The Central Bank of Nigeria has confirmed the appointment of Mrs Beatrice Bassey, as the substantive Chair of Union Bank of Nigeria (UBN) Plc.
UBN said this in a statement made available to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Friday in Lagos.
The statement said that Bassey joined the bank’s board in 2015 as a non-Executive Director.
It said that she was appointed the acting Board Chairman in Dec. 2019, after the demise of Mr Cyril Odu, the immediate past Chairman.
Commenting on her appointment, Bassey said: “I am delighted to lead the board as we drive Union Bank’s growth strategy and entrench its position as a leading financial institution in Nigeria.
“As we move ahead, our focus remains to deliver greater value to our customers, shareholders, and all stakeholders,” she said.
Bassey is a reputable lawyer with extensive experience in corporate governance and financial institutions.
Currently, she is the General Counsel and Chief Compliance Officer at Atlas Mara Ltd., a publicly listed financial services company that operates banks in various parts of Africa.
“A lawyer of great repute with extensive experience in corporate governance and financial institutions, she is an authority in compliance and represents clients globally in compliance and anti-corruption matters.
“In addition to overseeing compliance, corporate governance and legal affairs across all its subsidiaries, Bassey has led Atlas Mara’s acquisition and integration of the nine banks it has acquired to date as well as several strategic initiatives.
“Through her current service on the boards and board committees of public companies, she has garnered in-depth knowledge of corporate governance best practices and trends.
“Prior to the afore-mentioned, Bassey was a Senior Partner in the New York offices of Hughes Hubbard & Reed LLP, a premier Wall Street law firm where she was a member the Executive Committee,” the statement said.
Bassey holds an LL. B in Law from University of Maiduguri, a BL in Law from the Nigerian Law School and an LL.M from Harvard Law School.
She was called to the Nigerian Bar in 1995 and the New York Bar in 1999.
She is a fellow of the prestigious David Rockefeller Fellows Programme of the Partnership for New York City.
