- Chinwe has been appointed as Polaris Bank’s Executive Director
- Before her appointment, she was General Manager/Regional Head at Fidelity Bank
- She has over 25 years of banking experience and is an MBA holder, and has pursued courses in prestigious institutions.
Polaris Bank has appointed Chinwe Iloghalu as one of the members of its executive leadership team as the bank’s Executive Director, Lagos and Corporate Banking.
She will be joining Polaris Bank Limited, which is a Tier II Nigerian private limited liability company providing banking and other financial services to the Nigerian public, to both individuals and corporate entities through retail, SME, commercial, corporate banking, and government MDAs.
Chinwe has leadership and senior management/ general management-level experience at top-tier Banks in Nigeria, such as Zenith Bank and Fidelity Bank, with a strong track record in corporate banking, innovation, and technology.
Before her appointment, she was General Manager/Regional Head at Fidelity Bank, covering the Lagos operations with extensive experience across the digital and electronic banking ecosystem.
In her 25 years of Banking, she has driven great value and impact to business banking relationships by building strong networks, leveraging valuable connections in the ecosystem, and creating sustainable value and maximum returns/profitability for key stakeholders.
Early life and academic life
She attended K.Kotun Memorial School in Lagos before proceeding to a Unity School, Federal Government Girls’ College in New Bussa (formerly Kwara State, now in present-day Niger State). Her tertiary education was at the University of Benin in Edo State, where she pursued Industrial Chemistry.
She holds a Master’s in Business Administration (MBA) and a Master of Science (MSc) in Media and Communications from Pan-Atlantic University.
She actively participated in numerous courses focused on Leadership, Negotiations, Branding, and Digital Marketing at notable institutions where she pursued these courses, in institutions like Harvard Business School, London Business School, London School of Business and Finance, Columbia Business School, Lagos Business School, and TEXEM Business School, among others.
Career life
Her career in the banking sector commenced at Equitorial Trust Bank in Dugbe, Ibadan, where she served as a Youth Corper following her mandatory NYSC National Service in 1996. Subsequently, she joined Ecobank Nig Plc in an entry-level position, gaining experience at the Head Office, Ikoyi Branch, and Apapa Branch over four years.
Later, she made a transition to Zenith Bank, where she dedicated a total of 17 years, working in the Energy Group and Commercial Banking Group. Following her tenure at Zenith Bank, she assumed the role of General Manager at Fidelity Bank, overseeing the Victoria Island and Lekki Region as the Regional Bank Head.
In her 25 years of banking, she has driven great value and impact to business banking relationships by building strong networks, leveraging valuable connections in the ecosystem and creating sustainable value and maximum returns/profitability for key stakeholders.
Leadership style and personal beliefs
Chinwe Iloghalu opines that leaders need to demonstrate flexibility in their leadership style by demonstrating various personality types within the workplace based on different situations.
She enjoys problem-solving and value creation and finds great enjoyment in structuring business transactions to achieve a mutually beneficial outcome for both the bank and the customer because she believes that adopting a win-win approach to negotiations yields the most favourable results.
As regards self-development, she believes in the importance of acquiring skills and expertise in one’s chosen field or career as a means to gain a competitive edge over peers. She believes in reading wide and expanding one’s knowledge.
According to her,
- “I would like to be known as a woman who has a passion for excellence, an uncommon commitment to duty and responsibility, and an unrivalled passion for performance”.
Following her latest appointment, Adekunle Sonola, the managing director of Polaris Bank, said,
- “We have set out some ambitious targets for growth over the coming years, and I am confident we have brought together the right management team to deliver on those targets. I look forward to working with Chinwe over the coming months and years.”
Chinwe Iloghalu will be joining Polaris Bank Limited, which is a Tier II Nigerian, private limited liability financial institution providing banking and other financial services to the Nigerian public, individuals, and corporate entities through retail, SME, commercial, corporate banking and government MDAs.
A great acquisition by Polaris Bank. She will improve the service in the Bank.
Weldone Polaris Bank!! It shows you have ambition to greater heights.