We begin the second half of the year by celebrating a remarkable woman who always adds value to whatever she does. That is because she seeks to empower people with knowledge and tools needed to maximize their potential and opportunities. Join us in celebrating a seasoned banker and financial expert in the person of Mrs Bukola Smith, our woman of the month.
Learning is a life-long process, therefore, a person must continue to develop themself, stay focused and humble, and continue to seek to be a better version of themself as we are all uniquely made by God. This is a mantra of Bukola which is evident in her educational background that has shaped her continuous growth in the corporate world.
She holds a bachelor’s degree in economics from University of Lagos and an MBA from Manchester Business School, United Kingdom. She is a Fellow of the Institute of Chartered Accountants of Nigeria (ICAN), Honorary Member of Chartered Institute of Bankers of Nigeria, Associate of the Certified Pension Institute of Nigeria, and member of the Institute of Directors Nigeria.
With a background like this, it is no surprise she has occupied different strategic positions in various organisations. She began her banking career in 1992 with FSB International Bank where she worked for eight years before moving to Fidelity Bank where she spent six years. She rose to the position of Divisional Head, Treasury and Institutional Banking at Fidelity Bank before joining First City Monument Bank Limited (FCMB) in 2006. She has served as the Group Head, Treasury and Financial Institutions; Divisional Head, Investment Banking and Financial Markets; Director, Project and Structured Finance; Divisional Head, Group Internal Audit; and Divisional Head, Lagos Business Region, distinguishing herself in all these roles. In 2018, she was appointed to the position of Executive Director, Business Development.
Her experience cuts across international trade, institutional banking, private banking, treasury, investment and financial markets, project and structured finance, audit and sales. This vast experience has been channelled towards the following activities:
- Mentoring young women professionally to guide them through their chosen career paths, or to provide guidance to help them make good career choices and avoid pitfalls. She achieves this by volunteering as a mentor in WISCAR – Women in Successful Careers and within FCMB.
- She conceived FCMB’s Women in Business proposition (SheVentures), which with her full support has provided over 3,000 women with access to capital, training, mentorships, and networking opportunities in the past year.
- She is part of an organization (INVENT) which mentors secondary school students on career choices. She also teaches and coaches children and teenagers in her local church and mentors young girls in her alma mater on making the right career choices.
- She is a strong advocate for women-friendly policies that help women climb the career ladder in the corporate workspace.
Life she believes should not be based on comparison with others but enjoying what you do, being open to opportunities, looking for avenues to support others, and giving back to your society – all of which would bring about true happiness. It is evident that Bukola’s life is a reflection of the aforementioned statements.
We celebrate her for her selflessness and her genuine desire to empower others.