CFAO Nigeria appoints Gbenga Oyebode as Chairman

The Board of Directors of CFAO Nigeria Plc, a leading investor in the Nigerian economy since 1902, has appointed Mr. Gbenga Oyebode, MFR, as the Chairman of the Board. Oyebode is a renowned lawyer, experienced administrator, Chairman and Director of several reputable organisations in Nigeria and overseas.

Oyebode is a recipient of several prestigious awards, including one of Nigeria’s highest honours, Member of the Order of the Federal Republic (MFR) and the Belgian Royal Honour of ‘Knight of the Order of Leopold.’

As the fourth indigenous Chairman of the multinational company, Oyebode is bringing his vast board room experience to bear on the company and would continue with the tradition of operational excellence and business integrity built upon by late Sir, Chief (Dr.) Molade Okoya-Thomas, a prominent Lagosian, renowned philanthropist and Asoju Oba of Lagos, who sadly passed on two years ago. Other past Chairmen who also contributed significantly to the strong investment foundation of CFAO in Nigeria were Chief Allison Ayida and the late Gamaliel Onosode, internationally acclaimed administrators and Boardroom experts.

Oyebode brings his vast boardroom experience to bear on the CFAO Group in Nigeria consisting of subsidiaries such as NIPEN (manufacturing plastic crates, BIC pens and shavers), GID (distributing fast moving consumer goods), ASSENE LABOREX (pharmaceuticals), EURACARE (multispecialist hospital), CFAO YAMAHA (motorcycles, marine outboard engines, power products), MASSILIA MOTORS (Mitsubishi Motors vehicles) and CFAO MOTORS (FUSO trucks, JCB construction equipment, OTIS elevators).

In addition to being a leading employment provider in the country, CFAO Nigeria is part of CFAO Group, a French multinational, employing 15,000 employees. The Group recently expanded its business activities from 34 to 53 countries in Africa.

Gbenga Oyebode’s appointment is timely and noteworthy in view of the economic reality and investment environment in the country at the moment.