Ononuju Irukwu

Ononuju Irukwu is a graduate of the University of Benin, Nigeria ( Bachelor of Arts) ; Obafemi Awolowo University, Nigeria (MBA General Management) and Bangor Business School, Wales, (MBA/ Chartered Banker). She is an Investment Management Professional with over 3 decades of experience in Financial Services specifically Wealth Management, Mortgage Banking & Personal Banking. Ononuju has extensive knowledge and understanding of financial services garnered from some of Nigeria’s leading Investment Banks, Discount Houses, and International Banks.

She was the Managing Director, Chapel Hill Denham Management Limited, a leading Investment Management Company in Lagos, Nigeria, from 2013 to 2018 where she led the growth and restructuring of 4 of the proprietary Mutual Funds, and was a member of the Investment Committee of the Nigeria Infrastructure Debt Fund ( NIDF). She led the Wealth Management team at FBN Capital( Now FBN Quest Asset Management) from 2007 to 2011 and was instrumental to the success of the FBN Heritage Fund and FBN Eurobond Fund. She was the Head of Priority and Excel Banking, Standard Chartered Bank Nigeria from 2004 to 2007, where she developed and managed cross border products and relationships. Ononuju is a Fellow, of the Chartered Institute of Directors ( F.CIoD) and was a member of the Ethics and Governance Committee of the Institute until 2024 where she contributed extensively to the Institutes Code of Ethics Review .

She has previously Chaired the Channels Working Group of the Financial Inclusion Technical Committee, Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN)2016-2018 and was President, Fund Managers Association of Nigeria (FMAN) in Dec 2017. She is a UK Certified Investment Adviser, Chartered Member, Chartered Institute for Securities & Investments (CISI) UK, and sits on the International Committee of the Institute. She is an Honorary Senior Member (HCIB) of the Chartered Institute of Bankers Nigeria (CIBN), the Assistant General Secretary of CIBN UK Branch , and the Chairperson , Women in Finance Nigeria, UK Chapter. She is also a member of the Board of Trustees for The Royal Alexandra and Albert School Foundation, Gatton Park, Surrey. Ononuju is passionate about financial literacy and is committed to ensuring the investing public has access to the right information and guidance from qualified professionals. She wrote a Personal Wealth column with ThisDay Newspapers Nigeria for over 6years (2011-2017) and speaks regularly at seminars and conferences. In July 2022, she published her first book titled, The Habits of the Financially Wise She currently leads the Private Banking Business of First Bank UK, a First Bank of Nigeria subsidiary.