Our Directors

Chairman

Mr. Ike Chioke

Mr Chioke is the Chairman of the Board with over 30 years of financial advisory experience including 18 years in an executive management role. Mr Chioke holds a Bachelor of Science in Civil Engineering from the University of Ife now Obafemi Awolowo University Ile-Ife and attended Oxford University as a Rhodes Scholar, where he graduated with an M.Phil in Management Studies. He is the first Vice President of the Association of Issuing Houses of Nigeria, a National Secretary of the Rhodes Scholarships for West Africa, a member of the Board of the American University of Nigeria, a member of the board of ServiPower Company Limited and the Group Managing Director of Afrinvest (West Africa) Limited, a leading wealth advisory firm with a focus on West Africa.

Non-Executive Director

Alhaji R.M. Gwarzo, OON

Alhaji Gwarzo is an Associate of the British Society of Commerce.  He holds a Certificate in Accounting and Finance for Developing countries from the University of Strathclyde, Glasgow, Scotland Business School and a Certificate in Wheat Marketing & Processing from Kansas State University, USA.

He is an Associate of the Institute of Industrialists and Corporate Administrators (AIICA) and a Fellow of the Institute of Industrialists and Corporate Administrators (FIIC).  He has undertaken several national assignments and is currently on the Board of several publicly quoted and private companies.

He was appointed to the Board of the company on October 17, 2018.

Non-Executive Director

Mr. Nnamdi Oragwu

He obtained a Bachelor of Science in Public Administration from the Enugu State University of Science and Technology, a Bachelor of Law Degree from the University of Benin, Edo State and a Diploma in International Business Organizations from IBA Practice Diploma Program, College of Law (UK).

He is a Member of the International Bar Association and the Nigerian Bar Association; he is also an Associate of the Chartered Taxation Institute.

He was appointed to the board of Royal Exchange General Insurance Company Limited on July 31, 2017.

Non-Executive Director

Mr. Ernesto Costa

He obtained a Bachelors of Business Sciences and Law from Universidad Pontificia Comillas and an MBA from IE Business School (Madrid, Spain). He is a CFA Charter holder.

He has over thirty years’ experience in financial services, including investment banking and structured credit in global financial institutions such as Goldman Sachs and HSBC, as well as a CEO position at a financial institution.

He is presently the Senior Investment Director in the Private Equity Division at Swiss impact fund manager  BlueOrchard (a member of Schroders Group), based in Zurich.

He was appointed to the board of Royal Exchange General Insurance Company Limited on October 17, 2019.

Non-Executive Director

Mr. Adeyemo Adejumo

He obtained a B.sc in Biochemistry from the University of Ife, Ile-Ife, Osun State and attended the University of Lagos where he obtained an M.B.A.

He is an Associate of the Chartered Insurance Institute of London and a Fellow of the Chartered Insurance Institute of Nigeria. He has over forty years’ experience in insurance and financial services.

He started his career with the National Insurance Corporation of Nigeria and has worked with Continental RE, Equity Life Insurance Company Limited, Great Nigeria Insurance Plc, Zimre-Maputo, Mozambique, Southern Africa, Alliance Capital Stock Brokers and Competent Insurance Brokers. He held the position of Managing Director at Continental Re Plc for fifteen years and was the former President of the Chartered Insurance Institute of Nigeria.

He was appointed to the board of Royal Exchange General Insurance Company Limited on October 17, 2019.

Non-Executive Director

Mr. Owolabi Salami

Mr Owolabi obtained a Bachelor of Laws from the University of Buckingham, United Kingdom. He is a member of the Chartered Insurance Institute of Nigeria and a member of the Chartered Insurance Institute, United Kingdom. He is the Chairman of SWAgCo Limited and a member of the Board of Allianz Kenya PIc.

Prior to his appointment to the Board of Royal Exchange General Insurance Company Limited on July 29, 2021, he was the Chief Executive Officer at Allianz Nigeria Insurance Plc

Non-Executive Director

Ms. Isioma Ogodazi

Ms. Ogodazi obtained a Bachelor of Arts in Humanities from Bournemouth University, United Kingdom, a Post-Graduate Diploma in Personnel Management from the London School of Economics and a Diploma from the Institute of Personnel Development.

She is a Certified Strength Finders Level I & II Coach, Certified in Accelerated Change Management Implementation, Certified Transformational Coach (CMA) and Certified Training Professional.

She is member of the Advisory Board, Children’s International School (CIS) and is on the Board of Lead Securities & Investment and was appointed to the Board of Royal Exchange General Insurance Company Limited on July 29, 2021.

