Akinsola Akinfemiwa’s Destiny

Akinsola Akinfenwa, OON, whose name is now synonymous with banking, would have been an academic. While he was growing up, he had foreseen a future for himself in the academia. But in the fullness of time, destiny prevailed and he ended up in the banking industry.

As a banker, he was a darling and inspiration to so many people. But how did his foray into the industry begin? He started out as a banker with the International Merchant Bank (IMB), where he proved his mettle. He later became a phenomenon as Managing Director of Prudent Bank. As fate would have it, he led the bank in one of the biggest mergers in the industry in 2005 when it transformed into Skye Bank Plc.

That feat further projected him as a major figure in financial institutions in Africa.

Though he quit the industry following the Central Bank of Nigeria’s guidelines in 2011, he returned in 2013 to become the chairman, Heritage Bank. His expertise came quite handy as the bank has grown quite impressively, a few years after its establishment.

Akinfemiwa, who obtained a Master’s degree from the University of Ife( now Obafemi Awolowo University), Ile-Ife, Osun State in 1980, is a versatile professional whose areas of expertise includes, Corporate Finance, Lease Financing, Risk Management and Strategic Planning.

He has attended various professional courses locally and internationally, including an internship at the First National Bank of Chicago Leasing Corporation.

The alumnus of European Institute of Business Administration, Manchester Business School, Lagos Business School and Harvard Business School is the Chairman, AAG Management Resources Limited. He sits on the Board of various other companies, including Genesis Electricity and Petroleum Products International Limited. He was also the Vice Chairman of Transmission Company of Nigeria (TCN).