Skye Bank debunks rift with Centrespread

Skye Bank has distanced itself from a negative media statement, making the rounds which was released last Tuesday, April 11, 2017, purporting to recover N1.4b loan transaction from Centrespread, its long time media partner irrespective of its new partnership with Grey, a global advertising player.

According to reports, officials of Skye Bank’s Corporate Affairs Unit however refuted the contents of the news release claiming ignorance of such being sent out from them or any PR firm retained by Skye Bank.

“I can confidently tell you that Skye Bank did not author or authorise that news release,” one official volunteered.

“As at this moment, we do not work with any PR agency or consultant and there is no Charles Igbinidu, working for the Corporate Affairs Unit or the Bank, either as an in-house staff or consultant to the Corporate Affairs Unit. So, we cannot accept ownership of the said statement,” he further stated.

It would be recalled that barely a week after Centrespread announced its new affiliation with Grey, thereby changing its name to CentrespreadGrey, a media statement titled ‘Skye Bank determined to recover N1.4b Debt from Centrespread…Despite New Affiliation with Grey’ surfaced in the media in what analysts believe is a move by some mischief makers to douse the positive vibes engendered by the well announced affiliation, even before its proper take off.

Another official of the bank described Centrespread as a valued customer and friend of the bank; “We are in business and our customers of which Centrespread is one, remain an important reason for our business success this far. Their success stories make us happy and proud and, even if we have business disagreements, there are more efficient, time-tested channels of resolving such in the best interest of all parties concerned. Skye Bank is an ethical business and we cannot malign any of our customers, for whatever reason”, he said.

Meanwhile, investigations proved correct that no media relations agency is currently on Skye Bank’s roster, with the most recent agreement ending some time ago and so far, it has not been renewed nor is another agency engaged.

However, reports have it that the owner of the PR agency where the falsehood peddler used to work in Magodo area in Lagos state before he was sacked due to conflict of interest confided in an associate that his agency is not working for Skye Bank and so could not have released the material to the media. He categorically denied his involvement and that of his firm in the origination and syndication of the story.

“Our Agency values style, taste and elegance. Our approach to the business of PR will not allow us to issue such tasteless and inelegant content. It is definitely not from us because we do not even work for the Principal in question, as at this moment”, he noted.

Lekan Ishola, managing director of PR Redline- the PR agency in the CentrespreadGrey Group- said the Group would not respond to media enquiry on the said material as they would rather concentrate on the task of deepening and strengthening the CentrespreadGrey brand.

“These are exciting and busy times for us, business-wise and it not wise for us to dissipate energy on issues that do not advance our new business focus. I am sure you know the marketing communication world is waiting to see what revolution this affiliation can produce and we prefer to work hard at that objective; not getting distracted by some idle peddlers of hate and rumour,” he said.