Bisi Onasanya
Olabisi Stephen Onasanya | |
|---|---|
| Born | August 18, 1961 Ibadan, Oyo State, Nigeria |
| Occupation(s) | Banker, Chartered Accountant, Corporate Director |
| Years active | 1985–present |
| Known for | Former Group Managing Director and CEO of First Bank of Nigeria Limited; Managing Director and CEO of First Pension Custodian Limited |
Olabisi “Bisi” Stephen Onasanya (born August 18, 1961) previously served as the Group Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of First Bank of Nigeria Limited. Before assuming this position, he was the Managing Director and CEO at First Pension Custodian Limited. Onasanya launched his professional journey with Arthur Young, a U.S.-based auditing firm, and as a chartered accountant, he played a pioneering role in establishing standards within Nigeria’s pension custody sector.
During his tenure at First Bank Nigeria Limited, where he occupied multiple positions prior to his appointment as Group Managing Director, Onasanya spearheaded the Century 2 Enterprise Transformation Project, a critical component of the bank’s strategic initiatives to address challenges in a highly competitive financial services environment.
He holds the distinction of being a Fellow of the Institute of Chartered Accountants of Nigeria, a Member of the Chartered Institute of Bankers of Nigeria, and an Associate Member of the Chartered Institute of Taxation of Nigeria. His expertise has been instrumental in contributing to the Chartered Institute of Bankers’ Sub-Committee on Fiscal & Monetary Policies as well as the Presidential Committee focused on lowering interest rates.
Early life
Onasanya was born in Ibadan, Oyo State, and originates from the Onasanya lineage in Ijebu Land, Ogun State. Raised in Lagos, he attended St Paul’s Anglican Primary School (Mushin), followed by Eko Boys High School (Mushin), and later Lagos State College of Science and Technology. He is the eldest child among his mother’s four children and ranks third among his father’s offspring.
Wema Bank
In 1985, Onasanya commenced his banking career at Wema Bank as a senior accountant and progressed over nine years to become Head of Accounts.
First Pension Custodian
Between October 2005 and December 2008, Onasanya held the role of Managing Director/CEO at First Pension Custodian, an entity founded by the First Bank Group during Nigeria’s pension reform period that transitioned from “defined benefit” to “defined contribution” frameworks. He guided the company through its application process to regulatory authorization, establishing it as a leading pension custody provider. By the time he left, the firm managed close to N400 billion in pension assets and had achieved operational breakeven.
First Bank
Excluding his period at First Pension Custodian, Onasanya devoted 21 years to First Bank of Nigeria Limited. Beginning as Senior Manager, he undertook significant responsibilities such as Group Head of Finance and Performance Management. After returning from First Pension Custodian, he was appointed Executive Director for Banking Operations & Services before ascending to CEO, a capacity in which he served until retiring on December 31, 2015.
Following retirement, he has concentrated on real estate development, acting as chairman and CEO of Address Homes Limited.