The newly appointed Group Managing Director/CEO of Diamond Bank Plc, Dr. Alex Otti yesterday formally took over the leadership of the Bank, which is one of the leading banks in Nigeria.
Speaking at a brief hand-over ceremony in the Bank’s Head Office in Lagos, Dr. Otti expressed deep appreciation to the retiring Group Managing Director/CEO Emeka Onwuka for leading the institution to an enviable height and promised to speed up the implementation of the on-going re-engineering process in the Bank which he said “is a catalyst for the Bank’s growth and development”.
Dr. Otti further poured eulogies on the retiring GMD as he described him as a thorough-breed banker. “It is my honour to say that Emeka whom I have known for the past 15 years is a silent achiever who has made a mark in the industry. His footprints will stand the test of time in the industry and the Bank in particular,” he stated.
Earlier in his hand-over remarks, the retiring GMD/CEO, Emeka Onwuka thanked the Board, Management and staff for the support he received. “I am grateful to everyone in the Bank for the hard work, ingenuity and commitment to duty that has propelled the Bank into the premier league of Banks in Nigeria,” he said.
Onwuka further stated that the group’s strength remains its people, having one of the strongest teams of professionals; driven by a shared value work culture and accountability is an important feature that will continue to drive the group’s success in the years ahead.
“I am proud of the Diamond Bank heritage and grateful for the opportunity of working with you all,” he said.
Before his new appointment as the GMD/CEO of Diamond Bank, Dr. Otti was the Executive Director South of First Bank Plc. He graduated from the University of Port Harcourt with a First class honours degree in Economics in 1988. He subsequently received an MBA from the University of Lagos in 1994.
At the University of Port Harcourt, he was the best graduating student in the department of Economics and won the subject prize. He was also the best graduating student in the faculty of Social Sciences and won the Dean’s Prize, as well as the overall best graduating student for the year and valedictorian
He started his banking career with Nigeria International Bank Limited, a subsidiary of Citibank N.Y. in 1989 where he worked in Operations department. He subsequently moved on to Nigerian Intercontinental Merchant Bank Ltd (now Intercontinental Bank Plc). At Intercontinental, he was at various times in the Treasury and Financial Services and Corporate Banking Divisions. In 1992, he joined the then Societe Bancaire Nigeria Ltd (Merchant Bankers), a subsidiary of Banque SBA Paris. He left as Senior Manager in 1996.
Towards the end of 1996, he moved to United Bank for Africa Plc as Principal Manager, heading Corporate Banking Sector, South. His major responsibility was the development of the Oil and Gas businesses for the Bank. In the year 2000, he was promoted Assistant General Manager.
In May 2001, he joined First Bank of Nigeria Plc as an Assistant General Manager with responsibility for Energy Group. In April 2004, he was promoted Deputy General Manager.
In September 2005, Dr. Otti was appointed Executive Director. As Executive Director, he started as Head of Commercial Banking and subsequently, Head of the Regional Businesses in the South-South and South-East geo-political zones comprising over 180 branches.
He had served on the Board of several companies and presently sits on the Governing Council of two Nigerian universities – University of Port Harcourt and Babcock University.
In addition to receiving an honorary doctorate degree in Business Administration, he is an Alumnus of Harvard Business School (AMP 177). He also trained at Stanford Business School, California, Wharton Business School (University of Pennsylvania) and Columbia Business School, New York. He is a member of the Institute of Directors and Honorary Senior Member of Chartered Institute of Bankers.
He loves playing squash, listening to music, reading and meeting people. He is married with three children.
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