The Association of Professional Women Bankers, the female wing of the prestigious Chartered Institute of Bankers of Nigeria (CIBN) is excited to officially
announce the appointment of its new EXCO members. This appointment was done on the 25th of September 2021.
Since its inception in 1983, APWB has been at the forefront of equipping and empowering female bankers with relevant tools that support career advancement and impact, contributing to the growth of the banking industry and corporate Nigeria, as well as celebrating female bankers. Members of this Association access numerous benefits, including – capacity-building initiatives, opportunities for valuable partnerships and collaborations, opportunities to network with bankers and other professionals, as well as opportunities to gain valuable leadership skills from selected mentors, amongst others.
To continue to drive the Association’s vision and mission, 14 leading female bankers were selected from across different banks in Nigeria, they are:
- Mrs. Funke Feyisitan Ladimeji, Executive Director, Coronation Merchant Bank as Chairperson
- Mrs. Olukemi Ibiwoye, FCIB, Fmr Asst. General Manager, Access Bank as First Vice-Chairperson
- Mrs. Adebimpe Ogunleye, MCIB, Pioneer Managing Director of Bowen Microfinance Bank as Second Vice-Chairperson
- Mrs. Aina Amah, FCIB, Auditor, Association of Chief Audit Executives of Bank in Nigeria as Financial Secretary
- Ms. Chinwe Egwim, Chief Economist, Coronation Merchant Bank as Treasurer
- Mrs. Christiana Atanbasi, HCIB, Fmr. Regional Head of Electronic Banking, Ecobank as Auditor
- Mrs. Irene Netimah, Company Secretary, FirstBank Nigeria Limited as Ex-Officio
- Mrs. Kehinde Olomojobi, ACIB, Fmr. Bank Treasurer, Sterling Bank as Ex-Officio
- Ms. Kikanwa Akpenyi, FCIB, Group Head, Internal Control, Heritage Bank as Social/Publicity Secretary
- Mrs. Rafiat Onitiri, ACIB, Fmr Head Commercial Banking, Polaris Bank, as Honorary Secretary
- Ms. Opeyemi Oduwole, Country Head of Private Banking for Sterling Bank as 1st Ass. Secretary
- Ms. Funmi Joseph, ACIB, Fmr. Relationship Manager, Ecobank Nig. as 2nd Asst. Secretary
- Mrs. Olamide Adeosun, Group Chief Financial Officer at FBNQuest, as Ass. Financial Secretary
- Mrs. Oluyemisi Olajide, HCIB, Head of Local Corporates and Value Chain Business, Commercial Banking, Eco-Bank as Ex-Officio
The chairperson, Mrs. Funke Feyisitan Ladimeji, HCIB, speaking on the newly appointed EXCO is excited about this new phase and stated that the new EXCO will focus on empowering and positioning Women Bankers for enhanced professional visibility, enhanced impact, and enhanced connectedness. They will do this through various capacity-building initiatives, a wide network of partners, and through recognition and celebration of female achievements, while promoting a culture of integrity and professionalism in the Banking Industry.
To learn more about this association and become one of us, kindly visit
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Twitter – @apwbnigeria
Linkedin – Association of Professional Women Bankers
Facebook – APWB Nigeria
Profiles of Excos
Mrs. Funke Ladimeji, HCIB – Chairperson
Funke Ladimeji is an Executive Director at Coronation Merchant Bank.
She is a uniquely skilled and experienced Investment Banking Executive, with a global career spanning Banking businesses, across Markets and Corporate Finance, across multiple jurisdictions in EMEA (Europe, Middle East, and Africa), North America, and Asia, across multiple asset classes (including debt, equity and the range of assets between debt and equity, as well as derivatives) and across multiple functional areas, including Financial Control, Complex Product Accounting, Technology, Business Operations, and Human Capital.
Mrs. Olukemi Ibiwoye, FCIB, 1st Vice-Chairperson
She is a Fellow of the Chartered Institute of Bankers of Nigeria with over twenty years of working experience in the Banking Industry. She worked with Citizens Bank (now Enterprise Bank) and Ecobank Nigeria Plc respectively in the Corporate and Commercial Banking Groups.
Mrs. Adebimpe Ogunleye, MCIB, 2nd Vice-Chairperson
Ogunleye Adebimpe Esther has to her credit over 32 years of banking experience spanning over various aspects of financial services at community levels, rural and urban as well as regulatory organizations in Nigeria. She was the pioneer Managing Director of Bowen Microfinance Bank Limited, Lagos, Nigeria.
