Sterling Bank has announced the retirement of its current Managing Director/Chief Executive Officer Yemi Adeola with effect from March 31st, 2018.
Adeola was appointed Managing Director of the bank in February 2009. Prior to his appointment, he was Executive Director Corporate and Commercial Banking. His retirement comes after 30 years of service in the banking industry.
At a board meeting held on Tuesday August 15th, 2017, Abubakar Suleiman was appointed Managing Director/Chief Executive with effect from April 1st 2018.
Mr. Abubakar Suleiman started his banking career as a Management Associate in MBC International Bank (now First Bank Plc) in 1998. In 2000, he moved to Citibank Nigeria where he worked in roles covering Treasury and Asset & Liability Management. He served as Treasurer in Sterling Bank and later Integration Director for the merger with Equitorial Trust Bank.
Born on 19th August, 1973, he has two decades of relevant experience spanning tax advisory, business audit and financial services. He holds a B.Sc. in Economics from the University of Abuja and an M.Sc. in Major Programmes Management from the University of Oxford. He is also an alumnus of Arthur Andersen (KPMG Nigeria), Wharton School and INSEAD Business School in addition to executive education from Harvard and Said Business Schools.
Abubakar joined Sterling Bank (then known as Trust Bank Africa) in 2003 with responsibility for Treasury and Finance. Following the merger in 2006, he was appointed Group Treasurer; a position he held until 2011 when he assumed the role of Integration Director – tasked with managing and integrating Equitorial Trust Bank (ETB) into Sterling.
He was named Chief Financial Officer (CFO) in 2012, and appointed an Executive Director in April 2014 with responsibility for the financial performance of the Company; and directly overseeing the Finance and Performance Management, Strategy and Innovation, Brand Management and Communication, and Human Resource Management Department. Prior to this, he was also appointed Sponsor, Islamic Projects in November 2003 where he was charged with developing Islamic finance products.