AMERICAN BUSINESS COUNCIL - Key Persons
Job Titles:
- Managing Director & VP Coca - Cola Nigeria Limited
Christiana Yisa is a highly accomplished, top performing, customer-focused, sales and marketing, and business development executive with over 17 years of experience in Commercial and Inside Sales, and Marketing of Information and Communication Technologies' (ICT) applications and solution.
She joined NCR in February 2018 as a Senior Sales Account Manager and rose to become the Country Manager / CEO of NCR Nigeria PLC in February 2019.
Christiana was at IBM where she held positions of progressively increasing responsibilities for over 6 years, starting in 2009 as an Inside Sales (Digital) Representative / Client Manager, rising to become Manager, Commercial Sales Mid-Market and subsequently Leader, Commercial Sales Mid-Market in Central, East and West Africa regions, having a team of Sales Managers spread across over 26 countries.
Prior to her tenure at IBM, she was the National Coordinator, Computerize Nigeria Project and AGM/Group Head of Corporate Marketing both at Zinox Technologies Limited, Nigeria. Before working at Zinox, she held positions of progressively increasing responsibilities at Task Systems, Nigeria, another ICT company, where she was promoted 4 times in 6 years, based on performance. She started there as an Account Manager in 2001 and then was Lead Sales & Business Development, Manager Business Development, Head Business Development, and then Group Head, Oil & Gas by 2007.
Christiana has multi-sector commercial and inside sales, marketing, and business development experience having worked concurrently across Oil and Gas, Telco, Financial, Public, Manufacturing and Retail Sectors. Also, she has been very adept at continuously identifying new opportunities, expanding customer base, deepening existing relationships, satisfying corporate objectives and consistently exceeding set revenue goals - as exemplified by the numerous awards she has received.
Job Titles:
- Chairman of African Capital Alliance
Dick Kramer is Chairman of African Capital Alliance (ACA), an investment management firm that pioneered the management of private equity investments in high potential sectors of the West African economy. ACA has ;to date, raised over US$1.2 billion in managed funds.Dick came to Nigeria in 1978 to launch Arthur Andersen & Co. as Managing Partner after similar roles in Benelux and Latin America. The two successor firms - KPMG Professional Services and Accenture - are today's leading Nigerian firms in accounting, tax and management consultancy. Dick trained in accountancy at Kansas University (1956) and earned an MBA from Harvard Business School before joining Arthur Andersen in 1958. During his career, he worked in all areas of the firm's practice and in the US, Latin America, Middle East, Europe and India, as well as Africa.Following retirement in 1994, Dick remained in Nigeria to consult, invest and continue community service activities. He helped found the Nigerian Economic Summit Group, the Harvard Business School Association of Nigeria, the Lagos Business School and, more recently the American Business Council, where he was the pioneer President. He headed the Technical Team as a Member of Vision 2010 Committee. He currently serves as Trustee for the Ikoyi Club 1938 and has also remained active in several other chambers, associations, professional activities and non-profit organizations.He was conferred with the National Honour of Officer of the Order of the Federal Republic (OFR), the Zik Prize in Leadership, and the Institute of Directors award for Entrepreneurship.His wife, Wanda, worked to put Dick through Harvard Business School and has followed her own career of teaching since graduation from Colorado University (1960). She taught and consulted as testing coordinator at American International School, Lagos from 1979 to 2005 before retiring. They recently celebrated their 66th wedding anniversary. Dick and Wanda have two sons - Cliff and Kirk - and are blessed with 3 grandchildren.
Job Titles:
- Country Head, HP Nigeria and Omni - Channel Manager, Central Africa
Emmanuel Asika brings to the table a 17-year Multi-National Experience in Telco & IT.
He joined HP in 2013 and has been a Partner Business Manager, Distribution Business Manager,
Job Titles:
- CEO Citibank Nigeria Limited
Ireti Samuel-Ogbu became the MD/CEO for Citibank Nigeria Limited in September 2020. Prior to being the MD/CEO, she was the Europe, Middle East and Africa (EMEA) Head, Payments and Receivables, Treasury and Trade Solutions (TTS) under Citi's Institutional Clients Group (ICG) based in London, UK. She has also been on the Board of Citibank Nigeria Limited for the last 5 years as a non-Executive Director. She has 32 years experience at Citi, during which time she has held various roles in the UK, Nigeria and South Africa (working in each of these countries twice). Previous roles have included Relationship Management (with Global Subsidiaries Group and the Public Sector Banking Team), TTS Sales, Corporate Finance and heading TTS for two of the largest markets in Africa. Ireti is a champion of diversity and inclusion: she co-founded two impactful mentorship initiatives within Citi - the Sapphire Leadership Program (Middle East and Africa) and the Momentum Program (UK). Ireti is currently the EMEA co-Chair for Women's Affinity and represents EMEA on the Global Affinity Steering Committee. Ireti is a Lead contributor and Thought-Leader in various Banking and Fintech Forums across EMEA and has won awards in the UK and South Africa including:
Job Titles:
- Member of the KPMG West Africa Board
Tola is a member of the KPMG West Africa Board, KPMG Africa Board, and the KPMG Europe, Middle East & Africa (EMA) Board. He currently serves on the Board of LEAP Africa, the Chairman of the Audit and Finance Committee as well as a Board member of the Redeemers University.
