The Group Managing Director/Chief Executive Officer FirstBank, Bisi Onasanya has been named The Sun Banker of the Year in The Sun Awards 2014.
The award, according to a statement by Folake Ani-Mumuney, Head, Marketing & Corporate Communications, was in recognition of the several initiatives Onasanya championed to position FirstBank as a leading financial services group in Sub-Saharan Africa, whilst promoting the growth of the African Financial Services Industry as a whole.
The Sun also congratulated Onasanya for the Bank’s big ticket transactions in the course of the year, especially the issue of a $450 million subordinated Tier 2 debt, the largest subordinated Eurobond ever issued by any Nigerian financial institution.
Femi Adesina, Managing Director/Editor-in-Chief of The Sun Newspaper during a courtesy visit to Onasanya noted that the management of The Sun were impressed with FirstBank’s growth to enviable heights under the leadership of Onasanya, with its total assets now at over $30.3billion.
Responding, Onasanya thanked the management of The Sun for the special award, stating the award would be a further inspiration for FirstBank to continue to partner with Nigerian businesses committed to the socio-economic development of the country.
In a similar development, Onasanya has also been awarded the Overall CEO of the Year 2014 in the maiden Newswatch Person of the Year Awards by Newswatch Communications Limited on account of the local and global business presence of the Bank under his leadership.
The award was determined by an internet-based open ballot system, from which Mr. Onasanya emerged winner. The Newswatch Person of the Year Scheme is aimed at recognizing and celebrating significant performance of individuals, corporate, private and public organisations in various fields.
Responding to his nomination, Onasanya stated that the Bank would not rest on its laurels but will remain poised to drive innovation and transformation in the industry, to build a global brand that will positively impact on the financial services needs of all stakeholders. “We would keep up the momentum, resilience and flexibility to better meet growing customer expectations” he stated.
First Bank of Nigeria Limited, a subsidiary of FBN Holdings Plc, is Nigeria’s leading financial services institution by total assets and gross earnings and one of the largest corporate and retail banking financial institutions in sub-Saharan Africa (excluding South Africa).
Since its establishment in 1894, the Bank has consistently built relationships with customers focusing on fundamentals of good corporate governance, strong liquidity, risk management and strong capitalization.
FirstBank operates an extensive distribution network with over 750 business locations (623 branches, 61 quick service points and 69 cash centers/agencies), over 2,464 ATM’s and over 9 million customer accounts.
The Bank provides a comprehensive range of financial services and has international presence through its subsidiaries, FBN Bank (UK) Limited in London and Paris, Banque International de Credit (B.I.C) in the Republic of Congo, International Commercial Bank (ICB) in Ghana, The Gambia, Guinea, Sierra-Leone and Senegal as well as its Representative Offices in Johannesburg, Beijing and Abu Dhabi.
FirstBank is the recipient of many awards. The Bank has been named “The Best Bank Brand in Nigeria” three times in a row – 2011, 2012, 2013 – by the globally renowned “The Banker Magazine” of the Financial Times Group.
FirstBank’s brand purpose is to always put its stakeholders, customers and partners at the heart of its business, even as it is poised to standardize customer experience and excellence in financial solutions across Sub Saharan Africa, in consonance with its brand vision “To be the partner of first choice in building your future”.
The brand promise is to always deliver the ultimate “gold standard” of value and excellence. This commitment is anchored on the FirstBank’s inherent values of passion, partnership and people, to position its customers first in every respect.
For three consecutive years, 2012, 2013 and 2014, FirstBank was named the “Best Retail Bank in Nigeria” by the Asian Banker International Excellence in Retail Financial Services Awards.
Other recent awards include the “Best Bank in Nigeria” in the Euromoney Awards for Excellence, “Best Bank in West Africa” and “Most Innovative Bank in Africa” in the African Banker Awards, “Best Bank in Nigeria” in the EMEA Finance African Banking Awards for the fourth time, “Best Foreign Exchange Services in Africa” in the EMEA Finance Treasury Services Awards, “Best Banking Group in Nigeria” by World Finance Banking Awards, and “Best Financial Reporting Company” by Africa Investor.
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