CHAIRMAN
APPOINTED NOVEMBER 2015
Mr. Daniel Owor Agbor is the Managing Partner of the law firm of Udo Udoma and Belo-Osagie with responsibility for managing the law firm, and with continuing responsibility for leading the firm’s mergers and acquisitions and private equity practices. He brings to the Board a wealth of experience from his distinguished careers in banking and legal practice.
He holds a B.Sc. degree in Political Science and an M.PA (Masters in Public Administration), both from the University of Calabar. He also holds a Bachelor of Laws (LL.B) degree of the University of Benin and was called to the Bar in 1986 after passing the Bar Examinations of the Nigerian Law School. He is a member of both the Nigerian Bar Association and the International Bar Association. Prior to joining Udo Udoma and Belo-Osagie in 1990, he held various positions in Nigeria International Bank Limited (now Citibank Nigeria Limited), where he worked in the Corporate Finance Unit and in Gulf Bank of Nigeria Limited, where he was Company Secretary/Legal Adviser.
He is on the Board of Directors of several companies including being the Non-Executive Chairman of FSDH Securities Limited, a Non-Executive Director of FSDH Merchant Bank Limited, Pensions Alliance Limited and Swift Network Services Limited respectively, and an alternate director of Nigerite Limited.
GROUP MANAGING DIRECTOR
APPOINTED APRIL 2019
Fola is a finance professional with experience spanning corporate finance, principal investing and private equity. Over the course of his career he has lived and worked in Sub-Saharan Africa’s most important economies gaining experience of the operating landscape in the region. Fola is the founder of Themis Capital Management, an investment firm focused on concentrating capital and talent on high-potential opportunities in Sub-Saharan Africa.
Prior to founding Themis, he worked with Kohlberg Kravis Roberts, a leading global investment firm with $168 billion in assets under management. His experience also includes working with the Standard Bank Group, where he led mergers and acquisitions in Nigeria.
Fola spent the early part of his career with Ocean and Oil Holdings Limited, a principal investment firm in Nigeria and ARM Investment Managers, one of Nigeria’s leading investment advisory and wealth management firms. He co-founded Foodpro Limited, a nutritional snacks business focused on edible nuts, where he currently serves as a non-executive director.
He holds a B.Sc (Hons) degree in Estate Management from the University of Lagos, where he was awarded a Certificate of Excellence in Real estate development and finance, and earned the right to use the CFA designation in 2006.
GROUP HUMAN RESOURCES DIRECTOR
APPOINTED NOVEMBER 2018
Vitus is a seasoned business manager and human resource professional with experience gained in leading multinational corporations.
Vitus worked as Group Human Resources Director for Promasidor Africa; Human Resources Director, Coca-Cola Nigeria & Equatorial Africa with responsibility for 10 countries and Human Resources Director for British American Tobacco, West & Central Africa covering Ghana, Benin, Niger & Togo. He was until recently the Group Human Resource Director for Tropical General Investments (TGI) Group.
He is a member of the Advisory Board of Afterschool Graduate Development Centre, member of the Institute of Directors and a Fellow of the Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development (CIPD) UK. He is a co-founder and Director of HR Network Africa and was until 2014, a member of the Lagos Business School’s Advisory Board.
He holds a Bachelor’s degree in Sociology/Anthropology from the University of Nigeria Nsukka, MBA in Management from Lagos Business School, a Masters in Applied Business Research and a Doctorate in Business Administration, both from Swiss Business School, Zurich, Switzerland.
NON-EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR
APPOINTED DECEMBER 2018
Mr Odunsi, a financier, has over 25 years of international investment experience in a variety of industry sectors, including manufacturing, security, oil and gas and distribution. He has significant board level experience in Europe and the US, with focus on implementing transformational change encompassing systems and controls, team enhancement, financial and regulatory reporting and business analysis to drive value creation.
He was a co-founder of Stirling Square Capital Partners, a leading mid-market European private equity firm and a partner in Compass Partners and BC Partners. Before joining BC Partners, he worked as a member of the M&A team at Enskilda Securities in London. His prior experiences include stints at Touche Ross & Co and the engineering consultancy firm of Mott, Hay & Anderson.
NON-EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR
APPOINTED MARCH 2013
Dr. Alka, an expert in environmental pollution and conservation had his secondary education at the prestigious King’s College, Lagos. He thereafter attended Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria from where he earned a B.Sc. (Hons) degree in Chemical Engineering and M.Eng. in Water Resources and Environmental Engineering.
