Nana Dwemoh Benneh

An inspirational and effective leader with strong interpersonal skills and proven success in driving business performance in high profile, critical-impact assignments across markets in Africa and the UK. I have practical expertise and experience in strategy, sales and marketing and operational excellence in the financial sector. I bring to bear a strong entrepreneurial approach to managing for value leading to significant profitable outcomes. I am noted for mentoring and fostering talent and growth leaders in eco-systems I lead.

• Consulting Director, Azumah Resources Ltd, 01/2024, Present, A member of the Board of Azumah Resources Ltd which owns the concession to the Black Volta Mining project in North Western region in Ghana. A member of the Finance Committee tasked with fundraising for the pre production development works required to bring the mine into operation
• Chief Executive Officer, Universal Merchant Bank, 01/2021, 12/2023, I currently hold the apex executive mandate at the Universal Bank Limited. The remit is responsible for over 1000 employees and physical footprint of 35. UMB is arguably Ghana's oldest merchant bank, with a 50 year vintage. The primary deliverable of the role is to task is to move UMB from a Tier 3 bank to a Tier 2 within 4years, beginning with a forward-looking strategic plan; anchored on building a digital first bank, a strong resilient balance sheet, developing strong partnerships and ahigh performing Talent and Agile Culture. Within a year and half, I have led the Bank to deploy our strategy to achieve over 30% improvement on all key indicator lines. I have championed the restructuring effort at the Bank, to be in a position to effectively compete in the key market segments and sectors. I have leveraged my reputation and track record, coupling this with the heritage of the bank to project UMB as a thought leader and critical voice in the Ghana Association of Banks and the financial industry. This has peaked during 2022, as part of the Banks Jubilee Celebrations. Headline activity here is leading a critical dialogue session with key players, including the Bank of Governor in the Ghana Academy of Arts and Sciences 2022 Forum on AfCTA.
• Executive Director, Personal & Business Banking, Stanbic Bank Ghana Ltd, 10/2013, 10/2020, Responsible for the strategic management of the Personal & Business banking proposition through an enterprise architecture comprising of 800 employees across a network of 40 branches. Led an aggressive growth and development strategy to transform the business into profitability and enhanced Return on Equity. Member of local Asset and Liability team responsible for the efficient optimization of the balance sheet.
• Director, Consumer Banking, Barclays Bank Ghana, 12/2007, 08/2013, Responsible for retail franchise comprising 92 branches and 1200 FTEs (full term employees) across the country. Also managed an alternative distribution channel of direct sales agents focused mainly on customer acquisition. Consistently delivered average year on year income growth of 30% over 3 years up to 2010 and achieved a 40% reduction in cost of funds by increasing market share of retail liabilities to 23% whilst keeping underlying cost flat. Responsible for driving the profitability of 50 new branches set in 2007 /2008. 75% of branches were profitable within the first 18 months of operation.
• Lending Director, Larger Business Credit, Barclays Bank PLC, London, 02/2007, 12/2007, Responsible for analyzing credit applications from FTSE 250 companies and making recommendations to the UK Business Credit Committee. Worked with the industry specialist Relationship Directors into structure financing instruments and lending products within the appropriate risk reward framework applied by the bank.
• Relationship Director, International Trade and Cash Solutions, Barclays Bank PLC, London, 11/2005, 02/2007, Responsible for analyzing of the treasury functions of FTSE 250 companies and making recommendations on improving efficiencies and enhancing profitability. Worked with the industry specialist Relationship Directors in identifying key sales leads and providing a value adding analysis service leading to sales of the banks products and services.
• Director, Mass Market Proposition, Barclays Africa Regional Office, Johannesburg, 01/2005, 11/2005, Responsible for strategic design of Barclays Africa's retail and business banking customer value propositions. Collaborated with customer insight and business planning teams to identify, test design and implement relevant value propositions across multiple customer behavior profiles.
