Access Holdings Plc has named Bolaji Agbede as the Acting Group Chief Executive Officer following the tragic passing of Herbert Wigwe. Wigwe, who served as the Group Chief Executive Officer, lost his life in a helicopter accident in the US over the weekend, alongside his wife, son, and former Group Chairman of the Nigerian Exchange Group, Abimbola Ogunbanjo.
Approximately two days after the unexpected air disaster, Access Holdings announced Agbede as the company’s new chief.
In a statement issued by its secretary, Sunday Ekwochi, Access Holdings said, “Further to its announcement dated February 11, 2024, the Board of Directors of Access Holdings Plc (‘the Company’) has today announced the appointment of Ms. Bolaji Agbede as the Acting Group Chief Executive Officer of the Company following the unfortunate demise of its former Group Chief Executive Officer, Dr. Herbert Wigwe, on February 9, 2024.”
The statement added that the appointment is subject to the approval of the Central Bank of Nigeria.
Prior to her appointment, Agbede served as Access Holdings’ most senior founding Executive Director in charge of Business Support. Abubakar Jimoh, the Chairman of the Company, praised her leadership qualities, stating, “We are strongly convinced that Ms. Agbede, being the Company’s most Senior Executive with exceptionally rich, professional, and leadership experience and understanding of the Access culture, would provide the much-needed leadership to steer the Company towards the attainment of its strategic vision of building a globally connected community and ecosystem, inspired by Africa for the world.”
Agbede boasts nearly 30 years of experience spanning banking and business consultancy services. She embarked on her career at Guaranty Trust Bank in 1992 and holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Mathematics and Statistics from the University of Lagos (1990) and a Master of Business Administration Degree from Canfield University, UK, obtained in 2002.