He obtained a Ph.D. in Environmental Control Engineering from Newcastle Upon-Tyne, United Kingdom. He has acquired deep experience in his specialty from working with the Bauchi State Water Board from 1976 to 1985 and the Abubakar Tafawa Balewa University (formerly Abubakar Tafawa Balewa College of Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria) from 1985 to 1987. From 1987 to date he has run his own Environmental and Water resources Engineering outfit, Alka-Chem Limited. He had also at various times served on the Boards of the Federal Housing Authority, Bauchi State Water Board, Lake Chad Research institute and as an Adviser to the Bauchi State Government on Environmental, Industrialization and Water resources Development.
NON-EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR
APPOINTED NOVEMBER 2015
Engr. Mbonu is a Partner of Execution Edge Limited. He holds a first-class honors (B.Sc.) and Ph.D. degrees in Mechanical Engineering from the University of Manchester, UK. He is a COREN registered Engineer, a Fellow of the Nigerian Society of Engineers (FNSE), a Fellow of the Nigerian Institution of Mechanical Engineers (FNIMechE) and a Fellow of the Sierra Leone Institute of Engineers (FSLIE).
He started his career as an Engineer with Nigerian Breweries PLC in 1982 and after holding several engineering positions, was appointed the Engineering Manager of the company in 1990. The first Nigerian to be so appointed. In 1996, he was seconded by Nigerian Breweries PLC to Shell Petroleum Development Company of Nigeria (SPDC) on contract. After the contract with SPDC, he returned to Nigerian Breweries PLC and was elevated to the Board of Nigerian Breweries PLC as the company’s Human Resource Director (HRD) in November, 1999.
He was appointed the Non-Executive Chairman of Cutix PLC, Nigeria in October 21st, 2016. He joined the Board of UAC in November 2015 as a Non-Executive Director.
NON-EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR
APPOINTED MARCH 2013
Mr. Kasali graduated with B.Sc. (Hons) Economics Degree from Manchester Metropolitan University, United Kingdom. He is a Fellow of the Institute of Chartered Accountants of Nigeria. His work experience include Audit Senior, Ernst & Young (Chartered Accountants) United Kingdom, Assistant Internal Auditor, Amex Bank PLC, United Kingdom, Principal Manager, Ernst & Young (Chartered Accountants) Nigeria.
He was also Chief Inspector, Regional Director, Divisional Director and Regional Bank Head, Consumer and Commercial Banking Group, United Bank for Africa PLC respectively. He is a Non-Executive Director of Wema Bank PLC. He was a Non-Executive Director of UACN Property Development Company PLC from where he was appointed to the UAC Board in March 2013.
NON-EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR
APPOINTED AUGUST 2019
Mrs. Iroche , has several years of broad based experience in Merchant and Commercial Banking spanning the areas of Corporate and Institutional Banking, Marketing, Correspondent and International Banking, Treasury and Regional expansion.
She handled back and front office roles at International Merchant Bank after which she moved to Chartered Bank as a pioneer member of staff to set up the Treasury Division and subsequently moved to the Credit and Marketing Sector. She later joined United Bank for Africa (UBA) where she rose to the position of Executive Director Wealth Management and was responsible for Treasury and Correspondent Banking/Multilateral Agency business and UBA subsidiaries (Asset Management, Trustees and Pension Custody).
She graduated with a B.Sc. (Hons) Degree in Economics from The University of Lagos and a Master of Management from the Kellogg Graduate School of Management, Northwestern University Illinois USA.
She joined the Board of UAC of Nigeria PLC as an Independent Non-Executive Director with effect from 1st August, 2019.
NON-EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR
APPOINTED JANUARY 2020
Karl is the Vice President, West and Central Africa for the MTN Group, with responsibility for operations in the West and Central African region.
Karl’s prior role in executive leadership include serving as Group Operations Executive for MTN Group, Chief Executive Officer for MTN Cameroon; Chief Technical Officer (“CTO”) for MTN Nigeria (Where he won the Best CTO Award in 2009); Chief Operations/Regions Officer for Vmobile Nigeria; and Support Manager, West African region for L.M. Ericsson Nigeria Ltd.
His past experience in non-executive capacity on boards of directors include serving as Chairman, MTN/Areeba Guinea, Non-Executive Director, Jumia Africa; Non-Executive Director, American Towers Uganda, Non-Executive Director, MTN Subsidiaries in Francophone West Africa.
INVESTMENT EXECUTIVE
Bolarin is a well-seasoned finance and investment specialist with over 15 years’ experience in a range of finance roles including debt advisory and finance, corporate finance, principal investments and financial management. She joined the UAC Group in 2018, charged with the recapitalization of UPDC, UAC’s real estate business.
