The Board of Emerging Market Telecommunication Services Limited (EMTS) trading as 9mobile, has announced the appointment of Abolaji Idowu as its new Chief Financial Officer (CFO).
This comes a few days after the company announced the appointment of a new CEO in what it described as transformation moves.
According to a statement released by the company on Tuesday, Idowu succeeds Mrs Nkem Oni-Egboma, the outgoing CFO, who is stepping down to explore new opportunities outside of 9mobile.
It added that the new appointment is part of a significant leadership change initiated by the board of the telco in its determined efforts at business transformation.
His profile
Per the telco’s statement, Idowu joins 9mobile with over 20 years of experience having led finance transformation and delivering ambitious growth for global giants, such as Vodafone, Telefonica O2, MTN Nigeria, Starcomms PLC, Shell, Barclays, PepsiCo International, British Gas, Johnson & Johnson, Norgine Pharmaceutical and Vivo Energy.
- He has held senior positions in various organizations across Europe and Africa raising finance, transforming organizations, championing growth, delivering significant cost saving and efficiency, optimizing asset utilization, reorganizing and streamlining companies, and preparing entities for new markets.
- His work has seen him traverse several markets including the United Kingdom, Ghana, South Africa, Kenya, Belgium, and the UAE.
- Academically, Idowu holds a bachelor’s degree in Management and Accounting from Obafemi Awolowo University (OAU) and has a Master’s in Business Administration (MBA) from the prestigious Manchester Business School.
- He is a Certified Chartered Accountant (ACCA), a Certified Financial Analyst (FMVA), and a Certified Business Coach.
What they are saying
Commenting on the appointment, 9mobile CEO Obafemi Banigbe described the new CFO as a valuable addition to the high-performance team the company is building with his cross-sector experience and diverse working backgrounds and experiences.
“He brings valuable perspectives and skill sets that can drive strategic financial decision-making, foster innovation, and enhance risk management.
“I am looking forward to working with him to accelerate delivery on the exciting 9mobile transformation strategy. Idowu has a proven track record and experience in helping to lead high-performance organizations that improve business resilience, drive operational excellence, and deliver accelerated strategic growth.”
Speaking on his appointment, Idowu pledged to leverage his rich experience to impact the finance and operations of the company positively.
“I am very excited to be a part of this new phase of business transformation. I look forward to working closely with the management team led by the CEO, staff, and other stakeholders and collaborating with the board to achieve our shared goals,” he said.
As Chief Financial Officer, Idowu will provide strategic leadership for the Finance team, and take ownership of financial decisions in line with current trends and EMTS strategic vision.