Incumbent Managing Director and Chief of Executive Officer (CEO) of Polaris Bank, Tokunbo Abiru is billed for retirement later this month (31st August, 2020) having completed his second two-year tenure at the helm of the Bank.
In an emotion-laden farewell message to the staff of the Bank, Mr. Abiru explained that having served meritoriously in the banking industry for nearly three decades, he had resolved to retire to enable him contribute his quota in other areas of the society.
Sharing his scorecard while serving as the CEO of the Bank, Mr. Abiru noted: “It gives me great pleasure to say that, with the support of the Board, Executive Management and all of you, we have delivered on the mandate given to us by the Central Bank of Nigeria upon assumption of office in 2016.”
Newsclickng.com reports that the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), will likely decide on who takes over as the new MD/CEO of the bank on Monday (today). However, being a bridge bank owned by the Federal Government through Asset Management Corporation of Nigeria (AMCON) and Nigeria Deposit Insurance Corporation (NDIC), the CBN’s succession decision could either be internal or external.
If the apex bank’s decision is internal, a check on the bank’s website by Newsclickng.com on Monday shows two most qualified Executive Directors (ED) for the top job.
These are Innocent Ike and Abdullahi S. Mohammed.
Innocent Ike
Innocent Ike has over twenty-eight (28) years of successful professional banking experience acquired from leading Nigerian banks, mainly Access Bank Plc., GTBank Plc., and Keystone Bank, where he played very strategic roles in these institutions.
He was an Executive Director with Keystone Bank and has also worked as a General Manager in Access Bank Plc. As Group Head, Corporate, Institutional and Commercial Banking Divisions, Innocent Ike successfully developed and managed several high profile relationships with financial institutions, corporate and public sector clients in Lagos, Abuja and South-South regions.
Prior to joining Access Bank Plc., he worked in erstwhile Fortune international Bank Plc., and GTBank Plc., where he played several key roles in Commercial Banking, Treasury and Currency Trading as well as Operations and Technology Divisions. He also had valuable experience in Corporate Finance and Risk Management.
He started his professional career as a Senior Associate with Akintola Williams Deloitte, Nigeria before joining GTBank. Whilst at the accounting firm, he worked in the Audit, Consulting and Financial Advisory Divisions and was responsible for handling several key assignments.
Innocent obtained a Bachelor of Science degree in Accounting from the University of Lagos, where he was the Best Graduating Student in 1988. He is a Fellow of the Institute of Chartered Accountants of Nigeria (ICAN) and Honorary Senior Member of the Chartered Institute of Bankers of Nigeria (CIBN).
He has attended several professional, management and leadership programs in world class institutions including Harvard Business School, International Management Development Institute (IMD) Switzerland, Euromoney London and Covey Leadership Centre.
Innocent is happily married with children.
Abdullahi S. Mohammed
Abdullahi S. Mohammed was born in August 1958 in Kano, Kano State. He had his early education in Kano and Kaduna States before proceeding to the Bowling Green State University, Ohio USA for his Bachelor and Masters Degrees. He returned to Nigeria in 1987 to commence his career with Cement Company of Northern Nigeria Plc., Sokoto, where he served as a Staff Development and Training Senior Instructor. He subsequently joined Century Merchant Bank Limited in 1991 as an Officer and Head of Treasury Department of Kano Area Office. During his stint at Century Merchant Bank he was saddled with the responsibility of establishing the businesses operations in the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja.
Mr. Mohammed would later in 1995 move to Kakawa Discount House Ltd. as the Admin Manager and later in 1998 was moved to establish the Abuja Area Office where he served as the head overseeing the 19 northern states. In 1999, he took up appointment as the Commissioner for Works, Housing and Transport in Kano State and Member, Kano State Executive Council. He was also at various times, the relief commissioner in the Ministries of Health and Water Resources. He later returned to Kakawa Discount House Ltd. until 2003 when he joined First Bank of Nigeria Ltd. where he rose to become a Deputy General Manager in 2013.
He was at various times in First Bank responsible for the Bank’s Business Development in Benue, Kogi, Nasarawa, Niger, Kano, Jigawa States as well as FCT – Abuja. He was until his appointment the Group Head in Charge of Commercial Banking in the North overseeing commercial Banking Business in the whole Northern Nigeria.
He has attended courses both in Nigeria and Overseas including those at the London Business School and the prestigious INSEAD Program for Achieving Outstanding Performance in Singapore. Mr. Mohammed is also member of the 37th SMP of the Lagos Business School and Honorary Senior Member of CIBN.
He is an avid golf player and happily married with children
