Seplat Energy Plc has announced the appointment of Mrs. Bashirat Odunewu as an Independent Non-Executive Director of the company, Mr. Kazeem Raimi & Mr. Ernest Ebi as Non- Executive Directors, respectively.
This was disclosed through a notice by the company which was filed with the Exchange and signed by the Director Legal/Company’s secretary, Mrs. Edith Onwuchekwa.
The appointment of the Non-Executive Directors, according to the disclosure, will be effective from 18th May, 2022.
About the appointees
Mrs. Bashirat Odunewu – Independent Non- Executive Director
Mrs. Bashirat Odunewu is a Banking and financial expert with about 30 years’ experience in the Finance and Banking Industry. Up till June 2021, she served as C-Suite executive, corporate banking (Energy, Natural Resources & Infrastructure), at First Bank Nigeria Ltd, prior to which she was the line executive for their international banking group where she supervised CEOs of the subsidiaries of First Bank in 6 African countries as well as the Bank’s Representative office in China and served as a board member for several of them.
She currently serves as an INED on the board of Leadway Holdings and Non-Executive Director (NED) on the Boards of some African Subsidiary Banks of First Bank Nigeria. She is an Independent NED on the Board of Neimeth International Pharmaceuticals Plc (an NGX quoted company) and is also a member of the Board of Directors for the Franco-Nigeria Chamber of Commerce and Industry where she serves as the Treasurer.
Mrs. Odunewu has experience spanning audit/accounting, corporate & commercial banking, Investment banking and treasury in various financial institutions. She has specialized in Oil and Gas financing projects and led notable successful syndications for acquisitions and development. She has been the recipient of several Merit Awards in the organizations she has worked in recognition of her stellar performance
Mr. Kazeem Raimi – Non-Executive Director
Mr. Kazeem Raimi is a nominee of Platform Petroleum Limited replacing Mr. Austin Avuru who stepped down from the Board of Seplat Energy on 1st March 2022. Mr. Raimi is presently the Executive Director, Commercial for Platform Petroleum Limited. Previously with Seplat Energy as General Manager, Commercial, Mr. Raimi was charged with the responsibility for driving commercial, economics, valuation, planning and treasury activities across the entire organisation. He also served previously as Manager, Corporate Planning and Economics at Seplat Energy.
Mr. Raimi has extensive experience in project economics and risk analysis having been Lead Petroleum Economics and Commercial Advisor at Addax Petroleum Nigeria where he also served in different capacities. Prior to this, Mr. Raimi served as Treasury Manager at Cadbury Nigeria Plc and Finance Analyst at Citibank Nigeria Limited. He had significant involvement in commercial and economic evaluations of new ventures, farm-in and company acquisition opportunities with a thorough appreciation of tax, fiscal issues and project economics especially as they relate to Nigeria, Gabon, Iraq and Cameroon.
In addition to his role at Platform Petroleum Limited, Mr. Raimi also serves as a Non – Executive Director at PNG Gas Limited and Ase River Transport Company Limited.
Mr. Ernest Ebi – Non-Executive Director
Mr. Ernest Ebi is a nominee of Shebah Petroleum Development Company Limited (BVI) replacing Dr. A.B.C Orjiako who will step down from the Board of Seplat Energy on 18th May 2022 after the Annual General Meeting. Mr. Ebi is an executive whose vast experience in the banking and finance industry spans over four (4) decades. From June 1999 to June 2009, he was appointed as a Deputy Governor at the Central Bank of Nigeria, Nigeria’s apex bank, where he covered policy and corporate services portfolios. Prior to this, Mr. Ebi held several executive positions in the banking industry in Nigeria and the United States of America. He was the Deputy Managing Director in Diamond Bank Ltd where he led the bank’s financial services marketing strategy & initiatives for new business development amongst others.
Mr. Ebi served as the Board Chairman of Fidelity Bank Plc (2016 – 2020) and AIICO Pension Managers (2010-2021) and currently serves as an Independent Director on the Board of Dangote Cement Plc., Julius Berger Nigeria Plc., Coronation Capital Ltd, and Coronation Asset Management Ltd.
Mr. Ebi is also a Fellow, Chartered Institute of Bankers, FCIB and Fellow, Institute of Directors Nigeria (F.IOD). Mr. Ebi has a very distinguished career within the Banking and financial services industry and has undertaken several leadership courses in Harvard Business School and Oxford Said Business School.
