Aramide Ajayi
Professional C-Level Executive
Lagos
Summary
- I am a results-driven and visionary C-level executive with a track record of success in leading and growing institutions in various fields. I have over 30 years of experience in the private and public sectors in the banking, consulting, manufacturing, education, energy, technology and aviation industries.
- Specifically, I have a deep understanding of banking operations, risk management, financial analysis, and strategic planning. Thus, regardless of industry, my expertise lies in building high-performing teams and fostering a culture of innovation, collaboration, ethicality, and accountability. I have led projects in Nigerian banks (Tier 1 & 2) covering organization-wide business transformation, process re-engineering, digitization planning, mergers, and acquisitions in Nigeria and across Africa.
- In leadership, general management, and C-level roles, I have demonstrated the ability to steer organizations and teams toward sustainable growth and profitability by developing and implementing effective business strategies, optimizing operational efficiency, and creating value for stakeholders. I possess keen business acumen, excellent communication skills, and the ability to build strong relationships with clients, investors, regulators, and other stakeholders.
- My accomplishments include driving revenue growth, expanding market share, improving customer satisfaction, and achieving operational excellence. I have a proven track record of successfully navigating complex regulatory environments and managing risk while maintaining a strong focus on corporate governance and compliance.
- Overall, I am a dynamic and strategic leader who is passionate about creating long-term value for all stakeholders. I am confident that my skills, experience, and leadership qualities would make me an ideal candidate for the CEO role.
Overview
30
30
years of professional experience
3
3
International languages
Work History
Chief Financial And Strategy Officer
Century Energy Group
Lagos
06.2022 - Current
- Developed and implemented a comprehensive yet concise, easy to communicate, corporate strategy supported and aligned with group organizational structure, detailed yet concise operational plans, performance plans, JOs, JDs and KPIs.
- Successfully led Group through a period of rapid expansion, growing revenue by 25%, and improving receipts by over 50%.
- Developed and implemented a comprehensive financial strategy and discipline that reduced operating costs by 15% and improved debt payments by over 75%
- Aligning project with budget monitoring to immediately highlight exceptions for resolution.
- Negotiated and secured a multi-million dollar line of credit to address over-trading that often accompanies rapid expansion by securing access to a single source, lower interest and longer-term facility. It also provides the necessary capital to execute on strategic initiatives and judiciously invest in growth opportunities.
- Restructured the finance department to a globally and group-responsive, professionally supportive platform, providing growth opportunities to the younger staff within the team.
- Achieved Global ISO Certification and preparing for re-certification
- Transition from manual to automated processes.
Senior Independent Trainer and Consultant
Vantage Partners
Boston
01.2014 - Current
- Training Fortune 500 US companies (ExxonMobil and Coca Cola) on soft skills across Africa.
- Achieving consistently high scores (>4.8 out of possible 5 points) in training delivery delivering value to all stakeholders
- Achieved high levels of client satisfaction, evidenced by repeat business, referrals, and positive feedback. Successfully developed and maintained strong relationships with clients, earning their trust and loyalty.
- Enhanced globally customized training programs for local adaptations thereby improving relevance and quality of learning interventions
Director
YHM International Services
Lagos
01.2011 - Current
- Consulting for organizations in public and private sector (aviation, banking, education, energy, ICT, manufacturing, public sector, etc.) focusing on strategy development, manpower development, business modeling, process review and re-engineering.
- Obtaining global certification (ISO) for clients including certification readiness
- Achieving comprehensible framework for clients to, at minimum, double productivity and improve efficiencies using the 4P/1S and/or the 4 Voices
- Revenue Growth: Grew from zero to NGN50million within 36 months by identifying and developing niche opportunities to serve client needs.
- Client Acquisition: Successfully acquired and retained a portfolio of clients, including Fortune 500 companies, government agencies, technology, manufacturing and energy franchises.
- Consulting Services: Provided expert consulting services that helped clients (re)design and achieve their strategic objectives. Successfully identified and analyzed client needs, provided innovative solutions, and implemented initiatives that improved clients' business performance.
- Team Leadership: Successfully led and mentored a team of independent consultants, fostering a culture of excellence and innovation. Effectively communicated goals and expectations, provided guidance and support, and recognized and rewarded team members' contributions.
Director and Administrator
Yewande Memorial School
Lagos
01.1993 - Current
- Academic Excellence: Successfully implemented programs and initiatives that enhanced academic excellence, resulting in improved student performance and outcomes. Developed and implemented effective strategies that aligned with the school's mission and values. 100% student success rate – year on year
- Student Retention: Successfully improved student retention rates by developing and implementing effective retention strategies. Conducted regular student assessments and provided support and guidance to at-risk students.
