Innocent Ike has been appointed as Access Holdings Plc’s substantive Group Managing Director/Chief Executive Officer, effective August 29, 2025.
For Ike, the appointment represents both a return and a renewal. A seasoned banker with over 30 years of experience in the industry, he is no stranger to Access. He spent a decade at Access Bank, rising to the position of general manager and overseeing corporate, commercial, and public sector portfolios.
Now, after stints at other financial institutions, including a headline-making tenure as Managing Director/CEO of Polaris Bank, he finds himself at the helm of Access Holdings, tasked with steering the group toward its goal of becoming the world’s most respected African financial services company.
Born with an eye for excellence, Ike graduated from the University of Lagos in 1988 as the Best Graduating Student in Accounting. He is a Fellow of the Chartered Institute of Bankers of Nigeria (CIBN), a Fellow of the Institute of Chartered Accountants of Nigeria (ICAN), and a certified IFRS expert.
His career has been defined by innovation and transformation. At Polaris Bank, where he served from 2020 to 2022, Ike launched VULTe, the bank’s digital banking platform, which earned back-to-back industry honours, including the BusinessDay BAFI Digital Bank of the Year and the Nigerian Fintech Digital Bank of the Year Award. These achievements underscored his reputation as a leader attuned to the demands of a rapidly evolving financial ecosystem.
Read also: Innocent Ike succeeds Bolaji Agbede as Access Holdings group CEO
The Transition at Access
Ike succeeds Bolaji Agbede, who has served as acting group CEO for the past 18 months. Agbede stepped into the role during a period of deep uncertainty following the sudden passing of Herbert Wigwe, the company’s visionary Group Chief Executive Officer.
Under Agbede’s stewardship, Access Holdings achieved significant milestones: the seamless execution of a N351 billion rights issue, two successful Annual General Meetings, and workforce stability during a delicate transition. While regulatory requirements around years of experience for a Group CEO necessitate her return to her substantive role as Executive Director, Business Support, the company has acknowledged her leadership as foundational to its sustained strength.
“Her outstanding contributions over the past 18 months have been invaluable,” said Chairman Aigboje Aig-Imoukhuede, CFR. “We are thrilled to welcome Ike as we move forward and grateful for the strong foundation she has laid.”
Building on a Legacy
For Ike, he now leads an organisation defined by Wigwe’s bold expansionist vision and Agbede’s stabilising hand.
“I am honoured to take on the role of Group Managing Director/Chief Executive Officer,” Ike said after his appointment was confirmed. “I look forward to building on the strong legacy established by Herbert Wigwe and Bolaji Agbede and driving our vision forward, ensuring we continue to deliver exceptional value to our shareholders and stakeholders.”