• Director, Local Business Segment, Barclays Africa Regional Office, Johannesburg, 02/2004, 12/2004, Delivered end - to end performance of Barclays Africa Local Business proposition and led a virtual team of 16 Business Development Managers across Africa. Average profitability of the Pan African portfolio increased by 60% in 2004 and exceeded target by 32%. Redesigned and launched the refreshed proposition in Kenya, Uganda, Botswana, Zambia, Ghana and Mauritius which increased our competitive edge in these markets and launched the customer value proposition in Zimbabwe, Tanzania and Seychelles. Initiated talks with external agencies to create a partnership for the development of the SME sector and presented a paper to the SME sub group committee of the Commission for Africa set up by the G8 on 'Collaboration Opportunities for Financial Institutions with Governments, Multinationals and Development Agencies to develop SME s in Africa'.
• Regional Sales & Service Manager, Local Business, Barclays Africa Regional Office, Nairobi, 02/2003, 02/2004, Implemented new value proposition for SME customers in key African markets and led virtual team of 12 Business Development Managers responsible for small business customers in Kenya, Uganda, Botswana, Zambia, Ghana and Mauritius resulting in a profitability uplift that exceeded annual targets by 20%. Personally managed the initial customer dissatisfaction in Kenya following the launch of the new customer proposition as a result of the tighter risk model. Achieved 90% retention of the desirable customers against a target of 80%.
• Head of Retail, Barclays Bank of Uganda, Kampala, 07/2001, 02/2003, Led a team of 70 people through an organizational design change and still achieved 150% of annual sales targets. Achieved significant change in performance culture by introducing new performance metrics, a merit based reward system, and aggressively focusing on the acquisition of talent which resulted in 30% of existing staff being replaced by key talent from the competition and other service industries. Achieved the target of an 80% alignment to the performance distribution curve of a high performance organization over 18 months. Member of the Country Management Committee that drove business performance and implemented the business strategic agenda whilst maintaining high standards of governance and operational efficiency.
• Sales & Service Support Manager, Barclays Africa Central Retail Team, London, 11/2000, 06/2001, Developed a monthly sales MI pack for Retail in Barclays Africa and a monitoring system used for sales campaigns. Worked as the business contact with the approved external vendor to roll out new corporate wear to all staff in the businesses in Africa. Member of the Barclayloan Taskforce set up to instill operational rigor into the end -to end Barclayloan process. Wrote training modules for staff in all our businesses in Africa, delivering training workshops for all impacted staff and implementing new processes in Ghana.
• Performance Planning Manager, Barclays Bank of Kenya Ltd, Nairobi, 02/2000, 10/2000, Delivered the review of performance contracts for the Retail Director's direct reports and designed a set of MI reports for the Retail Function in Kenya. Developed and implemented a recruitment plan for Prestige customers that resulted in an achievement of 150% of target over three months. Designed and facilitated training workshops for the sales teams to increase sales performance in the branches. Achieved an overall appraisal rating of exceptional performance.
• Programme Manager, Market Leadership Programme, Barclays Bank of Ghana Ltd, Accra, 03/1999, 01/2000, Co-ordinated roll out of the Market Leadership Programme in Ghana by Organizing communication events/road shows and launching the AML training programme for all staff to embed the key brand messages and brand Visual Identity. Ghana's Market Leadership Programme was rated one of the best- in terms of timely delivery and budget.
• Attache Barclays Business Leadership Programme, Barclays Bank plc, Colchester, 10/1998, 01/1999, Deputized for three Customer Service Manager's in their outlets helping with sales management and contributing incentive initiatives. Worked with the two sales coaches in the cluster to implement the new sales roles in the outlets.
• Account Relationship Manager, Merchant Bank Ghana Ltd, Accra, 06/1997, 08/1998, Successfully managed a portfolio of non-borrowing customers, raised significant deposits and tendered for three new business accounts. Achieved the business development target and designed new products for the market.
• Benefits Realization Officer, NSP-Ministry of Education/World Bank Project, Ghana, 08/1996, 01/1997, Produced a report evaluating success of the functional literacy programme established in the rural areas of Ghana. A number of my recommendations were implemented in the roll out of subsequent programmes.

• Date of Birth: 02/21/72
• Marital Status: Married