- Faculty Development: Successfully led and managed a team of educators, fostering a culture of excellence and innovation. Developed and implemented professional development programs that enhanced faculty skills and knowledge.
- Parent and Community Engagement: Successfully developed and maintained strong relationships with parents and the community. Implemented effective communication strategies that increased community engagement and support.
- Fiscal Management: Successfully managed the school's budget, ensuring that financial resources were effectively allocated to support the school's mission and objectives. Developed and implemented effective financial policies and procedures that ensured accountability and transparency.
- Strategic Planning: Led the development and implementation of strategic plans that aligned with the school's mission and goals. Successfully identified and addressed challenges and opportunities, resulting in improved school performance and outcomes.
- Accreditation and Compliance: Successfully led the school's accreditation process, resulting in the school's accreditation and compliance with regulatory requirements. Developed and implemented effective policies and procedures that ensured compliance with local, state, and federal regulations.
- Achieved 100% seamless transition to full online learning during lockdowns for all academic activities and term events.
- Monitored office workflow and administrative processes to keep operations running smoothly
Regional Head (GM) Africa, Client Operational Risk
Standard Chartered Bank
Lagos
04.2011 - 11.2011
- Led and completed Operational Risk (Anti-Money Laundering / Client Due Diligence) Project across 10 African countries - Nigeria, Ghana, Gambia, Sierra Leone, Kenya, Uganda, Tanzania, Botswana, Zambia and Zimbabwe.
- Led a team of risk management professionals to identify and mitigate potential operational risks across multiple business lines and regions, resulting in a more robust and effective risk management culture relating to clients within their locale.
- Successfully implemented a new operational risk management framework across multiple regions, resulting in a significant reduction in operational risk incidents and an improvement in overall risk management for clients.
- Project delivered on time and ahead of schedule using existing resources at minimal additional cost.
- Developed and implemented training and information interventions for employees and management across the region, resulting in increased client onboarding and management risk awareness and better risk management practices at all levels of the organization.
- Created and implemented a risk reporting process to ensure effective communication and reporting of client operational risk exposures to senior management and other stakeholders, resulting in improved risk transparency and accountability.
- Continuously monitored and assessed the effectiveness of the operational risk management program, identifying areas for improvement and implementing changes to ensure ongoing success.
Regional Head (GM) Nigeria & W/Africa SME Banking
Standard Chartered Bank
Lagos
07.2006 - 04.2011
- Designed, implemented and responsible for SME Banking West Africa strategy covering Nigeria, Ghana, Gambia and Sierra Leone
- Top 1% tier in global employee performance with 1A (best possible global) rating) - over 75,000 staff and across 80 countries
- More than tripled annual business revenues from $6million to over $20million within 2 years elevating functional country profile
- At KPMG Market Survey of all Nigerian Banks and Banking Functions, SME Banking Nigeria was #1 in Alternate Channels | #1 in Customer Care | #1 in Transactions Methods/Systems | #2 in Products & Services | #2 in Convenience
- Member, Standard Chartered Country Leadership Team and Nigeria Representative, Standard Chartered Bank (SCB) Africa Women in Leadership Program (representing SCB in different investment and women management seminars in the UAE and Bahrain)
- Led trade delegations to Asia and the Middle East to drive Africa's trade volume growth
- Global certification in Credit Risk (CSAP); Trade Skills (ITSAP) and Wealth Management (Boot-camp)
- Successfully developed and executed a growth strategy that led to a significant increase in the SME portfolio across the region, resulting in a positive impact on revenue growth and profitability.
- Built and managed a high-performing team of relationship managers, credit analysts, and support staff, providing coaching and mentorship to ensure they achieved their targets and goals.
- Developed and implemented innovative products and solutions that met the unique needs of SME customers in the region, resulting in increased customer satisfaction and loyalty.
- Fostered strong relationships with key stakeholders, including regulatory bodies, industry associations, and SME customers, resulting in improved brand reputation and increased market share.
- Successfully managed credit risk exposure within the SME portfolio, maintaining a healthy loan book and minimizing non-performing loan ratios.
- Implemented digital solutions and streamlined processes that improved the efficiency and effectiveness of the SME banking operations, resulting in improved customer experiences and reduced turnaround times.
- Continuously monitored and analyzed market trends and competitors' activities, identifying opportunities for growth and improvement in the SME banking business.
Regional Branch Manager (Senior Manager)
Standard Chartered Bank
Lagos
11.2005 - 07.2006
- Pioneer Regional Branch Manager at Standard Chartered (Victoria Island and Lekki)
- Achieved over 50% year-over-year revenue growth through strategic business planning, effective team management, and proactive customer engagement.
