Tope Smart meets AIO standards as next president

By Favour Nnabugwu

As the vice-president of the African Insurance Organisation (AIO), Mr. Tope Smart has the automatic ticket to be the next AIO president according to the body’s standards.

It will be recalled that Tope Smart was made the vice-president at the AIO’s 46th conference and annual general assembly in Johannesburg, South Africa 2019.

Smart, who is also the Group Managing Director, NEM Insurance Plc, had been a board member of AIO’s executive committee.

Smart expressed his commitment to the aims and objectives of the AIO.

He also reiterated his commitment to ensure the continuous growth and development of insurance on the continent.

Apart from giving him the opportunity to collaborate with leaders of insurance companies in other African countries, Smart will leverage on the spread of AIO, to make an enduring marks as the president

He stated, “I feel very excited becoming the AIO President because it will give me the opportunity to strike synergy and partnership with leaders of insurance companies in other African countries to be able to initiate and implement some of my dreams for the insurance industry in Africa in general,”

Impacting on the Nigerian insurance industry, he mentioned, “What I intend to do as the President of AIO to impact the Nigerian insurance industry is to see what is working in the insurance industry in other African countries that made them to contribute much more than we are doing to the economies of those countries such as South Africa with a penetration rate of 14 per cent; Kenya with a penetration rate of 2.5 per cent and some other countries that are doing much better in terms of the insurance”.

“So some of those things are what I will look at critically and ensure they are also implemented in Nigeria and also those that we need to implement locally to enable us to increase our penetration rate; we will also liaise with relevant government agencies to make sure that they are implemented”

“I will partner with relevant government agencies to ensure full implementation of compulsory insurances; of course this is critical for the growth of the insurance industry in Nigeria.

Tope Smart, a graduate and an award winner from the University of Lagos also holds a Masters Degree in Business Administration (MBA) from the University of Nigeria, Nsukka.

He is an Associate member of both the Chartered Insurance Institute of London and the Chartered Insurance Institute of Nigeria. Tope, an astute professional, believes very strongly in the entrenchment of insurance in the mind of every Nigerian.

He is a Council member, Chartered Insurance Institute of Nigeria, Councilmember, West African Insurance Companies Association (Ghana), Councilmember, Nigeria-Britain Association, a past Chairman of the Nigeria Insurers Association to mention but a few.

Tope sits on the board of several companies amongst which are RegencyNem Insurance (Ghana) Limited and NEM Asset Management Limited. In 2014, he was appointed by the Federal Government as Co-Chairman of the Insurance Industry Transformation Committee.

He was also recently appointed as Chairman, Planning Committee of the University of Lagos Alumni Association’s Golden Jubilee Anniversary. In recognition of his outstanding achievements, Tope has won several awards among which are Distinguished Alumnus by the University of Lagos, University of Lagos Alumni Association Golden Jubilee Special Recognition Award amongst others.

He is also a two-time winner of the Business day Top 25 CEOs award. Tope is an alumnus of Harvard Business School.

Ronke Adedeji moves on from Leadway Pensure

By admin

 

 

The Managing Director of Leadway Pensure PFA, Mrs Ronke Adedeji is moving on after over a decade at the helm of affairs of the organisation. She is passing the baton to explore new opportunities after years of dedication, strategic thinking, and impeccable work ethic.

During her tenure as the Managing Director of Leadway Pensure PFA, Mrs. Adedeji propelled the brand from a new company into a renowned pension powerhouse it is today. Amongst many other landmark achievements, she executed the digital transformation of the company, leveraged technology for business growth and efficiency, while also driving cutting-edge innovations within the pension industry.
According to the Chairman, Mr. Oye Hassan-Odukale “On behalf of the board, management and staff of Leadway Pensure PFA, I want to thank our Managing Director, Ronke Adedeji, for her professionalism, dedication, and commitment to building and propelling the Leadway Pensure brand through the years. The impeccable achievements our company recorded under her leadership are testaments to her transformational leadership. I wish her all the best in her future endeavours.”

The outgoing Managing Director has built a successful career, one bedecked with accomplishments. Before her career in Leadway Pensure PFA, she was the Head of Capital Issues Division of ICON Limited (Merchant Bankers).

From there, she moved to MBC International Bank Limited and then rose to become the Executive Director. Her banking experience covers Investment Banking, Retail Banking, Corporate Banking, Treasury, Corporate Services, Capital Markets, and Securities.

Mrs. Ronke Adedeji is a Fellow of the Association of Chartered Certified Accountants, UK (FCCA), a Fellow of The Institute of Chartered Accountants of Nigeria (FCA), and an Associate Member of the Chartered Institute of Taxation of Nigeria (ACIT). She has attended various leadership, strategy, and corporate governance courses at Lagos Business School, IESE Business School Barcelona, University of Pennsylvania-Wharton Business School, Stanford University-Graduate School of Business, INSEAD, and Northwestern University-Kellogg School of Management.

She was the first female president of the Pension Fund Operators Association, Nigeria (PENOP) and has received several awards and recognition for driving excellent service delivery for Leadway Pensure PFA. She is passionate about excellence, good governance and best practice.

It is significant to note that Leadway Pensure PFA has appointed a new Managing Director, Mr. Lanre Idris. He is a seasoned financial practitioner, who will continue to lead the brand forward and sustain its position as one of the foremost Pension Fund Administrators in Nigeria