Bukola Smith became the Managing Director/Chief Executive Officer of FSDH Merchant Bank in April 2021. She brings 29 years of progressive experience in the banking industry with a track record of strategic execution and leadership.
Before her appointment as Managing Director, she was the Executive Director, Business Development at First City Monument Bank and held several other leadership positions since joining in 2006. She was responsible for the banks over 200 branches across the country, Public Sector, Business Banking, Agriculture and Transaction Banking Divisions. Under her leadership, the bank’s SME focused team in 3 years moved from 5th position in the industry to 1st position in 2019 (KPMG Customer Service Report 2020).
In addition, she established the FCMB Women in Business Desk (branded SheVentures) which supports female entrepreneurs; and set up FCMB Trustees and FCMB Custody. She was at some point the Divisional Head Treasury, Divisional Head Internal Audit and has also had responsibility for the Investment Banking and Registrar Subsidiaries of the Bank. Bukola also sat on the board on Legacy (now FCMB) Pension Funds Ltd.,
CSL Stockbrokers Ltd and FCMB Trustees Ltd.
Bukola’s other banking experience include Treasury Operations, International Trade Services, Foreign and Local Currency Trading, Bond Trading, Correspondent Banking and Relationship Management of Non-Bank Financial Institutions and Private Banking Clients.
She is a Fellow of the Institute of Chartered Accounts of Nigeria (ICAN) and Honorary Member of the Chartered Institute of Bankers. She holds an MBA from Alliance Manchester Business School, University of Manchester U.K, and a B.Sc. Economics from the University of Lagos.
Bukola currently sits on the board of Women in Successful Careers (WISCAR), the Toyin Oni Foundation (NGO for cancer awareness) and serves as mentor to several young women within and outside these networks.
