Jim Ovia
Jim Ovia is the Founder and pioneer Group Managing Director / CEO of Zenith Bank PLC, Nigeria’s largest and Africa’s 6th largest bank by shareholders’ funds. He was at the helm of affairs, from inception, for 20 years until his resignation in 2010. He was reappointed the Chairman of the bank in 2014.
Jim Ovia is the Founder and pioneer Group Managing Director / CEO of Zenith Bank PLC, Nigeria’s largest and Africa’s 6th largest bank by shareholders’ funds. He was at the helm of affairs, from inception, for 20 years until his resignation in 2010. He was reappointed the Chairman of the bank in 2014.
Jim Ovia was a member of the National Economic Management Team of Nigeria and he is a member of the Honorary International Investors’ Council.
Ovia is a philanthropist and the Founder and proprietor of James Hope College, Agbor, Delta State. His Foundation focuses on providing scholarship to the less privileged. He is also the Founder of several enterprises and philanthropic institutions including the Youth Empowerment & ICT Foundation, which focuses on improving the socio-economic welfare of Nigerian youths by empowering them to embrace Information and Communication Technology. The initiative holds annual Youth Empowerment seminars.
In recognition of his achievements particularly in support of the Nigerian economy, Jim Ovia was conferred with the national award of Commander of the Order of the Niger (CON) in 2011.