Finance Monthly CEO Awards 2018 Edition

FINANCE MONTHLY CEO AWARDS 2018 www.finance-monthly.com 52 UNITED KINGDOM JAMIE SIMMONDS Chief Executive Officer & Managing Director, The Access Bank UK Limited www.theaccessbankukltd.co.uk THE ACCESS BANK UK LIMITED The Access Bank UK Limited is a wholly-owned subsidiary of Access Bank Plc, a Nigerian Stock Exchange listed company. We provide Trade Finance, Commercial Banking, Private Banking and Asset Management products and services for customers in their dealings with Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) markets and support companies wishing to invest in and trade in Sub-Saharan Africa, MENA and Asian markets. We are authorised by the Prudential Regulation Authority (PRA) and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) and the PRA. The Access Bank UK Limited – Dubai Branch, situated in the iconic Gate Building of Dubai International Financial Centre (DIFC) is regulated by the Dubai Financial Services Authority (DFSA). Like our parent, we are committed to developing a sustainable business model for the environment in which we operate. This is reflected in our moderate appetite for risk, our passion for customer service and our commitment to build long-term relationships by working in partnership with our customers. We play a key role in our Group’s vision to be the World’s Most Respected African Bank. As such, we refuse to chase unsustainable yields as a route to growth. Instead, we focus on building our business through the strength of our customer relationship. Herbert Wigwe, Chairman and Non-Executive Director said: “The Access Bank UK was founded to establish a credible, sustainable OECD hub for the Access Bank Group. This was achieved with commendable efficiency while also becoming a successful and profitable business on its own right. Fundamental to the Bank’s growth is our operational culture built upon strong customer relationships and the delivery of high quality services. Many high net worth customers who utilise The Access Bank UK for Trade Finance and Commercial Banking aervices also use our Asset Management and Private Banking for their UK personal financial interests. Such duality has proved beneficial for customers at a time when business and financial environments across Sub-Saharan Africa, Europe and the USA remain challenging”. The Access Bank UK provides a number of services to support business activities in Sub-Saharan Africa and across the world. We were awarded Confirming Bank status by the International Finance Corporation as part of their Global Trade Finance Programme, thereby strengthening our Trade Finance capabilities further. We were the first Nigerian Bank in the UK to be appointed as correspondent bank to the Central Bank of Nigeria to undertake infrastructure work on behalf of the Nigerian government. We also issue Letters of Credit on behalf of the Nigerian government and Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC). Recently we were ABOUT JAMIE SIMMONDS Jamie Simmonds was appointed the founding Chief Executive Officer/Managing Director of The Access Bank UK Limited in 2008. He is an alumnus of Harvard Business School Executive Management Programme. Jamie is also an Associate of the Chartered Institute of Bankers, a Certified Financial Adviser and also a member of the Association of Foreign Bankers. He has a wealth of experience in the Financial Services, holding a series of Director roles for National Westminster, Coutts, Royal Bank of Scotland, Gerrards and Close Brothers. He has a proven track record in the startup and turnaround of financial service businesses, delivering sustainable benefits for all stakeholders. He has extensive knowledge of both Corporate, Retail and Private Banking services. “Throughout my experience in financial services my guiding principles have been to deliver excellent customer service and provide innovative solutions for the customers and markets we serve. I have been involved in the turnaround of several existing businesses by going back to these basic principles and rebuilding from the ground up. When I established The Access Bank UK Ltd in 2008 it was at a turbulent time in banking but we set the risk appetite, the processes and procedures and developed products that our customers wanted. We have built the Bank steadily but sustainably and have a balance sheet of over £1.5bn”.