Eke

Femi Anjorin

The new Group Managing Director of First Bank Nigeria Holdings, Mr Urum Kalu (“UK”) Eke, MFR. , has assured the bank’s customers, shareholders and others of better things as he is taking the mantle of leadership of the group.

Mr Eke, who recently took over from Mr Bisi Onasanya, made his view known in a page advert in the national dailies. He promised to provide the market with strategic updates across all aspects of the holdings’ businesses while emphasising that the holdings will ‘focus heavily on driving efficiencies across board.’

He promised stringent cost controls with clearly assigned targets and lines of reporting for accountability across all the various business units in the group.

During his tenure, he said, ‘we will work to extract the full benefits of financial conglomerate by driving revenue synergies across the group, eliminating duplication of costs, institutionalising shared services, and ensuring full customer integration.’

The new GMD appreciated the holdings’ shareholders for their loyalty and support over the years.

Eke, according to the bank, is a non-Executive Director of First Pension Custodian Limited and FBN Bank (UK) Limited, both subsidiaries of First Bank of Nigeria Limited. His sound managerial and motivational skills, coupled with his vast experience, have helped develop the Bank’s businesses within the various strategic business units as well as on the Boards.

UK’s 30 -year experience spans Deloitte, where he began his career as a trainee accountant and Diamond Bank, where he continued his meritorious career for 19 years. During his time at Diamond Bank, he held senior roles, including Executive Director, Corporate Banking, Executive Director, Specialized Industries (Financial Institutions, Oil and Gas, Power, Telecommunications and Maritime) and Executive Director, Commercial Banking.

UK has a Bachelor’s Degree in Political Science from the University of Lagos and an MBA in Project Management Technology from Federal University of Technology, Owerri. He is also a member of the Institute of Management Consultants, Institute of Taxation and a Fellow of the Institute of Chartered Accountants of Nigeria. Eke is a member of the Institute of Management Consultants and a Fellow of the Institute of Chartered Accountants of Nigeria. He is a Director of FBN Bank (UK) Limited, First Pension Custodian Limited and Financial Institutions Training Centre (FITC).He is a proud alumnus of Wharton Business Schools and has undertaken Senior Management training at prestigious institutions including Harvard Business School, Stanford Business School, Lagos Business School INSEAD and Oxford University.

UK, as he is popularly called, is a Grand Patron of the Boys Brigade, an honorary member of the Red Cross International, a 3-star Paul Harris Fellow of Rotary International and founder of the Elder (Chief) K.U. Eke Memorial Foundation, through which he runs a scholarship fund for Primary to Tertiary institutions for indigent pupils and students in honour of his late father. He is also engaged in mentoring and coaching, working with youth and social organisations.

UK is a recipient of the national honour, Member of the Order of the Federal Republic of Nigeria (MFR) and is happily married with children.