Aigboje Aig-Imoukhuede CEO, Access Bank Plc, who emerged winner of the Ernst&Young Entrepreneur of the Year 2012 Award in Nigeria and the West African sub-region, has been admitted into the award organizers’ Hall of Fame at a grand event which held in Monte Carlo, Monaco, Friday.
Aigboje Aig-Imoukhuede, who was one of the three African finalists at the Monaco event (others were Kenya and South Africa), has been Group Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of Access Bank Plc (formerly, Access Bank Nigeria) since 2002. He has enjoyed a distinguished banking career of over two decades, over 10 of which were spent at Guaranty Trust Bank PLC where he resigned in March 2002. He served as an Executive Director of Access Bank Plc. and Director of Africa Finance Corporation.
He is a fellow of the African Leadership Institute under the auspices of Aspen Institute, Colorado USA. He is also honorary fellow of the Chartered Institute of Bankers (CIBN). Aig-Imoukhuede an Alumnus of Harvard Business School, Executive Management Programme, holds an LLB and a BL degree from the University of Benin and the Nigeria Law School respectively.
The 2012 edition of Ernst&Young Entrepreneur of the Year climaxed Friday night with James Mwangi, CEO and Managing Director of Kenya’s Equity Bank Limited emerging as the winner at an awards ceremony held in Monte Carlo’s Salle des Etoiles.
James was picked from among the 59 country finalists vying for the title across 51 countries, each of whom had already been named the Ernst & Young Entrepreneur of the Year in their home country and sub-region.
Equity Bank is the largest bank by customer base in East and Central Africa and the largest African majority owned company in the region. The bank has more than seven million accounts representing over half of all bank accounts in Kenya. It also has operations in Uganda, South Sudan, Rwanda and Tanzania. Ruben Vardanian, president, Troika Dialog and Chair of the judging panel said, “Not only has James really transformed people’s lives across Africa by offering them access to funding that they have never had before, Equity Bank continues to grow quickly through a strong financial performance.” “I’m honoured to accept this award on behalf of the people and customers of Equity Bank”, said James. “This is a global recognition for Africans who are embracing the power of entrepreneurship to change the economic and social state of Africa.”
Maria Pinelli, Ernst & Young’s Global vice chair for Strategic Growth Markets said, “James has been pivotal in the transformation of Equity Bank into one of Africa’s brightest business success stories. His is truly an inspirational story of entrepreneurial spirit with an innovative business model that has the potential to be replicated globally.”
Jim Turley, Global Chairman and CEO of Ernst & Young, said, “Over the past 26 years, entrepreneurs have done more than any other group to stimulate innovation, job creation and prosperity during both periods of growth and in challenging economic conditions. James epitomizes the vision and determination that set entrepreneurs apart and is very worthy of the title Ernst & Young World Entrepreneur of the Year 2012.”
