Patrick Akin Akinwuntan, on Tuesday, September 4, 2018, assumed duty as Managing Director and Regional Executive of Ecobank Nigeria Limited, replacing Charles Kie, who exited the group last month.
The vastly experienced banking professional is passionate about bringing customer-friendly banking services to every household in Nigeria. 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.
A statement by the bank said Akinwuntan was until now Group Executive, Consumer Banking at Ecobank responsible for leading the Consumer Banking business across Ecobank’s global network of 40 countries, 36 of which are in Africa.
According to him, “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,” he added.
According to him, the foundations that will ensure the bank serves “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 Regional Executive assured that being a thorough-bred Ecobanker, he 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.”
Akinwuntan has held several strategic positions in the Ecobank Group in Ghana, Togo and Nigeria and had previously been a Group Executive Director on the Board of ETI and earlier as Executive Director in Ecobank Nigeria.
He joined the group 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, he 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), he holds a Masters in Business Administration from the Obafemi Alowowo University, Ife Ife, and is an alumnus of the Senior Executive Program (SEP) of the Harvard Business School. The new MD is an honorary senior member of the Chartered Institute of Bankers of Nigeria (CBN) and an associate of the Chartered Institute of Taxation of Nigeria (CITN).