TOP MANAGEMENT TEAM
The day-to-day activities of OCEANIC are coordinated by the
Managing Director supported by a team of Senior
Management staff all of whom are experienced and qualified specialists
in their respective fields. Below is a profile of our management
team:
Chief Dr. (Mrs.) Cecilia Ibru - Managing Director/CEO
 Dr. (Mrs.) Cecilia Ibru holds a Bachelor of Science (B.Sc.) Degree in Sociology from North East London University and a Masters of Philosophy from the London school of Oriental and African studies.
She commenced her career at the IBRU Organisation in 1978 where she held various positions.
In 1990, she joined Oceanic Bank as General Manager, Admin and Personnel later becoming Executive Director, Finance and Administration.
Cecilia Ibru became the bank’s Managing Director /CEO in 1997. She is chairperson, Sub-committee of the Bankers’ Committee on Small and Medium Investment Equity Scheme (SMIEIS) Member, Presidential Consultative Committee on SMIEIS, Member World Economic Forum. She is a Fellow Chartered Institute of Bankers of Nigeria and Fellow Nigeria Institute of Management.
In recognition of her numerous contributions to the development of Banking in Nigeria, the Federal Government of Nigeria honoured her with the award of Member of the Federal Republic (MFR). Mekwunye, Charles - Executive Director
 Before joining Oceanic Bank International Plc in July 2005, Charles Mekwunye was an Executive Director in Zenith Bank Plc. from where he resigned. He holds two Masters Degrees, one in Law from the University of Lagos and the other in Business Administration from ESUT Business School. He is also an Alumnus of Oxford University Business School AMP Programme; and an Alumnus of Wharton College, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, USA Executive Education Programme. Mr. Mekwunye has also attended the Leadership Programme of World Business Forum, Los Angeles 2005.
He has worked as legal and Special Assistant to General Olusegun Obasanjo at the Obasanjo Holdings Limited. He worked with International Merchant Bank between 1988 and 1992 before moving over to Zenith Bank Plc. He served Zenith Bank Plc in various capacities as Head of Legal Division and Company Secretary; Head of Administration and Human Resources Division; Head of Credit Administration, Loan Review and Recovery Division; Chief Compliance Officer; General Manager/Group Zonal Head of Midwest and Eastern zones of the bank. He has over 21 years post-graduation experience out of which he has spent over 17 years in the banking industry. He is a Member of the Nigerian Institute of Management and Member of the Chartered Institute of Arbitrators, London. Duate Iyabi - Executive Director
 Duate Iyabi became Executive Director following the integration between Oceanic Bank and International
Trust Bank, ITB, where he was Managing Director.
He was educated variously at Barking College of Arts and Science, Dagenham, Essex, England; University
of Central England (formerly City of Birmingham Polytechnic); Oxford University Templeton College,
Oxford, England and Harvard Business School/University of Cape Town Graduate Business School, Cape
Town, South Africa. He is a Fellow of the Chartered Association of Certified Accountants (FCCA).
He had worked as an auditor with Tunde Williams & Co. Chartered Accountants, from where he joined
International Merchant Bank as Internal Control Officer in 1983. He has also served at different times
as Ag. Managing Director, Pan African Bank Ltd, Port Harcourt, 1983 to 1993, Executive Director in
charge of Financial Control and Computer Systems, Allstates Trust Bank, 1993 to 1997. In early 1999 he
was promoted to the position of Deputy Managing Director in charge of Systems, Electronic and Retail
Banking. He became the Managing Director of the bank in June 1999.
He retired from the bank in October 2003 and was appointed Managing Director of International Trust
Bank Plc in August 2004, a position he held until January 2005 when ITB merged with Oceanic Bank
International Plc. Francis Okumagba - Executive Director
 He holds a Bachelor of Science Degree and Masters Degree in Business Administration from the University
of Benin, Nigeria. Before joining Oceanic Bank in 1999 as a Senior Manager, he worked in four other
Banks (Ecobank, City Express Bank, Equitorial Trust Bank and Universal Trust Bank) where he served
principally as a major driver in Asset and Liability Management and service excellence initiatives.
