Access Holdings Plc has announced the appointment of Mr. Innocent Ike as the substantive Group Managing Director/Chief Executive Officer (GMD/CEO) of the Company, effective August 29, 2025, following the receipt of regulatory approval.
The Company in a statement to the NGX said: “Mr. Ike takes over from Ms. Bolaji Agbede, who has steered the affairs of the financial services group as Acting GMD/CEO for the past 18 months. In line with regulatory stipulations on the required years of experience for the chief executive of a financial holding company, Agbede will revert to her substantive role as Executive Director, Business Support.
‘During her tenure, Access Holdings recorded major milestones, including the successful execution of a ₦351 billion Rights Issue, seamless hosting of two Annual General Meetings, and ensuring workforce stability during the transition following the passing of former GMD/CEO, Herbert Wigwe.”
Chairman of Access Holdings, Mr. Aigboje Aig-Imoukhuede, CFR, commended Agbede’s contributions, describing her role as pivotal in maintaining stability and growth.
“We are thrilled to welcome Mr. Ike as we move forward. At the same time, we express our deepest gratitude to Ms. Agbede. Her outstanding contributions over the past 18 months have been invaluable, and we appreciate her dedication in navigating the Company through challenges and opportunities,” he said.
Ike, a seasoned banker with over three decades’ experience, graduated as the best student in Accounting from the University of Lagos in 1988. He is a Fellow of both the Chartered Institute of Bankers of Nigeria (CIBN) and the Institute of Chartered Accountants of Nigeria (ICAN), as well as a certified IFRS expert.
He previously served as Managing Director/CEO of Polaris Bank between 2020 and 2022, where he successfully launched the bank’s digital platform, VULTe, which won multiple industry awards, including the BusinessDay BAFI Digital Bank of the Year and the Nigerian Fintech Digital Bank of the Year Awards in 2021 and 2022. He had also spent 10 years at Access Bank, rising to the position of General Manager with oversight across corporate, commercial and public sector portfolios.
Reacting to his appointment, Ike said:
“I am honoured to take on the role of Group Managing Director/Chief Executive Officer and excited to work alongside the talented team at Access Holdings. I look forward to building on the strong legacy established by Herbert Wigwe and Bolaji Agbede, and driving our vision forward, ensuring we continue to deliver exceptional value to our shareholders and stakeholders.”
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