It was all commendations and accolades as Dr. Segun Aina, OFR ends his chairmanship of the Global Banking Education Standards Board (GBEStB) after serving for six years as the pioneer chairman of the global banking standards body.
Dr. Aina is leaving an indelible mark on the global banking education landscape. The GBEStB is a voluntary, industry-led initiative founded by the world’s leading banking institutes to develop and encourage the adoption of clear, internationally agreed standards for the education of professional bankers.
At the special global Council meeting of the body held on Tuesday, September 26, 2023, Aina was highly praised for his leadership of the body right from inception. Participants highlighted the stable leadership he provided especially during the 2020 COVID Pandemic period. In his comment, Mr.Ken Opara, the President of the Chartered Institute of Bankers of Nigeria, congratulated Aina on his remarkable strides at the GBESTB. Opara noted that Aina’s leadership has enhanced the CIBN brand stating that the foremost Nigerian banking organization is proud of him. He joined other participants to appreciate Dr. Aina’s efforts at building the framework and foundation for the body. He commended his sterling leadership provided to the body during the COVID period. In his own congratulatory message, Mr. Akin Morakinyo, the Registrar and Chief Executive Officer of the CIBN, felicitated with Dr. Segun Aina for a successful completion of a six-year tenure. Morakinyo posited that no leader is said to have succeeded until he/she is able to have a successor. He expressed his happiness on the new helmsman who he described as a capable hand. He promised the continued support of the CIBN to the global standards board.
While appreciating the outgoing chairman on behalf of other board members, Biswaketan Das, the Chief Executive Officer, India Institute of Banking and Finance (IIBF), noted the quality leadership of Dr. Segun Aina for laying the foundation stone for the board to grow. He emphasized the yeoman’s job Aina did in ensuring GBEStB rise to become what it is today. He credited Aina for seeing the board through its early days.
Also speaking, Carrie Leung, Chief Executive Officer, Hong Kong Institute of Bankers (HKIB), appreciated Aina for creating a path for the Board as the first chairman. She noted the stability that Aina’s leadership has brought to the board during its early life which was not an easy task. She concluded by thanking Aina for his contributions to the growth of the board.
In his acceptance speech, the new chairman, Simon Thompson, the Chief Executive of Chartered Banker Institute, United Kingdom, noted the contributions of Dr. Segun Aina to GBESTB. He acknowledged Aina’s laying of the foundation and creation of a path for the banking body. In an earlier correspondence, Thompson had said “GBEST collectively and our members individually owe you a great debt of thanks for your leadership, energy and enormous efforts to establish and grow the association during some very difficult times. As our Founding Chair, you will always have a special place in the history of GBEST, and the affections of its members, your colleagues and your friends.” Thompson listed his priority areas to include growing the membership by bringing on board regions not currently well represented; demonstrating values to members through regular events and other worthwhile activities; enhancing the status and uptake of the board’s standards as well as leading a successful and well-attended 2025 WCBI in Scotland building on the success of the wonderful 2023 WCBI in Malaysia.
Dr. Segun Aina’s tenure as the pioneer Chairman of the GBEStB will forever be etched in history as a period of transformation and progress in the world of banking education. His visionary leadership and unwavering commitment have set new standards and raised the bar for banking education worldwide.
Notably, Dr. Aina’s tenure marks a significant milestone as he becomes the first person in the world to occupy this prestigious position. His pioneering spirit and dedication have been instrumental in shaping the GBEStB into a global force for excellence in banking education. Under Dr. Aina’s astute leadership, the GBEStB has achieved remarkable accomplishments, including:
- Holding the 23rd World Conference of Banking Institutes hosted by London Institute of Banking and Finance in 2019 and the 24th World Conference of Banking Institutes in June 2023 hosted in Kuala Lumpur Malaysia by the Asian Institute of Chartered Bankers.
- Creating and establishing seven global standards including ethics education for professional bankers; threshold competence for professional bankers; sustainable finance for professional bankers; credit and lending for professional bankers; digital financial literacy for professional bankers; treasury operations for professional bankers and operational risk and resilience for professional bankers
- Guiding the body to Global Recognition: The GBEStB, under Dr. Aina’s guidance, has gained worldwide recognition as a leading authority in banking education standards. His efforts have elevated the profile of the organization on the global stage.
- Introducing innovation and adaptability in GBESTb’s operations: Dr. Aina’s commitment to innovation has ensured that the GBEStB remains adaptable in an ever-changing financial landscape, preparing future banking professionals for success.
- Championing diversity and inclusion: He has championed diversity and inclusion within the banking education sector, promoting equal access to education and opportunities for all.
Dr. Aina, a former Chairman of Odua Investment Company Limited and past President of Chartered Institute of Bankers of Nigeria, has three decades of distinguished banking career in three banks and voluntarily retired in 2004 after a six-year tenure as Bank MD/CEO. Aina, is widely known as an innovation visionary who set up Fintech Associates Ltd as far back as 2002, he is the founding President and Chairman of BoT, Fintech Association of Nigeria (FintechNGR), initiator and founding President of the Africa Fintech Network (AFN), Founder/Chairman, The Fintech Institute (TFI) and Opolo Global Innovation Limited, as well as a host of other innovative tech-related businesses. Variously described as Nigeria’s fintech envoy and Africa’s Fintech Grandmaster, Aina has incubated many successful fintech startups and sits on the Boards of various institutions in the Banking, Insurance, Agriculture and Technology sectors. He also serves as a member of the UK-Africa Fintech Investment Group, a UK Govt initiative.