PASTOR ITUAH IGHODALO
Board Chairman
PASTOR ITUAH IGHODALO (Board Chairman)
Pastor Ituah Ighodalo is an Associate, Nigerian Institute of Management (ANIM) (1992) and the American Institute of Management (1993).
A 1981 graduate of Economics and Accounting from the University of Hull, U.K., Pastor Ighodalo trained and qualified as a professional with the firm of Price Waterhouse Coopers in 1986.
He is a Fellow of both the Institute of Chartered Accountants of Nigeria (1994) and the Nigeria Institute of Taxation (2000). As former Managing Partner, Ighodalo & Co, he brings to the firm 20 years of experience in Auditing, Accounting, Taxation, Human Resources and Financial Advisory Services. Pastor Ighodalo has logged 19 years of experience in running a practice.
ROHANA KUMAR
Non Executive Director
ROHANA KUMARA (Non-Executive Director)
Rohana is currently the CEO of LOLC Development Finance Plc, and also the Regional Director for the subsidiaries of LOLC in Pakistan, Indonesia and Africa. He is also a member of the Board in LOLC subsidiaries in Pakistan, Indonesia, Kenya and Zambia.
He has more than 24 years’ experience of overseeing SME & Micro –Finance Companies in Sri Lanka, some Asian Region and African Region respectively. He has an Intermediate Diploma from Institute of Bankers Sri Lanka; he then proceeded to obtain a Post-Graduate Diploma in Marketing from the Chartered Institute of Marketing, United Kingdom. He later obtained a Master’s in Business Administration from the Cardiff Metropolitan University, United Kingdom.
Prior to joining the LOLC group in 1993 as a marketing executive, he has worked in Seylan Bank Plc; through hard work and dedication, he rose through the ranks and became the Chief Operating Officer of Lanka Orix Leasing Company in 2014 and then became the Chief Executive Officer of LOLC Development Finance Plc in 2016.
BUDDIKA WICKRAMAARACHCHI
MD/CEO
BUDDIKA WICKRAMAARACHCHI (MD/CEO)
Buddika is a seasoned banking professional with 20+ years’ experience in the Banking and Finance sector. He has applied his versatile experiences and strong knowledge of financial services & operations for greater challenges, benefits, and rewards, whilst optimizing productivity and utilizing skills in producing excellent financial outcome in meeting overall objectives.
He has a proven track record in carrying out resourceful abilities in a diverse array of functions to include, business performance management, employing team driven process and systems and creating high performance teams. He has a track record of achieving growth in top-line, bottom -line, market share and reputational capital.
In 2021, he was appointed as the Country Head of Tujijenge Financial Services Limited, Tanzania (under LOLC Overseas Operations) where he was responsible for the turning-around of the entity following LOLC acquisition and overall operations. Following his successful footprints in Tanzania, he was appointed as Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of Fina Trust Microfinance Bank Limited effective from July 1, 2023.
Among qualifications, he holds a Post-graduate Diploma in Business Administration and a Master’s in Business Administration from Cardiff Metropolitan University in the United Kingdom.
MR. IBRAHIM KWARGANA
Non-Executive Director
MR. IBRAHIM KWARGANA (Non-Executive Director)
Mr. Kwargana has over 38 years’ experience in the Banking sector. He was an Executive Director in Union Bank. He was appointed by the Central Bank of Nigeria in 2009 and until his retirement he was responsible for the Bank’s public sector relationship with Ministries, Departments and Agencies of Federal and State Government of Nigeria as well as commercial business development for the northern region. He served as a Non- Executive Director and Chairman of Board Finance and General Purpose Committee on the Board.
He is an experienced Banker with B.Sc. Second class upper division in political science, MSc. Corporate Governance and a member of the Institute of Internal Auditors. He is bringing a wealth of experience on Board ranging in Personal Administration and Industrial Relations, Internal Audit, Banking Operations and Marketing, Customer Relationship Management and served on the Board of a number of Companies.
He has attended a number of symposiums, seminars, and workshops on Banking Processes and Products, Personnel Management, Audit, Fraud Awareness and Prevention, Money Laundering, Corporate Governance and Enterprise Risk Management and also facilitated on some of the programmes.
