By Yakubu LAAH InvestAdvocate
Lagos (INVESTADVOCATE)-Nigeria’s mid-tier lender, Unit Bank Plc on said on Monday it has appointed four (4) new directors, the bank said in an issuer’s announcement with the Nigerian Stock Exchange.
They are Priya Heal, Dauda N. Iliya, Yabawa Lawan Wabi and Sam N. Okagbue (independent director) as non-executive directors of the Bank.
According to Unity Bank, Heal holds a Law degree (LLB) from Kings College London and was called to the Bar in 1998.
She is an alumnus of Yale University, Connecticut, USA and the University of Passau, Germany. She is also a member of the Honourable Society of Lincoln’s Inn.
Heal is the Managing Director, Chronos Group, Dubai/Germany and co-founded Chronos Asset Management. She also spearheaded the growth of the group by establishing Chronos M&A. Ms. Heal also served as the Managing Director, Filterinvest, Holland and Restructuring Consultant, Competition Authority, London, UK.
She is a goal oriented achiever whose work goes beyond geographical boundaries. She has worked remarkably in multi-cultural environments like Dubai, Germany, London, South Africa and Holland.
“Heal is a member of the World Economic Forum,” the bank said.
On his part, Iliya is a graduate of Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria, B.Sc Hons, Business Administration and also holds an MBA from the same institution. He is an Honorary Senior Member (HCIB), Chartered Institute of Bankers of Nigeria (CIBN), Fellow, Institute of Economists of Nigeria (INEN) and a Member of the Nigerian Institute of Management – (NIM) and Certified Credit Administrators (AICCA).
He began his career in 1984 as a Tax Inspector with the Ministry of Finance, Borno State before venturing into banking. He worked with African International Bank Ltd, Fortune International Bank Plc, International Trust Bank Plc, Inland Bank Nigeria Plc and Wema Bank Plc where he served as an Executive Director appointed by the CBN.
Iliya is a veteran banker with cognate experience of over three decades. He has been exposed to critical banking operations such as Branch Operations, Risk Asset assessment, Loan Recovery, Regulatory Management, Debt Recovery, Audit & Inspection, Treasury Marketing and Corporate, Consumer & Commercial Banking.
He attended several local and international trainings and is an alumnus of the Lagos Business School.
While, Wabi holds a B.Sc in Accounting from the Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria. She is a member of a number of professional associations such as the Institute of Certified Public Accountants of Nigeria, Chartered Institute of Taxation of Nigeria and National Institute for Policy and Strategic Studies, NIPSS. She is a Fellow, Association of National Accountants of Nigeria.
She held positions such as Senior Accountant, National Agricultural Land Dev. Authority (NALDA) Maiduguri; Assistant Chief Accountant, Ministry of Health, Borno State; Chief Accountant, Ministry of Health, Borno State; Asst. Director of Finance & Accounts; Head of Admin. & Finance; Deputy Director of Finance & Accounts; Director of Finance & Accounts, Ministry of Works & Housing, Borno State. She was the Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Health, Min. of Local Government & Chieftaincy Affairs, Borno State. She also served on the Board of Mainstreet Bank (now Skye Bank) as a Non-Executive Director.
Wabi has spent several years in the service of our nation, both at the state and federal levels.
Unity Bank affirmed thatOkagbue is the Managing Partner and founding member of the law firm; George Ikoli & Okagbue (GI&O). He holds an LL.B from University of Ife, Ile-Ife and an LLM from University of London, London School of Economics and has a career spanning over 3 decades beginning with the National Assembly of Nigeria where he served as the Secretary to Senate Committee on Defence from 1981 – 1982.
Also, he has served in various legal capacities some of which are: Associate in the law firm of Bentley Edu & Co.; Company Secretary and Legal Adviser, Fidelity Union Merchant Bank Limited and Partner in the law firm of Bentley Edu & Co. before becoming Managing Partner. He was the Legal advisor; African Institute of Petroleum and Consultant to International Finance Corporation.
Okagbue is a member of several professional bodies amongst which are International Lawyers Network (ILN), International Trademark Association (INTA), Institute of Trademark Agents (ITMA), Nigerian Economic Summit Group (NESG), and Nigerian Bar Association. He has been a Notary Public (Federal Republic of Nigeria) since 1992.
