CEO Today Africa Awards

Jim Ovia is the Founder of Zenith Bank Plc, Nigeria’s largest and one of Africa’s largest banks by shareholders’ funds. He founded the bank in June 1990 and was the pioneer Managing Director/Chief Executive for 20 years until his retirement in July, 2010. Jim Ovia is currently the Group Chairman of the bank. As a philanthropist, he is the Founder and Chairman, Board of Trustees of James Hope College, a co-educational boarding school in Agbor, Delta State, Nigeria. Fifty per cent of the students of the school are recipients of scholarship program from the Jim Ovia Foundation. His Foundation has to date sponsored over 1000 graduates, including accountants, lawyers, bankers, pharmacists, medical doctors and economists. Jim Ovia has been a member of the World Economic Forum since 2007. In recognition of his contribution to the Nigerian economy, Jim Ovia was conferred with the national award of Commander of the Order of the Niger (CON) in 2011. Jim Ovia holds a Master’s degree in Business Administration (MBA) from University of Louisiana, USA and a B.S.c degree in Business Administration from Southern University, Louisiana, USA (1977). He is an alumnus of Harvard Business School (OPM). JIM OVIA Founder of Zenith Bank Plc www.zenithbank.com NIGERIA 39 www.ceotodaymagazine.com CEO Today Africa Awards 2017