Access Bank Ghana appoints Pearl Nkrumah as first female MD

Access Bank Ghana has named Pearl Nkrumah as its new Managing Director, effective October 1, 2025, making her the first woman to lead the bank since it commenced operations in Ghana.

Her appointment has received approval from the Board of Directors and Bank of Ghana, in line with regulatory requirements.

She succeeds Olumide Olatunji, who has served as Managing Director for the past seven years and will now assume a new executive role within the bank’s parent company in Nigeria.

Pearl Nkrumah brings more than 25 years of experience in the financial services industry, spanning retail and digital banking, commercial banking, risk management, and digital transformation.

Before this appointment, she was the Executive Director for Retail and Digital Banking at Access Bank Ghana, where she also oversaw retail operations across 15 Access Africa subsidiaries outside Nigeria.

Until her appointment, Pearl served as Executive Director for Retail & Digital Banking at Access Bank (Ghana) Plc and Head of Retail Business for Access Africa subsidiaries (excluding Nigeria) where she was responsible for driving the bank’s retail banking strategy across 15 markets on the continent.

Pearl also serves as Chairperson on the Council of Ghana Stock Exchange representing listed companies.

Prior to joining Access Bank as Executive Director in 2022, Ms. Nkrumah began her banking career at Standard Chartered Bank, where she worked from 1998 to 2012.

She subsequently joined Stanbic Bank in 2012, where she held various leadership positions within commercial and business banking.

With more than 25 years of experience in banking and financial services sector, she brings on board extensive expertise in retail and transactional banking, commercial banking, risk management and digital transformation among others.

Commenting on the appointment, Ms. Ama Bawuah, Chair of the Board of Directors at Access Bank (Ghana) Plc, said:

“We are pleased to welcome Pearl Nkrumah as our new Managing Director. Having worked alongside Pearl on the local board over the past three years, her appointment is a testament to Access Bank’s commitment to diversity and her extensive track record and leadership capabilities.We are confident that she will lead the bank into its next phase of growth, building on the successes of her predecessor, while inspiring future generations of women in leadership. I would also like to take this opportunity to thank Olumide Olatunji for his exemplary service and his immense contribution to building Access Bank Ghana Plc over the years into the formidable business it is today.”

“It is a great privilege to lead Access Bank Ghana at such a pivotal time. Together with the Board, management, and our dedicated employees we will deliver superior value to our customers, shareholders, and the communities, building Ghana’s leading catalyst for growth in line with our vision to be the world’s most respected African bank and a true partner in national progress”.

Ms. Nkrumah’s appointment reflects the Bank’s commitment to enhancing its leadership bench and advancing diversity and inclusion initiatives as part of its comprehensive succession planning efforts. She is expected to build on the successes of her predecessor, Olumide Olatunji, under whose leadership the Bank chalked significant milestones and achievements.

Over the past few years, Access Bank has witnessed enormous investor and customer confidence evidenced by growth in its share price, balance sheet, customer deposits and partnerships with multi-lateral agencies such as IFC, MasterCard and Norfund among others. The Bank has also earned several global and industry awards for its performance and sustainability footprints. This includes Best Bank in Ghana (Euromoney 2023 & 2025, Global Finance, 2024 & 2025), Best Bank ESG (Euromoney 2024), Outstanding Sustainable Project Financing (Karlsruhe Awards 2025), Best Digital Bank (2023) and Best CSR Bank (Euromoney 2023, SSI in 2020, 2021 & 2023).

Expressing confidence in his successor, the outgoing Managing Director, Olumide Olatunjin noted:

“It has been a privilege to serve as Managing Director of Access Bank (Ghana) Plc over the past 7 years. During my tenure, I have witnessed the dedication of our people and the resilience of our institution. I am delighted to hand over to Pearl Nkrumah, whose leadership and expertise are well recognized in the industry. I have no doubt she will continue to strengthen the bank’s position and lead it to even greater heights. ”

Access Bank Ghana Plc is a subsidiary of Access Bank Plc – Africa’s largest bank by customer base. Access Bank Ghana Plc is a leading financial institution recognized for innovation, sustainability, and customer-centric solutions.

Consistently ranked among Ghana’s top-performing banks, it delivers world-class services while driving socio-economic impact through initiatives in financial inclusion, gender empowerment, education, health, and the environment.

Operating from more than 700 branches and service outlets in 23 countries in Africa and the rest of the world including the UAE, UK, Hong Kong, and France along with three representative offices in China, India, and Lebanon, Access Bank is committed to setting standards to deliver superior value to customers and provide innovative solutions for the markets and communities it serves.