Non-Executive Director

Mr Mehdi Gharbi

Mr Mehdi Gharbi obtained a Bachelor’s Degree in Accounting and Business from the Institut Superieur de Comptabilite et d’Adminstration Entreprises “ISCAE” Tunis and a Chartered Accountant Diploma from the same institution.

He commenced his present career with PriceWaterhouseCoopers, Tunis as a Senior Consultant and Senior Auditor. He is a Senior Partner at Africinvest and currently Co-head of the financial sector funds of FIVE and AFSL.

He was appointed to the board of Royal Exchange General Insurance Company Limited on July 29, 2021

Independent Non-Executive Director

Mr Lotfi Baccouche

Mr Lotfi Baccouche obtained a Bachelor of Science in Industrial & Operation Engineering from the University of Michigan, Michigan, USA and a Master of Science in Operations Research & Industrial Engineering from Cornel University of New York, USA.

He is an Independent Non-Executive Director on the Board of Old Mutual-UAP (Kenya) and the Insurance Lead at the UK & Ireland Risk Practice.

Mr Lotfi was appointed an Independent Director on the Board of Royal Exchange General Insurance Company on July 29, 2021.

Managing Director

Mrs. Ebelechukwu Nwachukwu

Mrs. Nwachukwu is a graduate of the University of Benin, Edo State and obtained her master’s degree in Business Administration from the ESUT Business School. She is an Alumni of London Business School (Executive Education); London and The Columbia Business School, New York; and has attended Executive programmes at the Manchester and Lagos Business Schools.

She started her insurance career at International Standard Insurance in 1994 after the mandatory NYSC and spent an additional year with the firm before joining Standard Alliance Insurance Plc in 1996, as an Officer, Public Sector. She rose to the position of Assistant General Manager (AGM) before leaving in 2004 to join UBA Insurance Company as Deputy General Manager/Divisional Head, Retail and Channel Management with the task of running the Bancassurance Model with UBA Plc. She also had a stint at UBA Plc as Senior Manager/Head, Marketing – Cards Division.

Ebele left UBA Plc to join Zenith General Insurance as a Deputy General Manager (DGM) in 2007, was promoted to the position of General Manager (GM) in 2008 and later appointed the MD/CEO in the same year, leading the company to unprecedented growth in terms of revenue and profitability in the nine (9) years she spent as the Managing Director.

Mrs. Nwachukwu then assumed the leadership position of MD/CEO at NSIA Insurance in January 2018, where she led the company’s business reengineering and transformation projects. While at NSIA, her efforts led to a change in the company’s structure, culture and operations, leading to increased business patronage and was awarded the ‘Best Place to work’ in 2019. She left NSIA in May 2022 to pursue other personal interests.

A member of Chartered Insurance Institute of Nigeria (CIIN); Ebele is also a member of the Institute of Directors, Nigeria, (IoD); Chartered Member of the Nigerian institute of Management (NIM) and a member of the Personal Finance Society, United Kingdom.

In the Nigerian Insurance Industry, Ebele has served in the following capacities: Member, Governing Council, Nigeria Insurers Association (NIA); Chairman, Publicity Sub-Committee of the Insurers Committee (NAICOM); Chairman, AIO Organizing Committee – AIO 2021, (hosted in Nigeria) and Chairman, NIA House Project

Executive Director (Technical Operations)

Mrs. Jane Ekomwereren

She is a graduate from University of Benin and also an Associate of the Chartered Insurance Institute of Nigeria (ACII). She started her insurance career with Equity Indemnity Insurance Co. Ltd in 1993 and joined Royal Exchange in February 2000.

Jane has held various positions in the company and is currently, Regional Director, Lagos Central.

She was appointed on the board of Royal Exchange General Insurance Company Limited on August 09, 2017.

General Counsel/Company Secretary

Ms. Sheila Ezeuko

Ms Ezeuko is a graduate of the University of Nigeria, Nsukka, Enugu State. She holds a Bachelor of Arts in History, a Bachelor of Law from the same university, a postgraduate certificate (Corporate and Commercial Law) from the University of London, a postgraduate certificate of Law (Insurance Law) from the same University and called to the Nigerian Bar in 1999. She worked in the Chambers of G. E. Ezeuko (SAN) before going into corporate practice.

She served as Company Secretary to General Cotton Mill Limited and also Sosoliso Airlines Limited. She has undergone various management and professional courses. She was appointed Company Secretary of Royal Exchange General Insurance Limited in 2007 and General Manager (Company Secretariat, Legal Services and Compliance) with responsibility for the management and execution of Legal Services and Company Secretariat.

She is also an alumna of the Lagos Business School having undergone the Advanced Management Programme (AMP 24). She is an associate member of the Institute of Chartered Arbitrators, Nigeria and a member of other professional bodies notably, the International Bar Association and the Nigerian Bar Association.