Bola Adesola

Harriet-Ann Omobolanle (Bola) Adesola
Alma mater	University of Buckingham (Law degree), Harvard Business School, Lagos Business School
Occupation(s)	Banking executive, corporate director
Years active	Over 33 years
Known for	Senior Vice-Chairman at Standard Chartered Bank Group; former CEO of Standard Chartered Bank Nigeria and West Africa; Chairperson of Ecobank Nigeria Limited; Chairperson of Lagos State Employment Trust Fund
Notable work	Leadership roles in major Nigerian and West African banks; board memberships including United Nations Global Compact Board, FinTech Association of Nigeria, Women in Management, Business and Public Service (WIMBIZ)

Harriet-Ann Omobolanle (Bola) Adesola holds the position of senior vice-chairman at the Standard Chartered Bank Group. She previously led as CEO for Standard Chartered Bank in both Nigeria and the broader West Africa region, bringing with her a wealth of over 33 years in the banking sector.

Education and career

Bola initiated her journey in banking at Prime Merchant Bank, where she worked as a Treasury Officer before moving to Citibank in 1990. During her tenure at Citibank, she undertook various treasury responsibilities, including serving as Country Treasurer for Citibank Tanzania from 1995 to 1997, and held senior leadership roles within Nigeria over a span of nine years.

In 1999, she was named Managing Director and CEO of Kakawa Discount House Limited, an asset management and securities trading company backed by major Nigerian financial institutions.

Her career progressed in 2005 when she joined the board of First Bank of Nigeria Plc as Executive Director for Corporate Banking, later advancing to Executive Director at the Lagos Directorate. Additionally, she was appointed to the boards of FBN Capital Limited and FBN Trustees Limited.

In 2011, Standard Chartered Bank Nigeria appointed her as its inaugural Nigerian female CEO. By 2015, her responsibilities expanded to include oversight of the Group’s West African operations. During this period, she served on the boards of Standard Chartered entities in Ghana, Cameroun, and Cote d’Ivoire, while also chairing Standard Chartered Bank in Mauritius.

After a decade marked by fostering sustainable profitability and nurturing talent, Bola ascended to the role of Senior Vice-Chairman for Africa at Standard Chartered. She concluded her tenure at the bank in May 2021.

Following this, in July 2021, she assumed the Chairmanship of Ecobank Nigeria Limited. Since July 2020, she has also led the Lagos State Employment Trust Fund (LSETF) as Chairperson. Furthermore, Bola contributes to the Board Social, Ethics & Sustainability Committee at Imperial Logistics Plc, a company listed on the Johannesburg Stock Exchange.

Her academic background includes studies at Harvard Business School and Lagos Business School, where she was recently president of the Alumni Association. She earned a Law degree from the University of Buckingham, UK, and is recognized as an Associate by both the UK and Nigerian branches of the Chartered Institute of Arbitrators.

Bola is an Honorary Fellow and former Council Member of the Chartered Institute of Bankers Nigeria. She played a foundational role as Trustee in establishing the Financial Markets Dealers Association and has held board positions with Nigeria Interbank Settlement Systems Plc and the Financial Institutions Training Centre. She chaired Nigeria’s Bankers’ Committee sub-Committee focusing on Economic Development, Sustainability and Gender, and is affiliated with both the Institute of Directors and Women Corporate Directors.

Her passion for FinTech led to her appointment on the Board of Trustees for the FinTech Association of Nigeria. In 2001, she co-established Women in Management, Business and Public Service (WIMBIZ), where she continues to serve on its Board of Trustees.

In 2015, Bola was appointed by UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon to join the United Nations Global Compact Board and was elevated to Co Vice-Chair in 2018.

Honors and activities

Financial Markets Dealers Association – Trustee and Executive Board Member Chairperson, Central Bank of Nigeria Bankers’ Committee on Economic Development, Sustainability and Gender Member since 2018 and Director since 2015 at United Nations Global Compact Executive Member of Nigeria National Competitiveness Council since 2013 Vice President of Lagos Business School Alumni Association (LBSAA) Board Member at Fate Foundation Co-founder and Former Chairperson of Women in Business and Management (WIMBIZ) since 2001