Standard Chartered Nigeria has appointed Ayodeji (Deji) Adelagun as the acting chief executive officer of the bank’s operations in Nigeria.
The appointment of Ayodeji; who has been with the bank for over 19 years with over 26 years’ experience in the financial services sector spanning Financial markets, Banking Operations, Securities Trading, Foreign Exchange Trading, Asset & Liability Management, Commercial Banking, Risk management and Credit; is a testament to the Bank’s established culture of promoting excellence and leadership continuity whilst reinforcing the confidence of its esteemed stakeholders in the Nigerian financial industry.
“We are pleased to announce the appointment of Ayodeji ‘Deji’ Adelagun as the Acting Chief Executive Officer of Standard Chartered Bank Nigeria Limited. Deji brings a strong track record of leadership, deep market insight and a clear vision for growth. With an extensive background in banking and finance, he brings a wealth of experience and expertise to lead our operations in Nigeria.
“As a leading international bank, Standard Chartered remains committed to driving economic growth and supporting our clients in Nigeria. We are confident that under his leadership, the Bank will further deepen its impact in Nigeria and continue delivering exceptional service and innovative solutions to our clients,” said Dalu Ajene, the bank’s Africa CEO.
Ayodeji, who, until his latest appointment, was the Bank’s executive director, Financial Markets, is credited with driving enhanced trading liquidity and good risk management practices for the bank. He was also actively involved in the development of both local and regional markets.
Speaking on his appointment, Ayodeji said, “I am deeply honoured to assume the responsibility of leading the bank’s strategic agenda in Nigeria at this pivotal time. Nigeria remains a priority market for the bank, and our recent recapitalisation, together with a refreshed strategy, clearly underscores this commitment. We will continue to support the country by facilitating foreign portfolio flows to help strengthen the economy, we intend to sustain our leading position in unlocking flows into the country.
“As a bank, the voice of our customers has always been central to how we operate, and we remain firmly focused on consistently exceeding the expectations of our diverse client base. Our distinctive strengths in cross-border transactions, alongside our Wealth and Affluent focus, remain central to our strategy. These areas give us a clear competitive advantage, and we will continue to grow the business by delivering differentiated solutions that meet our clients’ evolving needs.
Ayodeji joined Standard Chartered in August 2007 as head, Rates & Credit Trading and was tasked with the responsibility of setting up the Rates & Credit desk. Prior to joining Standard Chartered, he worked with the Banking Operations, Commercial Banking and Treasury Departments of Access Bank Plc. He had previously worked with First Securities Discount House Limited (FSDH), now FSDH Merchant bank in 2003, where he was the pioneer bond dealer and was responsible for setting up and running the bond trading desk.
Ayodeji takes over from Dalu Ajene, who was recently appointed as Africa CEO and Head of Coverage at Standard Chartered Bank. He added, I have had the privilege of working closely with Dalu Ajene, who recently transitioned from the role of CEO Nigeria to lead our strategic agenda across Africa as the CEO of the Africa Cluster. This ensures a seamless continuation of our business momentum in Nigeria. Our Board is both strong and uniquely diversified, and I will continue to rely on their invaluable guidance and support to deliver on our priorities.’’
Ayodeji is a graduate of Economics from the University of Ilorin, Nigeria; holds an MBA from the prestigious Lagos Business School (LBS) and an Alumnus of IESE Business School, Executive Management Programme. He has also attended executive management training at INSEAD. He is an honorary senior member of the Chartered Institute of Bankers of Nigeria (CIBN) and ACI Financial Markets Association and has various executive management and leadership certifications, including the Executive Management Training at INSEAD.