ISHARA NANAYAKKARA
Non-Executive Director
ISHARA NANAYAKKARA (Non-Executive Director)
Mr. ISHARA NANAYAKKARA is prominent entrepreneur serving on the Boards of many corporates and conglomerates in the region. He initially ventured into the arena of financial services with a strategic investment in Lanka ORIX Leasing Company PLC and was appointed to the Board in 2002. Today, he is the Deputy Chairman of LOLC Holdings PLC, along with directorships in many of its subsidiaries and associate companies.
Backed by close to two decades of professional experience in the industry, Mr. Nanayakkara currently holds the role of Executive Chairman of LOLC Development Finance PLC, as well as LOLC Life Assurance Limited. In recent years, he has also held the role of Chairman of Commercial Leasing & Finance PLC, one of Sri Lanka’s leading financial service providers for over 30 years, Executive Deputy Chairman of LOLC Finance PLC, the largest NBFI in the country, as well as Deputy Chairman of Seylan Bank PLC, a premier commercial bank in the country. His commitment to catering to the entire value chain of the finance sector manifested in the development of Micro Finance, Islamic Finance, factoring through LOLC Factors, and insurance through LOLC Life & General Insurance Companies.
Leveraging LOLC Group’s expertise in the SME sector, the expansion into the Micro Sector was spearheaded by Mr. Nanayakkara, who played a pivotal role in the proliferation of the Group’s unique and internationally recognized microfinance business model. He also holds a directorship at PRASAC, the largest microfinance Company in Cambodia, since 2007. Mr. Nanayakkara’s interest in microfinance lead to the inauguration of LOLC Myanmar Micro Finance Company Ltd, a green field investment in Myanmar in which he was the founding Chairman, and currently serves as a Director. His proficiency in micro finance in the region is further demonstrated by his contribution at the strategic level in LOLC Cambodia PLC (Previously known as Thaneakea Phum Ltd); one of the top microfinance companies in Cambodia. In line with Mr. Nanayakkara’s vision to elevate LOLC Group as a global player with a multi-currency, multi-geographic MSME platform, the Group’s expanding overseas footprint has seen him assume the role of Director in Pak Oman Microfinance Bank, Pakistan, as well as LOLC Philippines Corporation and LOLC Philippines Capital Holdings Corporation. He was also appointed as a Director in LOLC International Private Limited & LOLC Private Limited.
Mr. Nanayakkara’s motivation to expand into various growth peripheries is further illustrated through his role as the Executive Chairman of Brown & Company PLC. Through diverse strategic investments, he is steadfast in his aim to catalyse development in the growth sectors of the Sri Lankan economy. Mr Nanayakkara’s involvement in the Boards of Browns Investments PLC, Ceylon Graphene Technologies (Pvt.) Ltd, Sri Lanka Institute of Nano Technology (Pvt.) Ltd, Associated Battery Manufacturers (Cey) Ltd and Sierra Constructions Ltd, reflects this business philosophy.
Endorsing his entrepreneurial spirit, Mr. Ishara Nanayakkara received the prestigious ‘Young Entrepreneur of the Year’ Award at the Asia Pacific Entrepreneurship Awards (APEA) in 2012. He holds a diploma in Business Accounting from Australia.
TEMITOPE POPOOLA
Non Executive Director
TEMITOPE POPOOLA (Non-Executive Director)
Mrs. Popoola is a self-starter and very successful entrepreneur. A graduate of Geography and Planning from Lagos State University, Lagos State Nigeria. She is an astute Banker with 12 years’ experience in the Banking Industry. Tope started her career with Guaranty Trust Bank as a Relationship Officer and she rose to the post of Head, Risk Control and Risk Management/ Assurance Unit. She later became the Chief Operating Officer of Conrad Clark Nigeria Limited where she was till she retired to establish her own business in 2015.
She has vast experience in proactive monitoring of risk profiles, developing relevant key risk indicators organization wide, data analysis and risk intelligence. She is also verse in operation risks, fraud risk and legal risk. She is currently the MD/ CEO Of Le Lux Convenience Limited.