Executive Members

A strategic Banking Leader with about 2 decade experience in banking spanning digital Payment, Information Systems, financial control, Performance Management, budgeting and strategic planning, Credit and Retail banking. Technology savvy and recognized for initiating sweeping improvements to electronic product development, operations and marketing with oversight in Credit card transactions. Conceptualising and creating revenue opportunities with sharpened focus on e-business, outsourced application development, and addition of stretch goals that motivate staff to higher achievement.

Highly skilled in managing all aspects of Card business including all the operations of e- business channels, Stabilising operations, addressing volatile regulatory requirements, and top grading products offerings to deliver optimal ROI; unrelenting passion for E-payment and its deployment in the achievement of business/organisational goals.
Currently the head of Card Business and solutions at Zenith Bank Plc

Folasade Femi-Lawal, an alumnus of Obafemi Awolowo’s University and Harvard Business School, Executive Education is a fellow of the Institutes of Chartered Accountants of Nigeria, Chartered Institute of Taxation and Enterprise Risk Professionals. She is currently the Head of Card and Messaging Business at FirstBank Nigeria Ltd (Nigeria’s leading Financial Services Solutions Provider). She is also the Pioneer Head of Digital Banking at same Bank. She has to her credit the achievement of 10m Card Base milestone by FirstBank in 2017 as the 1st in Nigeria and 2nd in West Africa. Also, the successful launch of the first integrated lifestyle mobile banking App, FirstMobile that won both Global Finance award for ‘The best Digital Bank of Distinction for 2016 &2017 and Asian Banker Award for the Best Mobile Payments &Best Digital Bank Awards during the West Africa International Banking Convention (2016& 2017).

She has over Twenty-five (25) years cognate working experience, of which twenty (20) were spent in Senior Management capacities five (5), spent in operational. Three (3) of these years were spent with PriceWaterhouseCoopers (PWC) focusing on statutory reporting and business advisory services, investigations as well as business process reviews of top tier organizations. 10 years has been spent in the Telecoms industry where she started as a pioneer Head of Credit Control of Econet Wireless Nigeria (now Airtel Nigeria Limited).

She is a sought-after Conference Speaker and Panellist as well as Chairperson at Global and National events such as’ Annual FinanceTech in South Africa, Annual Global Finance Conference in UK, Finnovex Digital Summit, & Women of West Africa Entrepreneurs (WoWe) etc. She is a Council Member for Gershom Lehman Consulting in USA and a member of the Esteemed Speaker and Advisory Panel for New Age Banking Summit. She was a facilitator for Phillips Consulting between 2012/2013 on Credit Control

Olayinka Odusote…

AbdulWasiu Popoola is the Chief Digital Officer of Parallex Bank Ltd. He is currently driving digital transformation of the bank through cutting edge technology and robust ecosystem and partnership strategies. Prior to now, he served in various key capacities within the Digital and Electronic payment system in Sterling Bank, Unity Bank, FCMB, FinBank, Access Bank and First Bank respectively.

Popoola, is a seasoned Digital transformation and Fintech professional with over 2 decades of experience. He obtained Certificate in Digital Transformation covering AI, IoT, Cloud, Blockchain and Cybersecurity from the prestigious MIT in 2021. He holds Bachelor of Science Degree in Computer Science from University of Ilorin and later attended University of Lagos to obtain Master of Science degree in Computer Science and Executive Master of Business Administration respectively. He was Certified as Information System Auditor in 2010, by the prestigious Information System Audit and Control Association (ISACA) of United State of America and was further Certified in Risk and Information System Control by the same body in 2011. His pursuit of knowledge led him to obtain Project Management Professional certification in 2010 and SAP Associate Consultant in Materials Management in 2011.

Popoola is passionate about digital transformation, financial inclusion, elimination of friction and expansion of access as well as opportunities, to create wealth across Africa. His notable areas of accomplishment include, API and Open banking services, Mobile Financial services, Agency banking, Digital lending, Digital Payments and Collections, Card Payments, and Corporate Solutions.
He enjoys adventure, networking, and live long learning

Omotayo Adediran is a top-tier manager with over 16 years of experience and excellent performance in the banking industry cutting across sales and relationship management in retail banking, SME banking, commercial banking, digital solutions, and product management. He is currently the Head of Digital Solutions at Stanbic Bank Plc where he is responsible for implementing, enabling, maintaining, securing, and entrenching the digital platforms and functionality for clients and stakeholders.

Amongst others, his core competencies are in digital solutions, product development, bank branch management, finance and risk management, client relations and retention, strategic business process and productivity improvement, strategic and tactical business planning, and implementation. In giving credence to his competencies, Omotayo is reputable for turning around non-performing business locations/branches/platforms and products.

Omotayo holds a Doctorate in Business Administration with focus on product innovation and development from the prestigious Swiss Business School (SBS), Masters degrees from Obafemi Awolowo University and University of Ibadan. He has undergone senior management programs from the Global Leadership Center (GLC), Johannesburg and the Lagos Business School. He is a member of the Chartered Institute of Bankers of Nigeria (CIBN), a Certified Scrum Product Owner and a Certified ScrumMaster. Omotayo has undergone trainings in several reputable local and international organizations.

Adeyinka Shorungbe

Lovelyn Iruayenama is an astute banker and a strategic Business enabler with over 14 years’ experience traversing the Corporate Banking, commercial Banking, retail Banking and digital payments. Before transitioning into the Banking sector, she exhibited business acumen and capacity to crunch numbers when she worked with the Nigerian bottling company (NBC) as a resident market developer by displaying prowess in driving the retail strategy and increasing the market share. She holds a B.Sc from the University of Calabar.

Her Banking career started as a Relationship Manager in various Banks where she has developed and maintained strong customer relationships for both internal and external clients thereby surpassing set goals, objectives and expectations before moving to the e-Business division at Heritage Bank where she has been able to revamp the POS and ATM Business by providing strategic partnerships, product expansion, creating revenue opportunities and encouraging Organic Growth within the e-Business division. She has also worked in various capacities in different committees within the financial sector. She is currently the Group Head ATM/POS and regional eBusiness at Heritage Bank.

Maryam is an innovative and transformational Digital Payments professional with extensive experience in business strategy, product development, product management, partnerships management, innovation, project management, and operational improvements of digital banking products and services.

Currently, she functions as Group Head, E-Business at Sterling Bank Plc where she leads the deepening of Cards, Mobile Banking, USSD, Automated Teller machines , Point of Sales terminals, Agency Banking, and QR payment penetration whilst ensuring optimal product acquisition, customer satisfaction, and returns on investment.

Prior to this, she has served in various leading capacities managing digital banking products and services at Sterling Bank, Firstbank Nigeria Ltd and Intercontinental Bank Plc. Amongst her laudable efforts on the roles are launching multiple innovative payment products to meet the needs of different customer segments in the payment ecosystem including low income to high income earners, SMEs, Micro Banking, Corporates, and others.

She has over 17 Years’ experience managing electronic payment products and services in the Banking industry and has been involved in the implementation, launch and go- to- market plan of several Payment solutions in the industry. She holds a bachelor’s degree with honors in Accounting and Finance from University of Brighton, Sussex and has completed the Association of Certified Chartered Accountant (ACCA) certification and has attended various management trainings.

Onyeka Ogoegbunam

Maryam Unokhua