Absa Bank’s Managing Director, Abena Osei-Poku, has won recognition as CEO of the Year in the banking sector at the just-ended CEO Summit 2023 held at the Kempinski Gold Coast Hotel. The summit brings together all the captains of industry, corporate leaders across the public and private sectors, including government officials and other key stakeholders.
The summit also provides a platform for these leaders to interact, share ideas and listen to new research and emerging trends in their respective industries. The summit also recognises leaders who have impacted their sectors in unique ways in the year under review.
Abena was lauded for displaying great leadership, innovation and creativity in the transformation of Absa Bank, which celebrated its third year of transiting from the Barclays brand to Absa in Ghana last February. The bank’s unvarnished commitment to supporting real sector growth and projecting a digitally-enabled strategy is creating synergy with clients, customers and key stakeholders.
Recently, the bank launched an unheralded campaign for SMEs in Ghana – providing loans at 10 percent per annum to women-owned businesses, youth entrepreneurs and businesses in the agriculture and fintech sectors of the country. What makes the proposition so unique is that it has come at a time when lending rates hover above 30 percent due to a challenging local economy – with inflation still above 40 percent.
Abena’s leadership has also seen Absa step-up its commitment to communities through initiatives in education, financial inclusion and environmental conservation.
Commenting on the recognition, Abena said: “I want to recognise the bank’s incredible clients, stakeholders and colleagues for their unwavering support throughout the years. This award is for them. As a bank, our strategy remains unchanged – we will continue to find new and innovative ways of creating value for our customers as they navigate challenges of the external environment. Our role is to empower them and their businesses while deploying cutting-edge digital technology to create convenience”.
Absa Bank is regarded as a systemically important bank in Ghana’s economy, and has operated in Ghana for over a century. The bank’s brand purpose reflects a sense of empowering Africa’s tomorrow, together – one story at a time.
