Jim Ovia Now Zenith Bank Chairman

By Alex C

Zenith Bank Plc, Nigeria’s second generation bank, has appointed Mr Jim Ovia as board chairman and non- executive director of the bank. Ovia, pioneer managing director and chief executive officer of Zenith Bank Plc appointment was contained in statement issued by the bank.

According to a statement by the bank’s group Managing Director, Mr Peter Amangbo, Jim Ovia takes over from Mr Steve Omojafor who resigned last month. The appointment had been approved by the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) with Ovia appointment said to take effect on Tuesday July 16, 2014.

Ovia retired from the bank about four years ago following the CBN policy which limited the tenor of banks chief executive officers to a maximum of 10 years. With the new appointment, Ovia now becomes the second former CEO retired by CBN policy to assume the chairmanship of a bank.