Mrs. Aina Amah, FCIB – Financial Secretary
Aina Amah is a graduate of Economics from the University of Lagos. Holds an MBA from the University of Nicosia, Cyprus, Associate member, Chartered Institute of Management Accountants (UK), a Certified Global Management Accountant (AICPA) and a Fellow of the Chartered Institute of Bankers of Nigeria with over twenty years’ experience in the Financial Services sector of the Nigerian economy.
Ms. Chinwe Egwim
Chinwe Egwim is a professional economist with over 500 published economic notes under her belt. Prior to joining Coronation Merchant Bank as Chief Economist, she has had economic-inclined roles at FBNQuest Merchant Bank, FBN Capital, Fitch Ratings Milan, and the Central Bank of Nigeria. Chinwe was appointed as a National Consultant by the United Nations Economic Commission for Africa to lead the services trade project which is partly driven by the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development.
Mrs. Christiana Atanbasi, HCIB – Auditor
Mrs. Christiana E. Atabansi is an experienced banker with expertise in Electronic Banking and Information Technology. She is currently working as a consultant with Gieliant as a Human Capital Management Consultant and serves as Executive Director of the Herbert Onye Orji foundation.
Mrs. Irene Netimah – Ex-Officio
Irene Netimah is the Company Secretary of FirstBank Nigeria Limited, a position she has held since May 2016. Until her appointment as Company Secretary of FirstBank in May 2016, Irene was the General Counsel/Company Secretary of the FBN Capital Group of companies (now FBNQuest Merchant Bank).
Mrs. Kehinde Olomojobi, ACIB – Ex Officio
Kehinde Olomojobi is a seasoned Finance professional and a strong player in the Treasury Management space with over 21 years of banking experience spanning Treasury, Currency trading, Corporate Sales, Liquidity Management, Derivatives Trading, Financial Modeling, Fixed Income Trading, and Balance Sheet Management amongst other skills.
She is an alumnus of the prestigious Goldman Sachs Training Institute, Wharton Business School as well as the Lagos Business School (LBS).
Ms. Kikanwa Akpenyi, FCIB – Social/ Publicity Secretary
Kikanwa Mary Akpenyi is a seasoned professional with over 22 years of banking experience across various national banks including Eko International Bank, defunct Skye Bank, and Heritage Bank.
Mrs. Rafiat Onitiri, ACIB – Honorary Secretary
Rafiat Onitiri having spent over two decades in the banking industry occupying various positions including managing a major branch of her employers, she founded ATHROL EMPOWERMENT SOLUTIONS LIMITED, a women inclined retail business established to support the less privileged women who have no access to funding which she currently manages as the Chief Executive Officer.
Ms. Opeyemi Oduwole – 1st Asst. Secretary
Opeyemi Oduwole is a seasoned wealth management professional with an extensive bank of knowledge on local and international wealth management as well as advisory services. She currently serves as the Country Head of Private Banking for Sterling Bank.
Ms. Funmi Joseph, ACIB – 2nd Asst. Secretary
Olufunmilayo Bimbola Joseph holds a second-class upper degree in Banking & Finance from Lagos State University. She commenced her professional journey in Banking in the year 2006 when she enrolled for a certificate in Banking Programme at the Chartered Institute of Bankers of Nigeria. She had distinction in Elements of Banking in April 2007 diet of the Institute’s examination and was inducted as an Associate member of the Chartered Institute of Bankers of Nigeria in 2011.
Mrs. Olamide Adeosun – Assistant Financial Secretary
Olamide Adeosun is an experienced finance professional with over 23 years cross sector experience (local and international) who is passionate about positively impacting lives. Olamide is currently the Group Chief Financial Officer at FBNQuest Merchant Bank Group where she manages the Bank’s Finance and Procurement & General Services departments.
Mrs. Oluyemisi Olajide, HCIB – Ex-Officio
Oluyemisi Olajide is a consummate professional with over 25 years banking experience covering Trade Finance, Asset & Liability Management, Foreign Currency Trading, Customer Sales and Distribution. She began her banking career with Stanbic Bank (a subsidiary of Standard Bank South Africa) in 1993 and spent the next 8 years in the organization in foreign operations and treasury.