United African Company of Nigeria (UAC) has announced the appointment of Ms. Obi James and Mrs. Amina Muhtar as Independent Non-Executive Directors, effective 1 March 2025.
The announcement was made in a statement signed by Ayomipo Wey, the Company Secretary, on Monday.
The company notified its esteemed shareholders and the Nigerian Exchange Limited (NGX) of the appointments.
“The Board of Directors (the “Board”) of UAC of Nigeria PLC (“UAC” or the “Company”) is pleased to notify its esteemed shareholders and the Nigerian Exchange Limited (“NGX”) of the appointments of Ms. Obi James and Mrs. Amina Muhtar as Independent Non-Executive Directors effective 1 March 2025,” the statement read.
According to the statement, Ms. Obi James is a highly experienced leadership expert and board member with over 20 years of experience in organizational transformation across several industries in Europe, Africa, and the Americas.
The appointees
Ms. Obi James is the Founder and Managing Director of Obi James Consultancy Limited established in 2010.
- As an executive coach and advisor to FTSE 100 and Fortune 500 companies, she has worked with firms such as Morgan Stanley, Bank of America, Bloomberg, and Northern Trust.
- She is also an Executive Committee Member and Trustee of the Royal African Society, U.K., and the author of the #1 Amazon bestseller, “Let Go Leadership: How Inclusive Leaders Share Power to Drive High Performance.” Ms. James holds a degree in Psychology from University College London.
Mrs. Amina Muhtar is a seasoned professional with a diverse background in global health, digital transformation, and the public sector. She currently serves as a Senior Program Officer at the Gates Foundation, overseeing partnerships to expand vaccine access across 50+ countries.
- Prior to this, Mrs. Muhtar spent a decade at McKinsey & Company, working with clients across financial services, healthcare, and government sectors, primarily in Nigeria and sub-Saharan Africa.
- She also worked at McKinsey & Company’s New York office, supporting Fortune 500 companies in designing and executing digital transformation programs. Mrs. Muhtar has prior experience working at the Federal Ministry of Finance, Nigeria, the African Development Bank, and J.P. Morgan Chase.
- She holds a Bachelor’s degree in Commerce, Finance, and Economics from McGill University, Canada, and a Master’s degree in International Economics & Development from Johns Hopkins University, USA.
The Board also acknowledged the departure of Mr. Dan Agbor from the Board, effective 7 February 2025, and expressed gratitude for his contributions to UAC.
What you should know
Last week, UAC announced the appointment of Khalifa Adebayo Biobaku as the new Chairman of the Board, effective from 5 February 2025, succeeding Dan Agbor, who served as UAC’s Chairman for the past nine years.
Biobaku previously served as a Non-Executive Director on the Board of UAC before his new role. Prior to his appointment as Chairman, Biobaku served as Vice Chairman, elected by the Board on 21 June 2023.
In his capacity as Vice Chairman, he was a member of UAC’s Risk Management Committee, Governance and Remuneration Committee, and Statutory Audit Committee, where he played a strategic role in enhancing risk management and governance, contributing to improved operating performance and key financial metrics.