BOLA ADESOLA

Bola Adesola is the Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of Standard Chartered Bank Limited, Nigeria. Bola also provides leadership for the bank’s business in West Africa to drive the continued strengthening of Standard Chartered Bank’s franchise in the region. Prior to joining the bank in March 2011, she was an Executive Director at First Bank of Nigeria Plc and prior to that Managing Director of Kakawa Discount House, Nigeria. She also worked in Citibank for 9 years in senior leadership roles in Nigeria and Tanzania.

Called to the Nigerian Bar in 1985, Bola Adesola has over 26 years banking experience. An alumnus of Harvard Business School and Lagos Business School, she also holds a Law degree from the University of Buckingham, UK.

Bola is passionate about the development and economic empowerment of women and in 2001 cofounded Women in Management, Business and Public Sector (WIMBIZ), Nigeria’s fore-most women-oriented network. She is an Honorary Fellow of the Chartered Institute of Bankers Nigeria and sits on the boards of the Financial Markets Dealers Quotations Plc and Nigeria Inter-bank Settlement Systems Plc. Bola also chairs the Central Bank of Nigeria Bankers’ Sub-Committee on Economic Development, Sustainability and Gender and was recently appointed the first female President of Lagos Business School Alumni Association (LBSAA). She actively mentors and coaches young people and is passionate about reading and travelling. She is married and is the proud mother of twin girls.

Bola Adesola was appointed to the United Nations Global Compact Board by the UN Secretary General in June 2015.