CHIEF Executive Officer, CEO, West Africa, Renaissance Group (Investment Banking), Ms Yvonne Ike, has been appointed into the Board of Guinness Nigeria Plc, as a non-Executive Director.

Ms Ike’s appointment was announced at the Board meeting of the company  recently.

The appointment is with immediate effect.

Ike holds a Bachelor of Science Degree in Economics. She started her career as an auditor with Ernst and Young International and has been an FSA registered representative since 1994. She was a Managing Director at JP Morgan, where she spent 15 years of her career until 2009. Ms. Ike is an internationally regarded investment banker credited with pioneering a number of ground-breaking transactions in West Africa region.

She has more than 18 years experience in financial services, including capital market operations and fixed-income, derivatives and equities products. Over the course of her career, she has led senior teams in New York, Geneva, Hong Kong, Nigeria and South Africa.

She is presently the CEO West Africa, Renaissance Group (Investment Banking).

The Board also accepted the resignation of Mrs. Ifeoma Mafeni from the Board of Directors of the Company with effect from 13 April 2012.

Until her resignation, Mrs. Mafeni was an Executive Director (Human Resources Director) of the company; her resignation was to enable her pick up a role as the Diageo Human Resources Director of Africa Regional Markets.

The appointment of Mrs. Mafeni to her new role is recognition of her sterling achievements while she was the Human Resources Director in Guinness Nigeria.

Her impact in this role has been significant, having spearheaded major progress in the company’s talent strategy, partnered in building a powerful leadership team and created a high performing HR function.