Remi Kolarinwa

CHAIRMAN, BOARD OF DIRECTORS

Mr. Rasheed Aderemi Kolarinwa is the Chairman of the Board of Directors of the Company. He holds a Bachelor of Arts in Economics from the University of Toronto, Canada as well as an MBA (in view) in Finance and International Business from the Schulich School of Business, York University, also in Canada.

He was appointed an Independent Director of Sterling Bank in October 2010, and is currently the Chairman of Capiflex Management Limited, an asset management, and investment services firm.

His banking career started in 1981 with International Merchant Bank Nigeria Limited, after which he moved to Chartered Bank Plc in 1989. 

He assumed various senior management roles and thereafter moved into Executive positions between 1999 and 2005 as an Executive Director. He served as the Deputy Managing Director of IBTC Chartered Bank Plc (now Stanbic IBTC Bank Plc) from December 2005 to December 2007.

Wasiu Balogun

MD/CEO

Mr Wasiu Abolaji Balogun is the Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of the Company.

Prior to establishing the company, Mr Balogun had over 12 years of vast experience in the banking Industry including Domestic Operations, Treasury Operations, Funds transfer, foreign, local and Global Trade. He worked with CSL stockbrokers, Standard Trust Bank, UBA Plc, Access Bank Plc and Access UK; He rose to level of Manager and Head of Global Trade in Access Bank Plc before resigning in 2013 to promote Polysmart Packaging Ltd. 

He is an Associate member of the Institute of Chartered Accountant of Nigeria (ACA) May 2001, holds a Masters in Business Administration from Manchester Business School UK, and a graduate of Accounting from the University of Lagos Akoka (Graduated 1998).  

He attended different highly prized trainings both in Nigeria and abroad including but not limited to Insead Executive Education (Singapore), International Banking Operation training (Milan Italy), Trade finance for Africa (Cairo, Egypt). He is a Certified Documentary Credit Specialist (CDCS).

Akeem Oyewale

NON EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR

Mr. Akeem Oyewale is the Chief Executive Officer of Marble Capital Limited, a leading firm of Islamic fund Managers, engaged in Ethical funds, Asset Management and Shari’ah Advisory. He served as a Non-Executive Director of Stanbic IBTC Asset Management Limited and director of Equities Brokerage in the Standard Bank Group.

He holds an MBA from Manchester Business School, United Kingdom and a B. Sc (Hons) degree in Accounting from the University of Lagos. He is a Fellow of both the Institute of Chartered Accountants of Nigeria and the Chartered Institute of Stockbrokers, and also an Associate of the Chartered Institute of Taxation of Nigeria and the Chartered Institute of Bankers of Nigeria. He is an Arthur Andersen scholar. 

He has close to 15 years extensive Investment Banking experience and a vast experience in Credit/Marketing and Trade/Finance. He also managed the Stanbic IBTC Nigerian Equity Fund, Nigeria’s largest mutual fund and was responsible for the launch of the Stanbic IBTC Ethical Fund.  

Previously, the CEO of Stanbic IBTC Asset Management Limited, Mr. Oyewale was nominated as “Young Manager of the Year in Nigeria” at the prestigious ThisDay Annual Awards 2006. He was also the pioneer CEO of Stanbic IBTC Stockbrokers Limited from 2009 to January 2012.

Mr. Oyewale has participated in numerous market developmental activities and was a Member of the SEC-appointed committee that crafted the 10 Year Master Plan for Nigeria’s Capital Market 2015 – 2025; and also a member of the Technical Committee for Financial Literacy of the SEC. He was a Council Member of The Nigerian Stock Exchange and also sits on the Council of The Chartered Institute of stockbrokers of Nigeria. 

He was a Vice President of the Association of Asset Custodians of Nigeria, and also served as a Technical Committee member for the Chartered Institute of Bankers of Nigeria. He is a Trustee of the United for Kids Foundation, a charity that seeks to bring smiles to the faces of Nigeria’s indigent children, one child at a time.

Kamar Bakrin

NON EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR

Mr. Kamar Bakrin, a Chartered Accountant and an Investor, is a C-Level Executive with significant experience in oil & gas, consumer goods and infrastructure. His professional pedigree stretches through a wide area of practical hands-on experience in the emerging African and international markets. He is currently a Partner at Vios Equity Partner and was an Operating Partner at Helios Investment Partners from 2013 to 2018.

Mr Bakrin has extensive experience in investments, mergers, transitions and financial advisory services. He previously served as the Chief Executive Officer of Oando Marketing, and Head of Corporate Development of Ocean & Oil Holdings, during which time he led the post-merger integration of two publicly listed companies, Unipetrol and Agip, the largest merger in Nigeria at the time.

Before moving to Nigeria, he was a Consultant with the Boston Consulting Group in Boston and has also worked with Colgate Palmolive, South Africa and Arthur Andersen (now KPMG).

He holds a Bachelor’s degree in Agricultural Economics from the University of Ilorin and an MBA from Columbia Business School. He is a fellow of the Institute of Chartered Accountants of Nigeria (ICAN) and a member of the Institute of Directors, Nigeria. He is fluent in Hausa and Yoruba, two widely spoken West African languages.

Mahmud Tukur

NON EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR

Mr Mahmud Tukur is a joint honours graduate of Accounting & Management from the prestigious Business School of the University of Wales College, Cardiff, Wales. He is a well-travelled, dynamic and highly motivated Investor and Management Executive with a deep knowledge of the Oil and Gas and Maritime Industries in Nigeria and the West African sub-region.

He has had the opportunity to work for and manage a variety of companies, whilst investing in and directing his own companies in the last 18 years. This experience has provided him with exciting challenges that have impacted positively on his career.

He has invested in the Upstream and Downstream Oil Service companies, initiated change management processes, deployed latest technology and business solutions to enhance productivity and improve profitability.

He is the Vice Chairman of Ecomarine Group, a shipping line and Terminal Operator with operations throughout West Africa and a Nonexecutive Director of Independent Energy Limited (IEL), an indigenous Oil Exploration and Production Company. He has served as the MD/CEO of Daddo Maritime Services Limited for several years. He is currently an Independent Director at Bourbon and was an Alternate Director at Abumet Nigeria.

He was appointed Chief Executive Officer and Managing Director of Eterna Plc on the 1st  of June 2010, a position he occupied until 2020 with blazing achievements and unprecedented feats.

Kafilat Balogun

NON EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR

Mrs. Kafilat Balogun is a Business Development manager who has tremendously improved the company’s market position by handling business relationships. As an astute professional, she is responsible for securing new business deals and exploring opportunities for the growth of the Company. Her specific duties cut across taking part in industry events, proposing business deals, making investment recommendations, maintaining business information confidentiality, and working to enhance the reputation of the Company. Her core competence weighs heavily on updating the technical and professional knowledge of the management team to achieve better results.

She holds a Bachelor of Science Degree in Accounting from the prestigious University of Lagos and has consistently built on that foundation by obtaining several professional certifications in line with her specific work schedule and professional inclinations. She has been and continues to be an indispensable asset to the Company.