He is an Honorary Senior member of the Chartered Institute of Bankers of Nigeria, an Associate member
of the Certified Pension Institute of Nigeria and a Certified Treasurer with Treasurers Dealership Certificate
of the Chartered Institute of Bankers and Money Market Association of Nigeria.
He has attended various courses both within and outside Nigeria and he is an alumnus of the prestigious
Lagos Business School (now Pan African University) and Cranfield University, United Kingdom. He
currently oversees the Treasury and Financial Institutions Group of the Bank (which consists of Treasury,
Financial Institutions, Asset Management, Investment Banking, Trustees, Custodial Banking and Stock
Broking.) Kola Ayeye - Executive Director
 Mr. Kola Ayeye is a chartered accountant with first degree in Accountancy and a Master degree in Finance, with over 22 years experience in financial services, audit and advisory services. Was involved in the start-up/turnaround teams of two banks.
His career started with Ernst & Young International from where
He joined International Institute of Tropical
Agriculture (IITA) in 1987 as Audit Senior. Thereafter, he worked in International
Merchant Bank between 1988 - 1989. He had previously worked in
Oceanic Bank in Investment Banking before he joined Sunio Company Limited.
He had also worked in UBA Plc., GT Bank Plc, Commerical Bank (Credit Lyonnais) Nig. Ltd.) at management level.
He was the leader of the team that carried out a due-diligence and
prepared a turnaround plan for National Bank of Nigeria and worked as the Managing Director/CEO
between 2003 and 2005.
He had attended various programmes amongst which the following are key: Institute of Management
Development (IMD) - Switzerland, Lagos Business School (LBS) - An affiliate of IESE Spain and Arthur D Little Managemnet Education Institute - Massachusetts. Oti Ikomi - Executive Director
 Mr. Oti Ikomi holds Bachelor of Industrial Engineering and
Master of Industrial Engineering, Operations Research Specialization
from State University of New York, Buffalo, NY, USA in 1979 and 1981 respectively.
He is an Elected Member of Omega Rho, International Operations Research Honour Society (1980)
and Tau Beta Pi, American National Engineering Honour Society
He had worked at Eastman Kodak Company, Rochester, NY, United States, Unilever, Lagos, Nigeria and Glaxo Smithkline, Lagos, Nigeria as Industrial
Engineer, Production Engineer and Head, Industrial Engineering before he started his banking career in 1989 at Citibank.
He is a Pan-African professional with expertise and responsibilities covering 18 African Countries from Southern, East, West and North Africa. Vast expertise in Corporate and Transactional Banking offering diversified and customizable solutions to clients from strategy conceptualisation through senior relationship, product management and execution.
He worked at Citibank from 1989 - 2003 in various African Countries and later joined Standard Bank, Johannesburg in 2004 as the Director and Head of Sales. Ololade Ogunlusi - Executive Director
 She holds a Bachelors Degree in Accounting from University of Lancaster (1985) and is a Fellow of the Institute of the Chartered Accountants of Nigeria.
Her career started with Shelly & Partners, a UK based firm of Chartered Accountants from where she joined Ernst & Young. Thereafter, she worked with First Interstate Merchant Bank Limited, Fidelity Union Merchant Bank Limited and Liberty
Merchant Bank Limited (now Liberty Bank Plc).
She joined the services of Oceanic Bank in September 2000. She is presently the Group
Head in charge of bank-wide operations. She has attended various courses including “Advanced Structured Trade Finance” at African
Export Import bank “AFREXIM” and “International Trade Finance” at Deutsche bank London and Frankfurt. Asalu, Akinpelu - Executive Director
 This old Boy of Kings College Lagos graduated from the University of Lagos with an Honours Degree in Business Administration.
He began his banking career, which has spanned about sixteen (16) years in First City Merchant Bank and has won laurels both at local and global levels coupled with enormous experience in Corporate and Commercial Banking as well as strategic branch development and management.