- Increased customer retention by 50% through the development and implementation of a customer-centric culture that prioritized personalized service and proactive outreach.
- Led the branch to exceed new sales targets by implementing innovative sales strategies, providing ongoing training and coaching to the team, and leveraging customer data to identify opportunities for cross-selling and upselling.
- Improved operational efficiency by streamlining processes, implementing technology solutions, and optimizing staffing levels, resulting in a 15% reduction in operating expenses.
- Successfully managed risk and compliance by maintaining a high level of oversight on customer transactions and ensuring adherence to regulatory requirements, due diligence and internal policies.
- Built a high-performing team by fostering a culture of accountability, continuous learning, and collaboration, resulting in a 20% improvement in employee satisfaction and a 40% reduction in turnover.
Head (AGM), Commercial Banking
Assurance Bank
Lagos
01.2003 - 10.2005
- Successfully developed and executed a growth strategy that led to a significant increase (from zero to over NGN1billion) in the bank's commercial banking portfolio, resulting in improved revenue growth and profitability.
- Built and managed a high-performing team of relationship managers, credit analysts, and support staff, providing coaching and mentorship to ensure they achieved their targets and goals.
- Fostered strong relationships with key clients and stakeholders, providing expert advice and guidance on commercial banking solutions to support their business goals and objectives.
- Developed and implemented innovative commercial banking products and solutions that met the unique needs of clients in various industries, resulting in increased customer satisfaction and loyalty.
- Successfully managed credit risk exposure within the commercial banking portfolio, maintaining a healthy loan book and minimizing non-performing loan ratios.
Head (Senior Manager) Retail and Consumer Banking
Heritage Bank (formerly Citizens International Bank)
Lagos
04.2001 - 12.2002
- Successfully developed and executed a growth strategy that led to a significant increase in the bank's retail and consumer banking portfolio (by over 500%), resulting in improved revenue growth and profitability (by over 250%).
- Built and managed a high-performing team of branch managers, relationship managers, and support staff, providing coaching and mentorship to ensure they achieved their targets and goals.
- Fostered strong relationships with key customers and stakeholders, providing expert advice and guidance on retail and consumer banking solutions to support their financial goals and objectives.
- Developed and implemented innovative retail and consumer banking products and solutions that met the unique needs of customers, resulting in increased customer satisfaction and loyalty.
- Successfully managed credit risk exposure within the retail and consumer banking portfolio, maintaining a healthy loan book and minimizing non-performing loan ratios.
- Continuously monitored and analyzed market trends and competitors' activities, identifying opportunities for growth and improvement in the retail and consumer banking business.
Head (Manager) Financial Institutions
Heritage Bank (formerly Citizens International Bank)
Lagos
01.2000 - 04.2001
- Revenue Growth: Successfully implemented sales strategies resulting in consistent revenue growth year on year for the Financial Institutions department. Achieved over 500% growth in profitability and 1000% growth in footings by identifying and nurturing new revenue streams, cross-selling, and upselling.
- Risk Management: Implemented robust risk management processes and procedures that reduced credit and market risk for the department. Successfully mitigated potential risks and strengthened the department's resilience in the face of market challenges.
- Operational Efficiency: Improved operational efficiency and reduced costs by implementing process optimization, automation, and streamlining. Successfully introduced innovation that improved the customer experience and enhanced the department's overall performance.
- Leadership: Demonstrated exceptional leadership skills by building and leading a highly motivated team of financial professionals. Effectively communicated strategic goals, mentored team members, and fostered a culture of innovation and excellence.
- Regulatory Compliance: Ensured that the Financial Institutions department operated in compliance with all relevant regulations and guidelines. Developed and implemented compliance programs that effectively managed regulatory risk.
- Client Relationship Management: Established and maintained strong relationships with key clients, stakeholders, and industry players, resulting in increased business opportunities, improved customer satisfaction, and enhanced reputation.
- New Business Development: Successfully identified and developed new business opportunities within the Financial Institutions sector, resulting in increased revenue, market share, and profitability.
- Ad-hoc - board paper preparation and speech writer for Chairman; strategic research for the MD.
Head (Manager), Commercial and Branch Banking
Fidelity Bank (formerly FSB International Bank Plc)
Lagos
08.1997 - 12.1999
- Developed and executed a growth strategy that significantly increased the bank's commercial and branch banking portfolio, resulting in improved revenue growth and profitability.
- Fostered strong relationships with key customers and stakeholders, providing expert advice and guidance on commercial and branch banking solutions to support their financial goals and objectives.
