BY NDUMBE BELL GASTON IN DOUALA
Gwendoline Abunaw has been appointed at the helm of Ecobank Cameroon. The illustrious daughter now replaces the Senegalese Moustapha Fall who is to report for other duties at the Group’s headquarters in Lomé, Togo, according to a release dated Thursday April 27.
She embraced the news in her capacity as deputy Director General. According to inside sources of the Cameroonian subsidiary, Moustapha Fall is intended to function in the audit department of the Group’s headquarters.
Moustapha Fall has been crowing in the Cameroonian subsidiary since February 2012. Gwendoline is entering these shoes when the bank has been experiencing an expansion growth. She therefore has several challenges to overcome especially those of realising the left over dreams of her predecessor which is intended to make Ecobank Cameroon be among the first best trio of pan African banks in Cameroon.
Madam Abunaw will have to depend on and explore her very rich experiences in the world of bankers which before now had made her move to the pinnacle.
In 1998, she started her professional life at the Standard Chartered Bank Cameroun. Her alacrity and professionalism made her deviate her inclination to Ecobank. Here, she moved up the different ladders until she was finally promoted to the prestigious position of Deputy Director General of the Cameroonian subsidiary.
In the academic front, she is holder of an MBA in Financial Management after a first degree in Banking and Finance bagged in the University of Buea. Before her latest appointment, her exploits had already paid off. So, in 2014 she was already administrator of the Board of Director of Ecobank Cameroon.
Once again she has the sole responsibility to take the bank to higher heights which, for a period, has been registering only positive results. Following insiders reports, Econbank Cameroon registered or realised a net profit of FCFA 6.38 billion in 2015. This is seen to be a 5% hike as compared to the preceding year. Meanwhile customer base experienced another hike of 24% vis 2014 figures.
Judging from performances in the recent past Ecobank Cameroon has jumped to become a major contributor or player in the financing of the nation’s economy, having taken an important role in the sales of bonds. For example, in the launching of the sales of bonds for the state of Cameroon of September 20, 2016.
Another development in that capacity took place when the subsidiary was very instrumental, among other banks, to grant a credit of FCFA 25 billion as part of financial contributions for the take off of the sick nation’s carrier Camair-Co. Last but not least Ecobank Cameroon was awarded the distinction of the best bank in Cameroon for the fourth straight time, according to the British Magazine, the Banker, that conducted the studies.