The Managing Director/ Chief Executive Officer, Heritage Bank, Mr. Ifie Sekibo, says the lender has commenced the process of merging its operations with Enterprise Bank Limited with a view to forming a big bank in 2015.

Sekibo said this at the 2014 financial year staff thanksgiving programme organised by Enterprise Bank recently in Lagos.

A statement by the bank quoted the CEO as saying that the process of combining the businesses of the two financial institutions remained a challenge, which all members of the entities must overcome as a team through tenacious dedication to duty.

He said, “Heritage Bank did not set out to acquire Enterprise Bank believing that it was going to be easy, but we set out knowing that it is possible through the help of the Almighty God.

“Therefore, our collective priority right now is to create a culture of service excellence in the bank in line with our commitment to delivering distinctive financial services, building on our legacy of innovation and partnership to create, preserve and transfer wealth across generations.”

The Heritage Bank CEO said there was every reason to thank the Almighty God for making the dream of acquiring Enterprise Bank Limited to come through.

According to Sekibo, the on-going business combination between the two banks has been planned in such a way that the two entities would from 2015 become a bigger and better bank.

The statement also quoted the Acting Chief Executive Officer, Enterprise Bank Limited, Mrs. Mary Akpobome, as calling on all staff members to work towards a successful business combination.

Punch