- Ad-hoc - strategic research for the MD; board paper presentations for the DGM.
Officer, Credit and Marketing
Access Bank Plc (formerly Nigerian Intercontinental Merchant Bank)
Lagos
02.1993 - 07.1997
- Recruited from the University as one of the top 3 performers in Finance
- Consistently exceeded sales targets, resulting in increased revenue growth and profitability for the bank.
- Built and maintained strong relationships with key customers and stakeholders, providing expert advice and guidance on credit and sales solutions to support their financial goals and objectives.
- Conducted in-depth credit analysis and risk assessments to ensure that credit facilities were extended to eligible customers while minimizing the risk of default.
- Proactively identified cross-selling opportunities and collaborated with other departments to ensure that customers received comprehensive and integrated financial solutions.
- Mentored and trained junior team members to ensure that they had the necessary skills and knowledge to deliver outstanding results.
Education
Doctor of Education - Education
University of Dayton
Ohio, USA 08.2022 - 2025.07
Doctorate - Business Administration
University Of Liverpool
Liverpool 02.2011 - 2018.01
Fellowship - Accountancy
Association Of Chartered Certified Accountants
United Kingdom 06.2003 - 2017.08
Fellowship - Accountancy
Institute Of Chartered Accountants Of Nigeria
Nigeria 05.1997 - 2017.04
Six Sigma Lean Black Belt Professional - Six Sigma Lean
Management Science Institute
United States 09.2015 - 2015.09
Certificate - Greek Literature, Anatomy, Law, Architecture Etc
EDX
USA 04.2001 - 2015.07
Member - Management
Nigerian Institute Of Management
NIgeria 09.2003 - 2003.09
Master of Science - Finance
University Of Lagos
Lagos 09.1996 - 1998.02
Bachelor of Science - Finance
University Of Lagos
Lagos 09.1988 - 1992.10
Dan Black Belt - TaeKwonDo
Kukkiwon
South Korea 03.2012 - 2015.01
Skills
Visionary
Work Availability
monday
tuesday
wednesday
thursday
friday
saturday
sunday
morning
afternoon
evening
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Quote
In a world of change, the learners shall inherit the earth, while the learned shall find themselves perfectly suited for a world that no longer exists.
Eric Hoffer
Timeline
Doctor of Education - Education
University of Dayton
08.2022 - 2025.07
Chief Financial And Strategy Officer
Century Energy Group
06.2022 - Current
Six Sigma Lean Black Belt Professional - Six Sigma Lean
Management Science Institute
09.2015 - 2015.09
Senior Independent Trainer and Consultant
Vantage Partners
01.2014 - Current
Dan Black Belt - TaeKwonDo
Kukkiwon
03.2012 - 2015.01
Regional Head (GM) Africa, Client Operational Risk
Standard Chartered Bank
04.2011 - 11.2011
Doctorate - Business Administration
University Of Liverpool
02.2011 - 2018.01
Director
YHM International Services
01.2011 - Current
Regional Head (GM) Nigeria & W/Africa SME Banking
Standard Chartered Bank
07.2006 - 04.2011
Regional Branch Manager (Senior Manager)
Standard Chartered Bank
11.2005 - 07.2006
Member - Management
Nigerian Institute Of Management
09.2003 - 2003.09
Fellowship - Accountancy
Association Of Chartered Certified Accountants
06.2003 - 2017.08
Head (AGM), Commercial Banking
Assurance Bank
01.2003 - 10.2005
Certificate - Greek Literature, Anatomy, Law, Architecture Etc
EDX
04.2001 - 2015.07
Head (Senior Manager) Retail and Consumer Banking
Heritage Bank (formerly Citizens International Bank)
04.2001 - 12.2002
Head (Manager) Financial Institutions
Heritage Bank (formerly Citizens International Bank)
01.2000 - 04.2001
Head (Manager), Commercial and Branch Banking
Fidelity Bank (formerly FSB International Bank Plc)
08.1997 - 12.1999
Fellowship - Accountancy
Institute Of Chartered Accountants Of Nigeria
05.1997 - 2017.04
Master of Science - Finance
University Of Lagos
09.1996 - 1998.02
Officer, Credit and Marketing
Access Bank Plc (formerly Nigerian Intercontinental Merchant Bank)
02.1993 - 07.1997
Director and Administrator
Yewande Memorial School
01.1993 - Current
Bachelor of Science - Finance
University Of Lagos
09.1988 - 1992.10
Philanthropy and Interests
- Education for indigent youth
- Provision of legal, vocational, and social support for correctional centers
- African Talking Drum
- Soprano Saxophone
- Child & Youth Sports/Extracurricular
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