Jeremy Awori leads Ecobank Group as the new Chief Executive Officer
Ecobank Transnational Incorporated (ETI), the parent company of the Ecobank Group, the leading pan-African banking group, has announced Jeremy Awori has as the new Chief Executive Officer of the Ecobank Group, effective 1 March 2023.
Jeremy Awori, commenting on his new role, said: “It’s a fantastic opportunity to take Ecobank to the next level of its growth strategy. Despite current global challenges, Africa offers promising prospects. Ecobank is uniquely positioned to provide systematic change across the banking sector at a pan-African level, using the geographic footprint it has already established.
“Through our single gateway platform, we are well-positioned to provide the necessary financial products and solutions for countries, corporates, and SMEs to capitalize on the continent’s vast resource, trade and investment opportunities. We also provide relevant, accessible, and affordable financial services that address the evolving needs of a vibrant, youthful, and entrepreneurial continent. Ecobank’s brand and heritage, continue to be a source of pride.”
Alain Nkontchou, Ecobank Group Chairman, added: “Jeremy Awori’s exceptional and proven qualities as a result-oriented effective leader with an extensive knowledge of the African banking landscape, make him the ideal choice to steer the growth of the Ecobank Group through the current era of rapid global and continental changes.” The Group Chairman further noted that Jeremy has the full support of the ETI Board.
Background
Jeremy Awori, is a Kenyan businessman and corporate executive who was appointed as Group CEO and director of Ecobank Transnational, effective 1 November 2022. He replaced Ade Ayeyemi, from Nigeria, who retired, having attained the retirement of age of 60. Awori is based in Lomé, Togo.
Before that, up until 31 October 2022, he served as the managing director and chief executive officer of Absa Bank Kenya (formerly Barclays Bank of Kenya), since June 2013. Before that, from 2008 until 2013, he was the CEO of Standard Chartered Tanzania. He was based in Nairobi, Kenya’s capital city.
Awori is a Kenyan national, born in circa 1971. His father was an engineer and a Kenyan by birth. His mother was British and a lawyer. He has two siblings, one brother and one sister.
Education
He was educated at St. Mary’s School, Nairobi, for his elementary and secondary education. In 1989, he was admitted to the University of Manchester in the United Kingdom, graduating in 1991 with a Bachelor of Science degree in Pharmacy. Later in the 1990s, he graduated from McGill University, in Canada with a Master of Business Administration degree, focusing on Finance and International Business.
After his first degree, he practiced as a pharmacist in the United Kingdom, before he moved to Canada for his second degree.
Career
After his MBA, he was hired by Standard Chartered Bank of Canada. His employer was impressed by the work he did there, leading to Jeremy’s hiring as the “head of Retail Banking, Standard Chartered Bank Kenya, at the age of 28 years”. He concurrently served on the Board of Standard Chartered Kenya at that time.
From there, he was transferred to the United Arab Emirates as the head of consumer banking at Standard Chartered United Arab Emirates. After three years in that position, he was promoted to Regional Sales Director, Middle East, South Asia & Africa, based in the United Arab Emirates, serving in that role for two years. In 2008, he was appointed CEO and managing director of Standard Chartered Tanzania, serving there for five years.
In 2013, he left Standard Chartered and transferred to Barclays Bank, taking up a new appointment as CEO of Barclays Bank Kenya (BBK). In 2020, BBK whose shares of stock are listed on the Nairobi Stock Exchange, rebranded to Absa Bank Kenya, with Jeremy Awori at the helm.
He retired from Absa Bank Kenya on 31 October 2022 and took up a new position at Ecobank Transnational as director and Group CEO, based in Lome, Togo.
Jeremy Awori brings with him over 25 years of experience in the banking industry, including close to a decade serving as CEO and Managing Director of Absa Bank Kenya Plc. Prior to joining Absa, Jeremy served in leadership roles at Standard Chartered Bank across the Middle East and Africa. His extensive expertise, skills, and industry know-how make him a valuable addition to the Ecobank Group.
About Ecobank Group (or ‘Ecobank Transnational Incorporated’ or ‘ETI’)
Ecobank Group is the leading private pan-African banking group with unrivalled African expertise. Present in 35 sub-Saharan African countries, as well as France, the UK, UAE and China, its unique pan-African platform provides a single gateway for payments, cash management, trade and investment. The Group employs over 13,000 people and offers Consumer, Commercial, Corporate and Investment Banking products, services and solutions across multiple channels, including digital, to over 32 million customers. For further information, please visit ecobank.com.