Job Titles:
- Chief Executive Officer
- Executive Secretary
- Certified National Quality Management Auditor of the Standard Organization of Nigeria
- Chief Executive Officer / Executive Secretary ABC
Margaret Obiageli Olele is currently the Chief Executive Officer/ Executive Secretary of the American Business Council www.abcnig.com , the voice of American Business in Nigeria and the affiliate of the US Chamber of Commerce. Prior to this role, she was the Corporate Affairs Director for Pfizer in Nigeria, Ghana, East Africa & Southern African Markets responsible for all Public Affairs and Communication engagements in about 15 countries and represented Pfizer on the Board of Directors of the American Business Council.
Margaret is a Certified National Quality Management Auditor of the Standard Organization of Nigeria, a member of the Advertising Practitioners Council of Nigeria.
Job Titles:
- Managing Director of P & G Nigeria
Mokutima Ajileye is the Managing Director of P&G Nigeria and is responsible for leading the
Mrs. Ajileye is an alumnus of the Federal University of Technology, Owerri and holds certifications in
Job Titles:
- Vice - President, Technology Software - Africa at Oracle
Dipo Faulkner is the Vice - President, Technology Software - Africa at Oracle. Prior this role, he was the General Manager for IBM in West Africa. In that role, Dipo was responsible for IBM's overall business in Nigeria with a focus on deploying IBM's advanced technology capabilities in Cognitive, Cloud Computing, Big Data and Analytics, Mobile and Security to solve current and future needs of institutions in key economic sectors across the country. He also provided leadership for IBM's relationships and Corporate Social initiatives in the Civil Society, ICT and Academic communities. With over 25 years of work experience, he was previously IBM's Global Business Services Lead for Central & West Africa, where he was responsible for driving the Consulting Services Business within the region since joining IBM in 2013. He was also a Director at Accenture's Nigeria Financial Services Operating Group. Dipo holds a Bachelors' Degree in Mechanical Engineering from the University of Lagos, Nigeria and an Advanced Management Program Certificate from Institute de Empressa (IE), Madrid Spain
Job Titles:
- Nigeria 's County Managing Director
Over his 23-year career in Accenture, Niyi has been a part of numerous transformation projects. His expertise covers the implementation of IT-enabled business solutions for clients in Banking, Insurance, Consumer Goods, Public Sector, Oil and Gas, Telecoms and Manufacturing. He has been instrumental in the creation of key infrastructure for the Nigerian banking industry including the national payment switch and a credit bureau.
Paul McGrath is Chairman/Managing Director of ExxonMobil's two upstream affiliates, Mobil Producing Nigeria (MPN) and Esso Exploration & Production Nigeria Limited (EEPNL).Prior to his appointment as Chairman/Managing Director in March 2017, he was Project Execution Manager for ExxonMobil Development Company in Houston.He has over 30 years oil and gas industry experience, beginning as a process supervisor working offshore operations on Brent Delta, UK North Sea. He Joined ExxonMobil in 1999, and has held various technical and managerial assignments covering deepwater platforms, subsea and onshore oil and gas facilities.Paul holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Chemical Engineering from Strathclyde University in Glasgow. He is also a member of the Institute of Chemical Engineers.
Job Titles:
- Chairman
- KPMG West Africa Chairman
- National Senior Partner
- Senior Partner, KPMG
Tola Adeyemi is the National Senior Partner for KPMG in Nigeria and Chairman, KPMG West Africa. He was admitted as a partner in the year 2000. Before assuming this role, Tola was the Partner & Head of the Audit & Assurance Services division of the Firm with over 34 years of professional experience in advising our local and multinational clients across industries and sectors of the economy including the public domain.
As KPMG West Africa Chairman, Tola has been responsible for shaping and defining the KPMG's developmental strategy in the region. As CEO of KPMG in Nigeria, he promotes and provides effective leadership and direction for the firm's business operation, working in collaboration with partners and staff to drive and deliver on the KPMG's strategy and growth agenda across the Nation. Tola is also a promoter of an inclusive and high-performing culture throughout the KPMG network as well as living the KPMG values.
While in the Audit & Assurance Services division as partner and head, Tola served as Engagement Partner and Quality Assurance Partner on a variety of audit and accounting services as well as other business advisory assignments, delivering value-adding result with industry leading practices to our local and multinational clients.
Tola had lived and worked in the UK and South Africa, where he assisted various clients in meeting their strategic and financial management objectives. He is a regular speaker on governance and risk management, the future of accounting profession and the changing roles of key stakeholders and those charged with governance.
Tola has a first-class honours degree in Accounting from the University of Ife, Ile-Ife (now OAU). He is a Fellow of the Institute of Chartered Accountants of Nigeria, an Associate of the Chartered Institute of Taxation of Nigeria, an active Member of the Institute of Directors (IoD) and a Board member of the Audit Faculty of the Institute of Chartered Accountants of Nigeria (ICAN). He is an alumnus of various top management and leadership programmes of the Lagos Business School, Harvard Business School, USA and INSEAD in France.