By Yakubu LAAH InvestAdvocate

Lagos (INVESTADVOCATE)-Alex Otti has resigned as the chief executive officer of Diamond Bank Plc according to a notice from the lender to the Nigerian Stock Exchange.

The bank said Uzoma Dozie has been appointed as the new group managing director/CEO to replace Otti who earlier reports say he is interested in contesting for the Abia State gubernatorial poll under the platform of Nigeria’s ruling Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).

Otti, is a 1988 graduate of the University of Port Harcourt where he finished with a First class honours degree in Economics. He subsequently received an MBA from the University of Lagos in 1994 as well as honorary Doctorate degrees from Babcock University and the Universities of Port Harcourt (UNIPORT) and Nigeria (UNN) in 2009, 2012 and 2013 respectively.

The said that prior to his appointment as the CEO of Diamond Bank in March 2011, he worked in a number of financial institutions in various capacities. He started from Nigeria International Bank Limited, a subsidiary of Citibank N.Y. in 1989 and thereafter moved to United Bank for Africa Plc as Principal Manager and Head, Corporate Banking Sector, South. In May 2001, he joined First Bank of Nigeria Plc as an Assistant General Manager with responsibility for the Bank’s Energy Group. In April 2004, he was promoted to Deputy General Manager and in September 2005, he was appointed Executive Director Commercial Banking.

Otti in October 2006 was re-designated Executive Director (South), and given the responsibility to oversee the bank’s businesses in both South-South and South Eastern geo-political zones of Nigeria.

The lender said Dozie’s appointment is subject to the approval of Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN). ‘’Dozie’s appointment was in recognition of his extensive managerial capabilities and in consonance with the Bank’s succession strategy and in recognition of his wealth of banking knowledge,’’ Diamond Bank added.