The Group Managing Director (GMD) of First HoldCo Plc, Wale Oyedeji is an excellent professional and charismatic leader whose impeccable work experience spans over 30 years with expertise in Audit, Corporate Banking, Treasury Management, Commercial Banking and Strategic Financial Planning.
Wale has an exemplary track record of delivering revenue objectives; driving business transformation; ensuring improved staff productivity through people management skills and risk control enterprise; and promoting sound leadership in top-tier Nigerian and international banks. As an accomplished C-suite executive, he has consistently delivered exceptional results, including revenue growth, operational efficiency, business transformation and people development. He is deeply committed to enhancing customer experience while maintaining the highest standards of governance and regulatory compliance.
Prior to his appointment as the GMD of FirstHoldCo, Wale served as the MD/CEO of Nova Commercial Bank where he spearheaded the conversion of Nova from a merchant bank to a commercial bank. He also developed the bank’s strategic roadmap to align operational objectives with growth targets.
He started his career journey with Ernst & Young as an accountant and later joined Guaranty Trust Bank in 1994 where he distinguished himself and rose through the ranks to become the Managing Director, Guaranty Trust Bank UK in 2008. He was thereafter appointed to the Board of Guaranty Trust Bank Plc in October 2011, where he served as Executive Director for the Corporate Banking Group and contributed immensely to the growth and transformation of the Business. Wale also served as an Independent Non-Executive Director on the boards of various organisations including Investment One Financial Services Limited, Stanbic IBTC Bank and Duchess International Hospital.
Wale holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Agricultural Economics from the premier University of Ibadan and a Master of Science in Financial Economics from the prestigious University of London. He is a Fellow of the Institute of Chartered Accountants of Nigeria (ICAN), Honorary Member of Chartered Institute of Bankers of Nigeria, and an alumnus of the Advanced Management Programme of Harvard Business School in United States of America. He has attended various local and international training courses.
Under his watch, First Holdco in 2024 financial year achieved significant growth in its topline and bottom line figures. Gross Earnings of the financial giant hit N3.21 trillion for the 12 months period, up by 105.71% from N1.56 trillion reported the previous year. Profit after tax grew year on year by 118.13% to N677 billion from N310.37 billion reported the previous year.
FirstHoldCo is a financial holding company and one of the largest financial services organisations in Africa. It is a diversified and leading financial services Group offering a broad range of products and services through its subsidiaries, across commercial banking, merchant banking, capital markets, trusteeship and insurance brokerage to millions of customers.