40 countries, 36 of which are in Africa. As a seasoned banker, with over 20 years of senior and executive management experience, Patrick has held several strategic positions for the Ecobank Group in Ghana, Togo and Nigeria. He had previously been a Group Executive Director on the Board of ETI and earlier as Executive Director in Ecobank Nigeria.
Patrick, who is a Nigerian, started his career with Ecobank in 1996 as Head of Commercial Bank and Regional Head in Ecobank Nigeria and since then he has held various senior and executive positions in Nigeria and within Ecobank Group including Executive Director, Retail Bank, Ecobank Nigeria, Group Chief Financial Officer, ETI and Group Executive Director, Operations & Technology, amongst others.
Prior to joining Ecobank, Patrick was General Manager, Springfountain Management Consultants, Lagos from 1993 – 1996; Deputy Manager – Corporate Finance, Credit and Marketing, Manufacturing Merchants Bank Plc, Lagos from 1991 – 1993, and was a Supervisor in Ernst & Young International (Chartered Accountants), Lagos from 1987 – 1991. A fellow of the Institute of Chartered Accountants of Nigeria (FCA), Patrick also holds a Masters in Business Administration from the Obafemi Alowowo University, Ife Ife. He is an alumnus of the Senior Executive Program (SEP) of the Harvard Business School, honorary senior member of the Chartered Institute of Bankers of Nigeria and an associate of the Chartered Institute of Taxation of Nigeria.
About Ecobank Transnational Incorporated (‘ETI’ or ‘The Group’):
Incorporated in Lomé, Togo in 1988, Ecobank Transnational Incorporated (‘ETI’) is the parent company of the leading independent pan-African banking group, Ecobank (www.Ecobank.com). It currently has a presence in 36 African countries, namely: Angola, Benin, Burkina Faso, Burundi, Cameroon, Cape Verde, Central African Republic, Chad, Congo (Brazzaville), Congo (Democratic Republic), Côte d’Ivoire, Equatorial Guinea, Ethiopia, Gabon, Gambia, Ghana, Guinea, Guinea Bissau, Kenya, Liberia, Malawi, Mali, Mozambique, Niger, Nigeria, Rwanda, Sao Tome and Principe, Senegal, Sierra Leone, South Africa, South Sudan, Tanzania, Togo, Uganda, Zambia and Zimbabwe. The Group employs 15,930 people in 40 different countries in over 940 branches and offices. Ecobank is a full-service bank providing wholesale, retail, investment and transaction banking services and products to governments, financial institutions, multinationals, international organisations, medium, small and micro businesses and individuals. Additional information on Ecobank can be found at www.Ecobank.com.
