ACCESS Holdings Plc has announced the resignation of a non-executive director, Roosevelt Ogbonna, from its board, after serving for three and a half years.

It announced this in a statement on Wednesday, August 27.

It said Ogbonna will continue to serve as the Managing Director/Chief Executive Officer of its flagship subsidiary, Access Bank.

According to the holding company, his resignation will allow Access Holdings to comply with the Central Bank of Nigeria’s (CBN) Corporate Governance Guidelines for Financial Holding Companies in Nigeria, 2023, which stipulate a maximum of nine directors for the board of a Financial Holding Company.

“The Board appreciates Mr. Ogbonna for his outstanding and continued contributions to the Access Group,” Access Holdings stated.

The ICIR reports that Roosevelt Ogbonna was appointed managing director and CEO of Access Bank in May 2022, after serving as deputy managing director from 2017 and executive director from 2013.

He joined Access Bank in 2002 from Guaranty Trust Bank and has built up more than two decades of experience in the banking industry.

His background combines both professional and academic achievements. He is a Fellow of the Institute of Chartered Accountants of Nigeria (FCA), an Honorary Member of the Chartered Institute of Bankers (HCIB), and a CFA charter holder.

Innocent Ike exits Access Holdings board

In a related development Access Holdings on Thursday, August 28, announced the appointment of Innocent Ike as the substantive group managing director/chief executive officer (GMD/CEO) of the company.

His appointment takes effect from August 29, 2025, following the receipt of regulatory approval, according to an official disclosure on Thursday.

By the appointment, Ike will succeed Bolaji Agbede, who has served as the company’s acting GMD/CEO for the past 18 months.

Access Holdings hinted that following regulatory stipulations on the required years of experience for a Financial Holding company’s managing director, Agbede will revert to her substantive role as the company’s executive director, business support.

Commenting, Access Holdings Chairman, Aigboje Aig-Imoukhuede, said, “We are thrilled to welcome Mr. Innocent Ike as we move forward. At the same time, we want to express our deepest gratitude to Ms. Bolaji Agbede. Her outstanding contributions over the past 18 months have been invaluable, and we appreciate her dedication in navigating the Company through challenges and opportunities. While regulatory requirements necessitate this change, we are grateful for the strong foundation that has been laid.”

Ike holds a bachelor’s degree in Accounting from the University of Lagos.

He is a Fellow of the Chartered Institute of Bankers of Nigeria (CIBN), a Fellow of the Institute of Chartered Accountants of Nigeria (ICAN), and a Certified IFRS expert.

He has over three decades of experience in banking and financial services, ten years of which were spent at Access Bank, where he rose to General Manager, overseeing portfolios in corporate, commercial, and public sectors.

He served as the Managing Director/Chief Executive Officer of Polaris Bank from 2020 to 2022, during which he launched VULTe, the bank’s digital banking platform.

“I am honoured to take on the role of Group Managing Director /Chief Executive Officer and excited to work alongside the talented team at Access Holdings. I look forward to building on the strong legacy established by Herbert Wigwe and Bolaji Agbede, and driving our vision forward, ensuring we continue to deliver exceptional value to our shareholders and stakeholders,” Ike said.