Bolarin is responsible for the Industrial and Services portfolio, with initial coverage of Paints and Logisitcs. As such she sits on the board of CAP Plc and Portland Paints, representing UAC’s interests.
Prior to joining UAC, Bolarin was the Head, Energy & Infrastructure Finance at Stanbic IBTC Capital with responsibility for the oil and gas, power and infrastructure debt finance portfolio. She has extensive experience in debt restructuring and recovery for complex transactions most notably in the wake of the 2015 oil price crash
Prior to Stanbic, she was part of the investment banking team at Asset & Resource Management Co where she pioneered work on the company’s Hospitality & Retail Fund.
Bolarin is a qualified Chartered Accountant. She holds a Bachelor’s degree in Commerce from the University of Birmingham UK and a Master’s degree in Information Systems from the prestigious London School of Economics.
INVESTMENT EXECUTIVE
Debola is a results-oriented investment professional experienced in advising companies on strategy, corporate finance, and investments. He currently serves as an Investment Executive at UAC of Nigeria Plc (UAC) where he is responsible for managing the Group’s interests in the Food and Beverage sector. As such, Debola sits on the Boards of UAC Foods Limited and UAC Restaurants Limited where he represents UAC’s interest in the companies.
Debola is also a Principal at Themis Capital Management (Themis), an active investment company focused on concentrating capital, talent and expertise on a select number of long-term investments in companies that will benefit from Africa’s demographic trends.
Prior to joining Themis in 2018, Debola spent over 10 years as a Corporate Finance Executive in various leading investment banks, including Standard Bank, where he executed M&A, restructuring and capital raising transactions for leading corporates across Sub-Saharan Africa. Debola began his career as an Investment Banking Analyst at Morgan Stanley in New York, where he worked on multi-billion dollar transactions for large corporates across North America.
Debola graduated with a B.Sc in Systems Engineering from the University of Virginia in May 2008, and holds MBA degrees from both Columbia Business School and London Business School through the schools’ Joint Global Executive MBA program.
Group Chief Financial Officer
Appointed December 2020
Funke is a high-achieving, results-driven, finance professional. She has over 13 years’ corporate finance and capital markets experience. With a focus on connecting Africa to the world and the world to Africa, she has advised local and international companies on raising equity capital, mergers & acquisitions, restructurings, and divestments in Nigeria, South Africa and the United Kingdom.
She joined UAC of Nigeria PLC in 2020 as a member of the Executive Committee and recently served as Head of Investor Relations where she was responsible for strategic stakeholder management. She deployed her experience to align UAC’s capital market activities its strategic priorities.
Funke began her career in investment banking at Goldman Sachs in London. Her experience also includes working with the Standard Bank Group, where she completed over 25 transactions in 10 years. In Nigeria (Stanbic IBTC Capital), she led the equity capital markets division, executed M&A deals as a Senior Vice President, and originated cross-border M&A as a Corporate Finance Manager in South Africa.
Funke holds a B.Sc. degree in Economics and an M.Sc. degree in Project & Enterprise Management, both from University College London (UCL). She is a CFA charter holder and a member of the advisory board of Sponsors for Educational Opportunity Africa (SEO Africa), a revenue generating non-profit leadership organization.
General Counsel / Company Secretary
Nkem Agboti holds an LL. B degree from the University of Lagos and has close to two decades of experience in the practice of Business Law. She is an accredited mediator and well rounded in Corporate Affairs.
Early in her career, Nkem worked at the law firms of Aluko & Oyebode and Olaniwun Ajayi, followed by in-house experience at British American Tobacco Marketing Nigeria Limited and British American Tobacco South Africa.
She has experience in alternative dispute resolution, brand enforcement, as well as, trade marketing and distribution.
Nkem is a regulatory compliance expert and has worked on technical committees for the Standards Organisation of Nigeria. She is experienced in Ministry, Department and Agency (MDA) engagement and has participated in legislative hearings on key industry bills before the National Assembly and the Lagos State House of Assembly.
Nkem formed part of the teams acting as legal advisers during the wave of banking consolidation in 2004/2005 and has gained experience providing company secretarial services to companies in the financial services, hospitality, and agricultural sectors.
Nkem is passionate about public service, lending her time and talent to the Nigerian Bar Association, where she currently serves as a Council Member in the Section on Public Interest and Development Law. She is also a successful 3-time participant in the annual Lagos State Settlement Week.
She sits on the Governing Board of Lagoon School, Lekki, in Lagos State.