AKIN, who conceptualised and developed the first Virtual Bank in the country amongst other products that he pioneered, has had stints with United Bank for Africa, Standard Trust Bank and Equitorial Trust Bank and now OCEANIC BANK INTERNATIONAL PLC, He is known for his innate ability to develop products which drive bottom-lines of corporate entities. Adeniyi Adeoye - General Manager
 He holds a Bachelors Degree in Business Administration from University of Ilorin. He is a Chartered Accountant and trained with two International Consulting firms, Ernst & Young and PriceWaterhouseCoopers before joining Oceanic Bank.
He joined the Bank as Pioneer
Head of the Business Process Re-engineering Department. He serves currently as the Group Head of Corporate Planning & Development
Group, which consists of Strategic Planning Department, Financial Planning & Control Department and Business Process Re-engineering
Department. He has attended various Financial and Business Strategy related courses including “ Bank Strategy Master Class” at Euromoney,
London. Abisola Okoakih - General Manager
 She holds a Bachelors Degree in Economics from University of Jos and a Masters Degree in Business Administration from Edo State University, Ekpoma.
She joined Oceanic Bank in 2001 as a Deputy Manager in Corporate Banking. She had previously worked with Eko
International Bank (now EIB International Bank Plc) and Liberty Bank Limited (now Liberty Bank Plc) in various capacities including
International Operations, Branch Operations, Treasury, Credit Management and Corporate Banking.
She is currently the Group Head, Corporate Banking Group. She has attended various courses locally and abroad including “Advanced Structured Trade Finance” at African
Export Import Bank. Marian Iroezindu - General Manager
 She holds a Bachelors Degree in Banking and Finance from the University of Lagos and a Masters Degree in Business Administration with
specialisation in finance from the university of Benin in 1983.
She worked in the Foreign Operations and Commercial Banking Groups
of United Bank for Africa Plc between 1984 and 1991.
She joined the services of Oceanic Bank in February 1992 and is currently the Group Head, Development and Logistics. She has attended various courses locally and abroad including “International Trade Finance” at Deutsche Bank London and Frankfurt. Okibe, Matthew Attah - General Manager
 Attah holds a Bachelor of Agriculture degree from University of Ife (OAU) and an MBA from Edo State University.
His working experience started with Unilever Nigeria Plc (1989 – 1990). Oceanic Bank International Nigeria Ltd. (1990 – 1993). Crystal Bank of Africa Limited (1993 – 1997). United Bank of Africa Plc. (1997 -1999). Fortune International Bank Plc. (1999 – 2005) where he rose to the position of G.M. Operations and Information Technology.
He then worked with Equitorial Trust Bank Limited (2005 – 2006) before moving to Oceanic Bank International Plc in 2006. He has attended several courses on special aspects of banking both locally and abroad. Augustina Okwu - General Manager
 She holds a Bachelor degree in Law from the University of Lagos and was called to Nigerian Bar in 1982.
She worked with the Business Name Registry and Nigerian Industrial Development Bank Limited as Legal Officer. She later joined United Bank for Africa Plc in December 1983 and worked in the Lending Policy and Control Department.
She joined Oceanic Bank in 1991 and is currently the Company Secretary and Legal Adviser to the. She has attended various courses including Advanced management Programme at Lagos Business School (now Pan African University). Ese Ojehomon - General Manager/Zonal Head South
 She holds a Bachelors Degree in Law from University of Lagos and a Master in Law with specialization in International Economic Law from University of Jos.
She Started her Career with Sam Edah & Co. in 1988 and joined Oceanic in 1990. She is presently the Zonal Head South
Obaro Ibru - General Manager
 He holds Bachelor Degree of Arts from the University of North Carolina Chapel Hill, North Carolina, USA. He also holds a BA degree in French from same university. He started his banking career with Oceanic bank International in September 1999 as manager, Control Group. In that capacity, he coordinated and supervised activities of Internal Control officer bankwide.
He rose to become a Senior Manager and later Assistant General Manager, Consumer Banking Department, where he coordinated several units namel: Marketing, Electronic Business, Special Projects, Project Development & Management and Branch Located Consumer Banking Department.
He is currently a General Manager in the MD's office. In addition, he has been the bank's Chief Marketing Officer since 2002. |
