Unilever appoints new independent non-executive directors

Unilever Nigeria Plc, a fast-moving consumer goods company, has appointed two new independent non-executive directors and a chairman to its board of directors.

According to the statement, Ngozi Edozien was appointed as the new independent non-executive director, and Bolaji Balogun was appointed as the new independent non-executive director and chairman, effective May 16, 2024.

“Balogun is the Founder and CEO of Chapel Hill Denham and Chief Investment Officer of the Nigeria Infrastructure Debt Fund. He has over 35 years of experience in investment banking, investment management, investing, and mobile telecommunications,” the statement said.

It said Balogun spent over a decade with FCMB Group, in investment banking and securities trading, until January 2001, when he left to become a co-founder and Director of Econet Wireless Nigeria, now Airtel Nigeria.

“He led the fundraising and license bid auction for Econet Wireless Nigeria’s $285 million GSM license. He joined the business from inception as Chief Business Development & Strategy Officer and was appointed Chief Marketing Officer in October 2001,” it added.

Balogun was the executive director/COO at CSL Stockbrokers Limited before he served at Econet Wireless from April 1993 to January 2001. He was the executive director of FCMB Capital Markets from January 1996.

“Edozien is a well-rounded business professional with over 35 years of Global leadership experience spanning Management Consulting; General Management; Private Equity/Venture Capital; Finance, Sustainability, and Strategic Planning/Business Development in multi-national companies in Europe, USA, and Africa,” the statement said.

It said she had her education in the Harvard and Radcliffe Colleges, Harvard University, and also obtained her Master of Business Administration from the Harvard Business School, Harvard University.

“Edozien’s professional experience cuts across JP Morgan & Company, INC, New York, and Pfizer Global Pharmaceuticals (PGP) Planning and Business Development which are both Fortune 500 companies,” the statement added.

She is the founder and MD of Invivo Partners Limited, a firm founded to do principal investing, advisory, and operational support to investee companies (SMEs and start-ups), and before that, she was the CEO of Actis West Africa (Actis LLP).