Wole Olajide
Ademola Adebise is the Managing Director of Wema Bank Plc. The highly skilled and versatile leader has over 30 years’ experience in the banking industry (inclusive of four years in management
consulting), and has worked in various capacities in Information Technology, Financial Control & Strategic Planning, Treasury, Corporate Banking, Risk Management, and Performance Management.
Before joining Wema Bank, Adebise was the Head of the Finance & Performance Management Practice at Accenture (Lagos Office) where he led various projects for banks in Business Process Re-engineering,
Information Technology and Risk Management.
He is an alumnus of the Advanced Management Program (AMP) of the Harvard Business School and holds a Bachelor’s degree in Computer Science from the University of Lagos. He obtained a Master’s degree in Business Administration (MBA) from the Lagos Business School.
Adebise is a Fellow of the Institute of Chartered Accountants of Nigeria (ICAN). He is also an Associate of the Chartered Institute of Taxation and Computer Professionals (Registration Council of Nigeria). He is an Honorary Member of the Chartered Institute of Bankers of Nigeria (HCIB) and a member of the Institute of Directors.
Mr Adebise serves on the board of Nigeria Inter-Bank Settlement System Plc (NIBSS), AIICO Insurance Plc, and AIICO Pensions Management Limited.
Under Adebise’s watch Wema Bank has recorded miles stones of achievement in terms of innovations, rebranding, repositioning and creating value for stakeholders.
An in-depth study of the Wema Bank’s operation in the last ten years revealed that much has been done in rebranding, repositioning and refocusing even in the face of challenging economy and unstable policies that saw the bank at a time opting for a regional license before a subsequent upgrade. The strength of Wema Bank remains its foundation, visible repositioning in the previous years and the seamless succession.
Wema bank recently introduced Collateral-Free SME Loans to Support Businesses. This is one of the bank’s effort to support fight against the ongoing global health crisis. Apart from that the bank also recently organized trainings for female entrepreneurs to enhance business growth and sustainability.
Wema Bank is the pioneer of Africa’s first fully digital bank, ALAT, and one of Nigeria’s most resilient banks. With decades of experience in the business of banking, the Bank has remained innovative in delivering value to its stakeholders. The publicly quoted Nigerian company has successfully built a legacy of trust and resilience that has won it the loyalty of its customers. The Bank is constantly introducing products and services tailored to the needs of its customers at every stage of their lives. It is a proud partner to more than one million individuals, families and businesses across Nigeria, helping them achieve their personal and financial goals.
Bank has grown with a nationwide network of branches and industry-leading technology. From a small organisation known as Agbonmagbe Bank Limited way back in 1945 – the same year the Second World War ended, the finanacial institution transformed into Wema Bank Plc and kickstarted a new phase in its rise to prominence.
In January 1990, Wema Bank was listed on the Nigerian Stock Exchange and while the world did stand up and take notice, the bank’s first major expansion come in February 2001 when the Central Bank granted it a universal banking license to offer a broader range of banking services.
Wema Bank became a regional financial powerhouse in 2009 and from there, it took the bank a short six years to achieve national relevance.
Today, Wema Bank is not only the Nigeria’s longest surviving indigenous bank, the bank is also been celebrated globally for its resilience and unprecedented adoption of digital technology which led to the launch of ALAT, Nigeria’s first fully digital bank, as a revolutionary Wema Bank product in 2017.
The Bank’s over 150 business offices and digital platforms provide retail, SME, trade, treasury, business advisory and corporate banking services to millions of Nigerians and foreigners.